theGodzwas.com

The Mexican Connection

2007-03-09T10:09:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow morning I'll be taking 6 American University students to Merida, Mexico. It's spring break and instead of lounging on the beach or sleeping in late they're going to share the love of Jesus by serving churches in the Yucatan.

It's a double blessing for me (no that's not a twin joke) that I also get to lead this team with my brother as the host missionary. We're breaking him in as the first short-term team he is bringing in (no pressure!).

Pray for us. We need energy from the Holy Spirit. All of the students are finishing up a hard week of mid-terms and late night study sessions. We need grace to put the last minute touches on our ministry presentation. We need God's protection in travel and His annointing as we minister.

And as you pray, remember the 2 other teams from AU Chi Alpha working in New Orleans and with AIDS patients right here in DC. Thanks for lifting us up. I can't wait to see what God will do with the sacrifice of college students devoted to him.

I've moved to Wordpress!

2006-11-11T16:57:00.000-05:00

I've made the switch to a different blog hosting site. If you get to the site using www.thegodzwas.com, you will be redirected automatically, but if you have this page bookmarked, here's the replacement. There are a few videos that have yet to be uploaded to my Wordpress site so if you want to reminisce, you can still get to this site by typing in http://collegiatechronicles.blogspot.com.

Just one of the reasons I love the A/G!

2006-11-08T00:02:00.000-05:00

In the front room of our apartment sits a little yellow plastic barrel that gets filled up with spare change. It's a Buddy Barrel from the Assemblies of God program called B.G.M.C. and the proceeds from those funds goes to supply missionaries with literature or office equipment they need to tell the world about Jesus.

It hard to imagine that spare change amounting to much, but because of a whole lot of donations from boy and girls from all over Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia, we have a brand new Dell LCD projector! Thanks kids for helping us broadcast the widescreen gospel message @ AU and thanks for sending a check instead of all those quarters.

That's what it's all about!

2006-11-07T23:45:00.000-05:00

Sam just learned the "Hokey Pokey" at school this week and now he's going around singing "That's what it's all about!" Well, this week I'm reminded what campus ministry is all about.

One of our small group leaders told me about a conversation with Bill (not his real name). Bill had been turned off to organized religion a long time ago, by a grade school teacher. But because of the a number of different things that college life brought out, he began to explore Christianity for the first time. He got involved with a small group and became more excited about the Jesus he was reading about and experiencing in the relationships there. Last Tuesday night, Bill stayed after small group and talked with his leaders about taking the next step. After it was explained he said, "I would be glad to do that!" With that, Bill prayed to begin his relationship with Jesus. That is what it's all about!

Pray for protection? Now, I always will.

2006-10-22T22:47:00.000-05:00

When I'm home, I like to put Sam to bed @ night. We go through a normal routine, 2 stories (these days Sam's on a Rhyming Bible kick), 2 songs, prayer, and a hug and kiss good-night. I always try to focus during the prayer so that it doesn't become a mindless habit sometimes I get in a rut. One standard is asking God to protect our family.

Until yesterday it seemed kind of silly to pray for protection. We're not engaged in any physically dangerous work. We live in Washington, DC, but in a relatively crime free area in an apartment building amidst multi-million dollar homes. Safety is almost a given. Almost.

Yesterday, after cleaning up from a reception for parents on campus @ AU, the Godzwa family walked to our cars. We drove separately so Levi could finish his nap. I left Jen and the kids at the entrance to the parking lot thinking I would see them in a few minutes at the apartment. I drove home, put some things away, but they never arrived. I wasn't too worried, but I decided to call Jen's cell anyway, just for information. When she picked up I thought she would tell me they stopped for some milk. Instead, Jen told me she had been robbed.

A few minutes after I left the parking lot in our van, Jen was strapping the kids into their car seats. A man came up from behind her, said he had a knife, and demanded money. After rifling through her bag and finding her wallet, he pushed her inside the car, dropped the knife, and ran off. He took the wallet which contained Jen's ID, 2 credit cards and $7 in cash. Jen called 911 immediately and the police arrived within a few minutes. They fingerprinted our car and took the knife for evidence. After I talked to Jen on the phone I quickly called our bank and credit card company to cancel the cards. The thief had already tried to use Jen's card at a liquor store and a gas station where he was photographed. The police said they hope to have him in custody soon.

Except for a small bump on the head and the shock of being robbed, Jen is doing fine and the kids never even knew what was going on. The officer who took the report said they were really lucky. I had to disagree. God protected my family yesterday and I am utterly grateful. As I put Sam to bed tonight, we prayed for the safety of our family. I don't take it for granted anymore.

October Newsletter is released!

2006-10-18T16:55:00.000-05:00

Hot off the press! Here's our latest edition of the Collegiate Chronicles. Click the photo to download the electronic version

To open the PDF file you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. To get Acrobat, go here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Say it isn't so Joe

2006-10-09T00:41:00.000-05:00

Those of you who know me well (all of you who read this blog) know I'm in pain. No, I haven't fallen down a flight of stairs. I don't even have a paper cut. It's my heart that hurts.

My team, the New York Yankees, were eliminated from the playoffs yesterday. The Detroit Tigers, one of last year's worst and a team that was just swept by the Kansas City Royals (this year's worst) dispatched the Yankees 3 games to 1. What made it more humiliating was the way the Yankees played. The most expensive team in the history of the game couldn't buy a hit! They fell apart in a way I haven't seen since they lost 4 games to the Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS.

I thought this was the year. This was the season I was going to introduce my sons to the thrill of being a fan of the World Series Champion. Instead, we've got to wait until next year. I'm beginning to understand a little of what it is like to be a Cubs or a Red Sox fan.

It's going to be a long winter this year. I'll be counting down the days until the pitchers and catcher report for spring training. That's approximately 132 days away.

A little too important in our own eyes?

2006-10-02T07:31:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I'm pretty tied to my cell phone. I have it with me all the time and unless I'm in a meeting I'll usually answer it. If I accidentally leave it @ home, even if I'm only going out for a few minutes, I start worrying about all the missed calls. "I'm so important, people need to reach me!" I get some perspective when I return and find the voicemail tally @ zero.

When I was walking to campus, I saw a woman with a bad case of the "too important syndrome." She was jogging. I mean, dressed to exercise, not just in a rush. While pounding the pavement, you guessed it, she was talking on her cell phone.

"No (gasp, pant) this isn't a prank phone call! Now, about that appointment (gasp)..."

I can understand taking the phone with you in case of emergencies, but having a conversation. That's going too far.

Tomorrow I'm going for a nice run in Rock Creek park and I'm leaving the cell phone behind. If you need me, leave a message, I'll get back to you soon.

Just a bit short...

2006-10-01T08:51:00.000-05:00

A couple of weeks ago we 18 students set out from American University Chi Alpha set out to reclaim the Silver Shoe. It's the trophy for the Annual DC Chi Alpha Kickball Tournament.

We had a great team and fought hard, but sadly we fell just a bit short. I guess winning isn't everything (did I just typet that?). We did have a lot of fun and we were glad to give an emotional boost to the Chi Alpha students @ Georgetown. Just wait until next year!

Up for air

2006-10-01T07:28:00.000-05:00

The first month of the semester has been crazy! I was looking over the blog, and trying to remember the relative calm of the summer. I'm really trying...

Anyway, on to the good news. We kicked off the year with a huge welcome week offering of events and we're slammed with students at every one! We handed out ice cream, cooked smores, played capture the flag and had hundreds of freshmen join us. Sometimes, in the middle of planning these events I ask myself if we should keep doing these things. I think we will! The picture is of a group of us grabbing Chinese food after our 5th Annual Riddle Quest (a scavenger hunt around the DC monuments). Lots of fun!

Our first Thursday Night Worship of the year had a record 101 students show up (of course, I didn't bring a camera). It was a blast! The worship time was powerful and in the middle of delivering my message on Luke chapter 5, I had a powerful sense that this is what I'm supposed to be doing. We've had a month's worth of TNWs since then and I wish I could say we've stayed @ 100. Well, we haven't (we're hanging around 70-80), but God has blessed us with a strong sense of his presence each night.

Our theme this year is "Deeper." I think God is taking us there. We've been walking through the book of Ephesians verse by verse. Each week it's as if we're pulling back the curtain of this world and getting a bigger picture of reality. If you haven't read Ephesians in a while, I would recommend it. It will leave you in awe of our great God who, for no reason other than his incomparable grace, reached down and saved us.

Keep us in your prayers as we continue to follow up a huge number of contacts and reach out to the thousands more @ AU. This is a pivotal time in the life of college students. They're setting their schedules and their priorities. Pray that they would hear the voice of the Holy Spirit calling them deeper.

On a lighter note: Sam's 1st Critic

2006-09-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

My first video with the MacBook and iMovieHD. At the beginning of August, we got together with Jen's family for a small reunion. That always leads to singing! here Emma and Sam perform for a less than appreciative audience. Enjoy!

From auchialpha.org: Another Reason to be Glad You're at American.

2006-08-30T07:55:00.000-05:00

I wrote this yesterday for our students on the auchialpha.org website. I thought you might like to see it too.

Let's be honest. When people think about universities in Washington, DC, the first one that pops in their minds is not American. Several times, when I've mentioned to others that I minister to college students in DC they ask, "at Georgetown?" I just smile and tell them about a great school just a mile or two up the road.

Well, last week, AU has just become more popular, at least among Evangelical Protestants. That was when Georgetown University decided to remove all affiliated Protestant campus ministries including our Chi Alpha chapter there. The reason given... a "reorganization." You can check out the news stories from The Hoya, Washington Post, Washington Times and World Net Daily by clicking on the links.

Personally, I am deeply saddened by the news. My friends, Shawn Galyen, director of Chi Alpha, Karen Keyser, director of the American Friends program, and Sally Herman, director of Chi Alpha at the Med School, we unjustly removed and treated with disdain after serving the campus and Georgetown students faithfully for years without any compensation from Georgetown. What upsets me most, however, are the hundreds of students from 6 affiliated Protestant ministries that are disenfranchised. They were a part of a spiritual community where they received support, comfort, strength and wisdom. Now continuing that community has become much more difficult. Hannah Coyne, a senior Chi Alpha leader expressed it this way, “We found our home here. I know some students who may not even have come back this year if they had not been part of this group and felt support and love.”

I want to extend that support and love to our brothers and sisters down the road. You can help me. If you know of anyone connected to Georgetown University, ask them to write a letter about this decision. Here's where they can send them:

1. President John J DeGioia, Office of the President, Georgetown University, 204 Healy Hall, 37th & 'O' Streets, NW, Washington, DC 20057 2. Mr. Edward Quinn, Secretary of the University, Office of the Secretary, Georgetown University, 205 Healy Hall, 37th & 'O' Streets, Washington, DC 20057

3. Father Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., Vice President of Mission and Ministry, Georgetown University, 108 Healy Hall, 37th & 'O' Streets, Washington, DC 20057.

4. Father Timothy S. Godfrey, S.J., Director of Campus Ministry, Georgetown University, Office of Campus Ministry, 109 Healy Hall, 37th & 'O' Streets, Washington, DC 20057

5. Reverend Constance Wheeler, Protestant Ministry Office, Georgetown University, 109 Healy Hall, 37th & 'O' Streets, Washington, DC 20057.

I was at a meeting with the leaders of Georgetown Chi Alpha last night and I invited them to join us in worship. They will continue to pursue every channel to reverse this unjust decision, but in the meantime, they need a place where they can connect with God and receive comfort and healing. I know that you will welcome them with open arms. Finally, please pray. Pray that our God of justice would work the miraculous for the students of Georgetown.

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."
-Paul

The buzz is growing...

2006-08-27T14:05:00.000-05:00

After I completed my post on the dismissal of affiliated Protestant campus ministries @ Georgetown I did a blog search to see what people are saying. Well, they're saying a lot. Here is a link to my search results. It gave me 263 results! Feel free to weigh in yourself.

Here are a few more news links

World Net Daily
First Things

Gone in a instant...Part 2

2006-08-27T13:33:00.000-05:00

Now on to something far more serious than a stolen laptop. Last Friday, we were told by our colleagues @ Georgetown University that they and all the other affiliated Protestant campus ministries had been removed from official status as chaplains. It was an unprecedented move brought on "as part of a broad restructuring effort in the Office of Campus Ministry, which has altered its organizational structure in the hopes of creating a strong Protestant ministry within the campus." There was no opportunity for our Chi Alpha to discuss the change or even be fully informed of the reasons for it. They were simply dismissed.

I'm asking you, as faithful supporters of campus ministry, to pray. Pray for a miracle of a change in thinking amongst the Georgetown administration or for an open door to reach students in an unconventional way. Pray for Shawn and Deb Galyen and Karen Keyser ministers @ Georgetown's undergraduate campus and Sally Herman, minister @ the medical school, as they discern God's will. And finally, pray for the hundreds of students disenfranchised by this decision. Pray that they would not be discouraged as they continue to follow after Jesus and make His love known @ Georgetown.

One more thing. If you or anyone you know is connected to Georgetown directly or otherwise, please contact me by clicking the contact link to the right. We are starting a letter writing campaign to protest this injustice and we could use you help. Click on the hyperlinks to read the letter written by the University Protestant Chaplain and news stories from the campus paper, the Washington Times and the Washington Post.

Gone in a instant

2006-08-27T08:13:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday was a blur. I spent most of the afternoon preparing for a leaders' meeting and the work went right down to the wire. At 7 pm, the stress gave way to excitement when the first students walked in and we had a great meeting. It was great to be reminded of the honor it is to serve God and be a part of changing the world through college students! After the meeting was over, I spent time catching up with our leaders and then cleaning up. That's when I noticed something interesting. Something was missing.

Before the meeting I purchased three 12 packs of soda. They were on sale so I figured I would pick some up for this meeting and be covered for at least 1 more. I opened them up and set them by the pizza we had ordered and I went on with the rest of what we were doing. Well, by the end of our event, I was thirsty, so I went looking for the leftover soda and I couldn't find it. Sure we had a decent size group, 20 or so leaders, but I couldn't imagine going through 36 cans in 2 hours! I started searching and I came up empty. Still confused i returned to my office (which I had l left a few minutes before searching for the soda) and I noticed something else missing. Something far more valuable. My laptop was stolen! Needless to say I was in shock and I think I still am. I had that computer for more than 3 year and carted it around with me everywhere. It was my little digital friend (of which I have a few). As I ran around the office in a panic, I began to realized the damage that was done. All of my summer's work vanished. All of the Bible studies I was working on were gone. All of the artwork, website and administrative material I created over the last few months was gone.

Well, why am I smiling in this picture you ask. I'll tell you. I'm writing this blog on my new computer. I purchased a brand new MacBook with the money from my insurance and emergency funds from the Potomac District of the Assemblies of God (thanks Keith!). In fact, I took the picture with it's built in camera. It's pretty spiffy. i resisted the switch for a long time, but now that i can run any program I want on it Mac or Windows, I was sold.

Lessons learned:

1. Back-up your files!!!!
2. Buy a security cable lock (I picked one up with this purchase).
3. Don't cry over stolen soda, you might just lose something more valuable.
4. Finally, God really does work all things for the good, and He usually does it in partnership with good friends.

Another brush with fame...Jen's turn

2006-08-06T10:55:00.000-05:00

If you keep up with parenting news, then you've heard about the British lady who's tired of her kids. Well, Jen was given an opportunity by the local CBS news to weigh in on the issue and here it is. Too bad she didn't get the chance to read the article before the filming!

It's me, digitized!

2006-07-28T21:57:00.000-05:00

It's all Brian Lyman's fault. Here's what I created on my "coffee break." I was so proud of my creation that I shared it with a few people in my office @ AU. I'm not sure there was any more work done for the rest of the afternoon. By the way, I'm not responsible for any lost productivity as you create you own digital alter ego.

Sam turns 3

2006-07-11T00:33:00.000-05:00

Hey, I can't help it. I'm just an ordinary dad and this is your typical home movie. Enjoy the highlights of Sam's 3rd birthday. Happy Birthday little man!

Is Your Body a Powerhouse? A summer reading book report

2006-07-05T11:35:00.000-05:00

I’ve been thinking about my physique lately. Well, I guess I should say that I haven’t been thinking of it enough. What drew my attention to it is this padded layer forming around my midsection. A few too many Five Guys burgers and a far too few running miles have caused my 6-pack abs to melt together (okay, I never really had 6-pack abs, but it was a good image). Jen brought home a new scale last week and I decided to test it out. When I saw the numbers displayed on the screen, I told Jen to take it back! I’m happy to say, however, that I’m on the right track! I did a 5 miler this morning and I’m searching for some low-fat alternatives to chips and soda (thank God for Coke Zero).

Being in good health is part of honoring God with our bodies, but did you know that our bodies can help us develop our spiritual health? A book I’m reading started me thinking of my body in a different way. Dallas Willard just released, The Great Omission. It is a look at reclaiming Jesus’ plan of spiritual formation, a person enveloped in the trinity and knowing and obeying everything he commanded (Matt 28:19). In chapter 8, he puts forth the idea of the body being a tool for spiritual formation. He says that if our physical flesh is beyond redemption (as many Christians believe and practice) than our ordinary life is too. Thankfully Paul’s words show us this is not the case. He presents the body as “a temple inhabited by the Holy Spirit. It is not meant to be used for sinning, but is meant for the Lord,” (1 Cor 6:13) and our “bodies are members of Christ.” (1 Cor 6:15). The way our bodies become members of Christ is through training. Willard says it requires mortification of the flesh. Not a particularly popular message series. I’m trying to think of what the “Mortification” series invite card would look like. Here's Willard on the matter:

“Indeed, mortifying or putting things to death doesn’t seem to be the kind of
thing today’s Christians would be caught doing. Yet there it stands, at the
center of New Testament teachings.” This process of “crucifying the flesh with
its passions and desires,” (Gal 5:24) requires effort on our part. “Our part in this transformation, in addition to constant faith and hope in Christ, is purposeful, strategic use of our bodies in ways that will retrain them, replacing the ‘motions of sing in our members’ with the motions of Christ.”

This is done through the spiritual disciplines.

A discipline as described by Willard, “is an activity in our power, which we pursue in order to become able to do what we cannot do by direct effort.” When I wanted to run my first marathon, I knew I could tackle 26.2 miles by will power alone so I started to train. My first long run was 5 miles, but after 4 months and countless workouts I was able to train my body to run the entire distance. The same is true with the spiritual disciplines. Willard outlines the steps:

First, we begin by acknowledging the good of what we are going to do and
asking God's assistance. Second we begin to practice controlling our tongue (or
any other offending part). Not by trying not to insult people when they shake us
up. No, we begin further back from the target situation. Possibly we step out of
the realm of words by not speaking for a twenty-four-hour period--even by
dwelling in silence with the TV and radio off. This probably will require that
we go into solitude for the period of time.

Note that all of this is something we do with our bodies. We relocate and
reorient our bodies in our world. We learn a new relation to our
body--specifically, our ears and tongues. This pervasively impacts our minds,
hearts, and souls, as it gives opportunity to explore our world in silence and
find our proper place in it. This in turn allows us to gain insight in to why
we use the accustomed foul and insulting language.

When we find this insight (the belief that our words give us a sense of power over the offender)through the disciplines we realize how pathetic our response is and discover direct alternatives to it. It is at this time we can incorporate kingdom living into our daily lives. Willard goes on the say:

The interaction between new uses of the body and inward re-positioning toward
the context is essential. Learning to do what he taught is not just a
mental shift without assistance from a modified use of the body, for behavior
and life are not mental.

Using our bodies in this way develops them into a "power pack" to appropriate our freedom from the habitual sin that so often trips us up. As we continue to teach our body how to act out righteousness it will, after much planing, practice and a healthy dose of grace, become an unconscious process.

So, I'll end this extremely lengthy post with a question. How's your body? Could you stand to lose a few pounds? Here's a great place to find a bargain on running shoes. Do you need to develop your spiritual power pack? Click on this link for some exercises in the spiritual disciplines and watch the flesh that you struggle against turn into your friend.

Levi Breaks His Silence

2006-06-24T22:18:00.000-05:00

Levi steps out from his brother's shadow with a lot to say. He also has a talent for physical comedy (watch the right corner of his mouth).

2006-06-19T22:05:00.000-05:00

O Suzanna...the headbangers versionSam returns with an all-favorite. He shows his talent with the keyboard and his ability to sing while slamming his face into the couch pillows. You've gotta see it!

Powered by Castpost

IVs, X-rays, and the blessings of community

2006-05-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of Levi after one of the scariest moments of his young life. Last night, around 8 pm, he began to throw up (seems like this blog is developing a theme). After 3 times, got him in to see a doctor. What we thought would be cured with a simple prescription, turned into a trip to the emergency room and an admittance to Fairfax Hospital. The concern was a possible intestinal blockage and a high chance of dehydration in babies Levi's age. He was connected to an IV (after 6 attempts) and strapped to a board where x-rays were taking of this GI tract. When the test were completed, Levi was admitted to continue the IV fluids and observation.

Medically, Levi is fine. The x-rays showed no blockages and his blood test came back negative for any viruses. The doctors attributed the vomiting episode to reflux, a problem in 50 percent of infants. After a few months, he'll grow out of it. In the meantime, we have a prescription to help.

What was truly amazing about the experience was the outpouring of love we received. Dan, one of our students rushed over to stay with Sam for the night. Molly, a friend in our building volunteered babysitting to give me a chance to sleep and Harvey and Sally, fellow Chi Alpha workers, brought over an awesome dinner. I was supposed to take 3 students to a conference tomorrow and Shawn, the XA director @ Georgetown, volunteered to give them a ride so I can stay with the family for another day. Along with all the help we did receive, we had a bunch of phone calls from friends asking if they could do anything else.

I never, ever want to experience another night like the last, but even still I'm seeing some good in it. God showed us the blessings of community. We have some of the best friends in the world. We love you guys!

Our May Newsletter is published!

2006-05-18T10:15:00.000-05:00

The May edition of the Collegiate Chronicles is in the mail. If you would like to get an advance look, check it out by clicking* on the photo to the left.

*Adobe Reader is required. Get it here

Birthday, baptism, band-aids, barf, and the blessings of God

2006-04-24T14:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the crass title, but it fit with the alliteration. Here's what I mean.

On Saturday, I celebrated my 32nd birthday. It's amazing how old that used to sound, but I'm comfortable with that now... Anyway, my wonderful wife who is still recovering from child birth started my day off right--she let me sleep in! What a day I thought as I got out of bed around 9 am. We had scheduled a Chi Alpha baptism for noon, so I spent some time preparing for that and headed out the door around 11.

It was raining and I had flip-flops on. Those details are significant, because it explains that the onset of clumsiness was not due to old-age. I was in a rush, as usual, and as soon the light turned on Nebraska Avenue I was in motion. I set my flip-flop shod foot down on a manhole cover and then found myself on the pavement with a bleeding big right toe. Thankfully, I could disinfect it later in the chlorine water of the AU pool. (Actually I did try to wrap it up, but as with most band-aids these weren't waterproof. They were just a temporary fix.)

The baptism was incredible! We baptized 4 students, one who was an atheist only a year before. This is the 6th year in a row we did a public ceremony in the pool and every year I get an opportunity to share Jesus with someone watching. As I was thanking the lifeguards, they asked me questions about what we were doing. I was able to share the gospel there on the poolside. I think we'll do this again!

When I got home, Sam, who had been running a fever that morning, was getting worse. I took him into the clinic expecting a long Saturday wait, but it was surprisingly speedy. We were in and out in a 1/2 hour with the assurance that Sam just had a cold. Time for the birthday party!

I picked up Jen and Levi and we had a family outing to one of my favorite places, Five Guys. Not much for atmosphere, but incredible burgers and fries and even though I've never had one, the hot dogs must be pretty good because Sam tasted his 2 times (the barf part). Needless to say, our outing was cut a bit short. We made a quick exit from the restaurant and shuffled quickly (remember the cut toe) three blocks to our car in the rain. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself.

As I was relating my sad story to my dad he said, "If that's all that's wrong, you're doing pretty good." I needed to hear that. I was feeling a lot of pity for my throbbing toe and sick son and was forgetting the 32 years of blessings in my life. I have a wonderful wife, 2 sons who bring endless joy and a job that fills me with purpose. So thanks Dad. You helped me to change my perspective. I went to bed that night with a smile on my face and joy in my heart.

Oh, the Dutch apple pie and Yankees tickets that Jen got for me helped with that smile a bit too. Thanks babe, you're the best!

2006-04-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

I like to call it Sam unplugged. It's just Sam sitting with his guitar singing your worship favorites...Yesa be ya Name! (Watch for the fancy guitar work.)

Powered by Castpost

Meanwhile back on campus...

2006-04-12T22:53:00.000-05:00

Crowd shot 3,
originally uploaded by auchialpha.

While I've been spending time getting to know Levi, our students have been participating in Passion Week a gathering of the AU Christian Community to focus on Jesus' sacrifice. Chi Alpha birthed the idea and helped to organize the event.

Tonight, assured that Jen had plenty of help I slipped away and participated in an Open Worship service held in the campus amphitheater. It was an amazing time. The ampitheater was full of from all backgrounds students singing, praying and meditating on sin, sacrifice and redemption. The songs and prayers reverberated on the three dorms surrounding it.

It was a special moment for me personally. When Jen and I first walked on campus @ AU seven years ago, we prayed in the amphitheater. I imagined the Spirit of God rising up from the stage of the amphitheater and flooding the campus. That's where we felt God was calling us to AU. I smiled as before my eyes that dream came true.

Uncle Dave, we'll miss you

2006-04-12T09:51:00.000-05:00

With the joy and excitement of the birth of our son Levi, this week also brings some sadness. My uncle, David Regan, after suffering with pancreatic cancer, passed away the day before Levi was born. Uncle Dave was always quick to crack a joke, passionate about politics (the conservative type) and a joy to be around. He introduced me to C-Span and the Klondike Bar and while I never got into following the latest legislation make it's way through the halls of government, I've been known to indulge in an ice cream bar or two.

Today is Uncle Dave's funeral. I so wish I could be there, but for obvious reasons, I can't. Even still, I want to honor him in a small way. I think that I'll stop by the grocery store, grab a pack of Klondikes and eat one with my son Sam (sorry Levi, you'll have to wait). It's my way of passing on the sweetness that Uncle Dave brought to me.

Day 2 & 3

2006-04-11T23:07:00.000-05:00

Big stuff happening these days!

Levi keeps his eyes open for more than 5 minutes!
first smile (ok, maybe that was gas)
first embarrasing moment--Levi poops on nurse practitioner!
Nana arrives--very big for the whole family! I slept in until 8 am. Is this heaven?

I'm experimenting with a new photo posting service. To see a buch of Levi day 2 and 3 click the pic above. Tell me what you think of it.

2006-04-11T23:05:00.000-05:00

Sam meets Levi for the first time. Yes it's a sappy slow moving 3 minutes, but if you're connected to either Sam or Levi in any way, you'll love it!

I have to say a BIG THANK YOU to Franklyn, Anita, and Symon Cater who took care of Sam all day on Saturday and brought over a great meal. You guys are the best! Elizabeth, thanks for coming over and staying the night at a moment's notice and finally thanks to Mark our neighbor down the hall who ran over and stayed until Elizabeth could make it. It was a finely choreographed ballet. We couldn't have done it without you!

Powered by Castpost

Levi's first day

2006-04-09T23:57:00.000-05:00

Motivated by our new arrival, I'm experimenting with a web photo gallery. Click on the photo above for pictures of Levi's first day.

2006-04-09T17:54:00.000-05:00

Here it is! Levi's birth story told by the one who had the most intimate experience.

Powered by Castpost

He's Here!

2006-04-09T15:35:00.000-05:00

At 11:53 pm last night, Levi Christopher Godzwa was born! He is 9 lbs, 1 oz, 21 inches long and one of the cutest newborns I've ever seen (click on picture above for a photo gallery of Levi's first day). Both Levi and Jen are resting from an eventful night and are doing great.

It was a pretty crazy day. I finished filing our taxes around 5:30 pm and Jen said, "I guess we can have a baby now!" I think Levi was listening. At 7:30 pm, Jen's contractions, which had been weak and infrequent, started getting closer together. As we put Sam to bed, we were able to explain what might happen that night. Sam was excited (we could tell because he started bouncing on the bed exclaiming "I'm so excited!"). Jen's water broke 5 minutes after we put Sam to bed.

Things started to happen fast! Jen's contractions were coming 2-3 minutes apart. We were hoping to make it to the Maternity Center in time. A quick phone call got our neighbor Mark to wait with Sam until one of our students, Elizabeth could get here to spend the night. We collected our stuff and headed to Bethesda, Md. I have to admit I did drive a bit above the speed limit.

When we arrived @ the Maternity Center, Jen's contractions were one right on top of another. After 2 hours of labor and 30 minutes of pushing, Levi was born! He arrived with a thick head of black hair and barely making a sound (very different from Sam who screamed for about 20 minutes). Jen was amazing, handling the pain of having an above average size, posterior facing baby without drugs! I was able to help deliver Levi and cut the cord. It was an incredible experience. Even though Levi was over 9 lbs, he was the smallest of the 3 babies delivered at the Maternity Center last night. There was a 10 lb, 6 oz baby delivered down the hall!

After the rountine tests and resting up overnight, we made our way home @ 11 am. We've both been able to rest up a bit and regain our strength from our crazy day. Sam has been spending the day with our friends Franklyn and Anita and will meet his litte brother tonight.

I want to say a big thank you to everyone who was praying and who pitched in to make it all go smoothly. We sensed God's presence with us and we're extremely grateful for His blessing us with our healthy and happy little Levi.

I Hate Waiting...

2006-04-03T17:29:00.000-05:00

You may have guessed from the title, Baby Godzwa decided not to come out today. Maybe he saw his shadow. Could it be 6 more weeks of winter? I don't think so, but it does mean waiting.

I'm not a fan of waiting. When I want something, I want it now. If I need to talk to someone, I don't want to leave a message. I'll call their cell phone, send them a text message...you get the idea. It would be very convenient if Jen's due date (which is today) were set in stone. The most important week on the Christian calendar is coming up! I need to get my taxes done! I've got things to do, places to go! Funny how our new baby doesn't quite understand my busy schedule.

Patience has become a lost virtue in our world. Stress and anxiety is everywhere. I wonder if there is a connection. Practice patience this week. How? Push aside the to-do list for a half hour, go to a quiet place and let God speak to you. I guarantee you'll receive more than just stress relief.

2006-03-23T00:26:00.000-05:00

I thought this would be a great way to "jump-start" your day! (At least it will put a smile on your face.) Sam is launching his worship leader future with an old favorite.

Powered by Castpost

Getting ready for baby

2006-03-21T21:40:00.000-05:00

So we're getting pretty close to the due date. We're trying to get everything and everyone in the Godzwa household ready to welcome our new baby boy. That includes Sam. A few months ago Jen was talking with her mom about easing Sam's transistion to a being a big brother. She had heard that it could help to give him a baby doll to give him something of his own to "take care of." Enter Baby Tiny (yes, Sam named him).

He's pretty attached to him now. Sam carries him around, gives him hugs and kisses, and asks us to give Baby Tiny hugs and kisses. He even sleeps with him every night! We were recently given a double running stroller so I decided to try it out. I strapped in Sam and right next to him sat Baby Tiny. We had a great run! When I returned to our apartment building, we got a lot of smiles and fussing from our fellow residents.

One lady stopped to look at Baby Tiny and asked, "How old is your baby...girl?"

I thought she was joking around, so I replied, "I think she's pretty old, but the funny thing is she doesn't get any bigger!" She wasn't kidding.

"No, really, how old is she?"

"You mean the doll?"

She was a little embarrassed, but it is all to help Sam become a big brother.

We'll have more from Baby Tiny later. Look for more soon.

Break? What break?

2006-03-21T20:39:00.000-05:00

It always amazes me what students will do to serve Jesus. How about raising thousands of dollars, sacrificing a week long vacation, and spending that week working harder than you ever have to share the love of Jesus?!!! We had 20 students do just that.

They went in 3 teams to Jamaica, Mississippi, and Los Angeles. They served orphans, the homeless, and the urban poor and made a huge impact, but the trip made even more impact on them. I spoke to a Jamaica team member in my office today. He said, "I want to live that missions trip every day." Amen!

Check out some pics from the Jamaica team here

Not a bad way to wake up.

2006-02-28T23:33:00.000-05:00

This morning I woke up to a surprise. Sam and I were on the front page of the Style section in the Washington Post. The background story: We were on a father/son outing picking up my guitar from a major repair and I decided to check out a few new ones that are way out of my price range. I picked up a Martin and a lady with a camera walked in the room. She introduced herself as a photographer for the Post and started taking pictures. She said the paper was doing a feature story on Chuck Levin's because it was an extremely successful independently owned music store (I guess that's pretty odd).

Nikki, the photographer, said that we may make the paper, but I never imagined what we found this morning. It was above the fold and about 5"x8"--that's huge! I was impressed. Sam reaction was classic. He looked at it as if he expected it to be there. I imagine he'll search future papers for a picture of himself. What can you say, he's famous! But lest it get to his head, I let him know they misspelled his name on the caption.

Samuel Godswa 2 1/2, beams as dad Michael strums a guitar at Chuck Levin's
Washington Music Center, a magnet for musicians the world over.

Interested in the article? Here's the link

"Educators need not worry that religious involvement detracts from students' college experience"

2006-02-14T17:44:00.000-05:00

This is an article from the Chronicle of Higher Education forwarded to me by our univeristy chaplain. I thought you may find it interesting.

A glance at the winter issue of Liberal Education: How faith affects education Educators need not worry that religious involvement detracts from students' college experience, say George D. Kuh and Robert M. Gonyea, who are the director and associate director, respectively, of the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University at Bloomington.
Many faculty members, the authors write, believe that students who arrive at college with devout religious beliefs "are conditioned to resist the 'liberal learning' curriculum and may graduate without seriously re-examining their beliefs and values." But, based on data from the National Survey of Student Engagement, an annual study that the Indiana center conducts, Mr. Kuh and Mr. Gonyea conclude that there is no cause for alarm.
After examining nearly 150,000 responses from students at 461 colleges chosen to reflect the higher-education landscape, the authors found that "spirituality-enhancing activities do not seem to hinder, and may even have mildly salutary effects on, engagement in educationally purposeful activities and desired outcomes of college." Students who actively engage in "spirituality-enhancing practices" -- such as worship, meditation, and prayer -- also participate more in a wide range of collegiate and extracurricular activities, such as exercise and community service, the authors say. They also spend less time partying. Perhaps most important, however, is that such practices were not found to have a negative impact on other "desirable
activities, such as studying, deep learning, or extracurricular involvements."
Mr. Kuh and Mr. Gonyea note that although students at faith-based universities were found to be most engaged in spiritual practices, they were less inclined to participate in activities associated with liberal education -- such as conversing with students whose viewpoints differ from their own. Yet this seems to be more than anything the result of the relatively homogeneous makeup of most faith-based institutions, they say.
The article, "Spirituality, Liberal Learning, and College Student Engagement," is available at http://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/le-wi06/lewi06_perspective1.cfm The latest report from the National Survey of Student Engagement is available at http://nsse.iub.edu/pdf/NSSE2005_annual_report.pdf
--Jason M. Breslow

Our February Newsletter is Published

2006-02-14T16:54:00.000-05:00

For those of you on our mailing list you should have received our February edition of the Collegiate Chronicles along with your other snail mail this week. If you mistook it for a credit card offer, don't worry, it's in the archive. Click here to take a look.

Rock Stars

2006-02-06T02:20:00.000-05:00

Live from Washington, DC...2 year old sensations...it's Noise Complaint!!!

There's Sam and his friend Symon in their weekly jam session. Notice Sam's concentration, his perfect form. I think I'm being modest when I say he'd make a perfect front-man. Step aside Dave Matthews!

Another step

2006-02-06T02:07:00.000-05:00

*sniff* Sam's *sniff* growing up *sniff* so quickly...

Here's his latest feat. Drum roll please. Sam has said "bye-bye" to the crib. Yes, he has joined the big boy world by steping up to a toddler bed! Looks pretty proud doesn't he? Like the pacifer, he made the transition like a champ. We bought in on Craig's List, set it up in his room and he slept in it the same night. Sam used his crib exclusively as a trampoline for the next few days until Daddy got around to taking it down (always spoiling the fun).

Now if only potty training could be this easy!

Are the stories about Jesus in the back of the book?

2006-01-26T09:35:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday I was reminded of why I do campus ministry. After our service was over, I was talking with students and making a point of trying to connect with the ones I didn't know. Lacey, a bubbly, outgoing freshman from Missouri introduced me to her roommate. They couldn't be more opposite! She is shy, quiet, and Japanese. She also wanted a Bible. As quickly as I could, I ran into the office and snapped up an NIV Bible and a Japanese New Testament both provided by an Assemblies of God program called Light-for-the-Lost. When I gave them to her, she clutched them to her chest in appreciation. These are the first Bibles she has ever read!

I also met a girl from Brookland, NY. She was hanging out with the rest of the group and looked so comfortable I thought she was already a part of Chi Alpha. When I asked her what she thought of the meeting, she said, "It was different, I'm not really used to this kind of spirituality." I found out that this was her first time in Chi Alpha and she had never even been to church. When I asked her if she wanted a Bible she gave me a look as if she was hoping I would ask. As she accepted her first Bible she asked, "Are the stories of Jesus in the back of the book?" I showed where she could read about Jesus praying to myself that those stories would transform her life.

The New Website is Up!!!

2006-01-20T23:34:00.000-05:00

I'VE GOT BIG NEWS!!! No our new baby hasn't come early, but something else has been born. Our new website is alive! Click on the picture to check out our new automated site. There you can check out what's happening in the fellowship, look @ photos, download messages and more! I want to say a special thank you to my great friend Josh Burton for his generosity and all his hard work. You are the man!

Fwd: Getting Ready for the Baby

2006-01-17T23:46:00.000-05:00

Here's Sam practicing sharing with the new baby. It took me awhile to get used to my son playing with a baby doll, but experts say it helps ease the transition. Well okay...

We just got home from Jen's parents and had yet to put the bassinet away. Sam got up the next morning and decided this would be a good place for naptime (a nap of about 2 minutes which is pretty typical these days). I wonder how he'll feel about his real brother.

Keep that Resolution

2006-01-13T23:12:00.000-05:00

I do it every year. When the clock strikes midnight on January 1st, I pledge to exercise more, eat better, be a better friend, clean behind my ears, make sure the toilet seat is down... Did you make a resolution this year? Well it's January 13th how are you doing? If you're anything like me, you could use a little help.

If your resolution this year was to spend more time with God (a pretty good one) I found a great site to help you out. Check out www.methodx.net. It is a site devoted to helping you live the way of Christ. Read some pretty thoughtful articles, find out your spiritual type and practice the spiritual disciplines in a new way. Pretty cool!

Thought you might like to take a peek...

2006-01-07T01:43:00.000-05:00

In early December I was interviewed for the American Eagle concerning the Kansas debate over Intelligent Design. I thought you might like to take look @ the article

Religious conflict cancels KU class
Course spurred debate over intelligent design
By Dave Colon

A controversial new course at the University of Kansas has been canceled after it was revealed its instructor sent disparaging e-mails about Christian fundamentalists and creationists, according to The Washington Post.

The course, "Special Topics in Religion: Intelligent Design, Creationism and Other Religious Mythologies," was to be taught by Professor Paul Mirecki until e-mails surfaced in which he called religious conservatives "fundies" and said his course would be a "nice slap in their big fat face," according to The Washington Post.

Mirecki later apologized in a press release.

"I made a mistake in not leading by example, in this student organization e-mail forum, the importance of discussing differing viewpoints in a civil and respectful manner," he said in the statement.

Kansas Provost David Shulenburger expressed support for Mirecki to continue his work in religious studies in the press release.

"We still think the course itself not only has merit but is important and should be taught at some point," Shulenburger said in the statement.

Mike Godzwa, a chaplain at the Kay Spiritual Life Center and advisor to the Chi Alpha Christian fellowship, said controversy about these issues is not always necessary.

"When you're talking about myths, it doesn't have to mean a false story - it's the genre of literature you're referring to," he said.

The tone of a class can often depend on a professor, Godzwa said. If he heard of a class discussing a Christian belief as a myth, Godzwa said he would speak with the professor before making a decision whether or not the class was offensive.

"Sometimes the Christian community can be too quick to make judgment calls," he said.

He said he feels the issue of creationism and creation science does not necessarily strike at the heart of the Christian faith the way the belief in Jesus as the Messiah does. The debate is instead driven by those on both sides of the debate who "make philosophical claims based on evolution's findings, when in fact the science of evolution doesn't make any claims as to where life was created," Godzwa said.

Some AU students feel divided on the intelligent design issue.

"I don't think [intelligent design] is a good thing and the separation of church and state doesn't allow religion in schools," said Laura Lauver, a grad student. "Maybe they can talk about the controversy, but don't teach intelligent design, teach science as the facts."

Chad Flores, a Washington College of Law student, feels that evolution and intelligent design should be taught concurrently.

"The debate itself is an important educational tool," Flores said. "Don't teach just one exclusively."

Twin Fun @ The World Missions Summit!

2006-01-06T23:34:00.000-05:00

Who knew that this twin thing would be more fun as I got older? With the convergence of World and U.S. Missionaries (I know the United States is in the "world"--it's an A/G thing) there were a lot of Latin American missionaries wandering around who know my brother Dave but didn't know he had a twin brother. In fact there were so many making the mistake, I started taking their pictures so I could remember who said "Hi" to him.

I've gotten used to the "why is he acting like he doesn't know me look." The first was in the line at registration. A woman, who I later found out to be the wife of Dave's area director, said my brother's name several times but I was trying to find a way to cut in line so I didn't hear her. (I have a legitimate excuse for cutting in line by the way.) When I finally did look over in that direction, I was met by the strange, "don't you know me" stare by a whole group of missionaries. Things got cleared up but only after I flashed the DC driver's license. After that, I made sure I had ID ready for the quick draw.

I met quite a few of Dave's colleagues and they all seem very nice even though they were a bit embarrassed. I hope I cleared up all of the confusion, but do wonder though how many of Dave's friends saw me, but didn't talk to me. They probably didn't want to associate with a guy who cheats on his wife @ a missions convention with pregnant woman. Sorry Dave!

An Historic Moment

2006-01-02T12:17:00.000-05:00

Conviction. Passion. Sacrifice. Surrender. Action. Relationships. Coffee.

All this and more happened in three days in Louisville. The World Missions Summit was the largest gathering of college students in the history of our movement. 3200 attended, 700 missionaries, 661 one year commitments to service on the mission field. We have witnessed the beginning of a revolution. The kingdom of God has advanced. More later.

I'm OK

2005-12-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

No that's not a Boston police officer frozen from the cold. It's just the famous Paul Revere statue along the Freedom Trail.

I made it back from Boston! It was an incredible trip where fellow missionaries Mike Olejarz, Gene Brietenbach and I redesigned the Student Institute of Campus Missions. This will be the 8th year that the SICM student leadership conference has been held and it's going to be the best one yet! We'll be providing instruction and experiences to help students understand what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and lead others in the same way. If you know of any university students who may benefit from SICM, send them to www.nesicm.org.

Oh, by the way, I did drive by Fenway Park. I didn't get a chance to visit the bathrooms, but I gave it a pretty good sneer. I wonder if that was what pushed Johnny Damon over the edge.

Enemy Territory

2005-12-15T01:52:00.000-05:00

I'm up late taking care of some last minute items before my trip. If the "wintry mix" holds off (were supposed to get a nice coating of ice throughtout the area including rain that freezes on contact!) long enough I'll be on my way to Boston, MA @ 12:50 pm.

I'm always a little tense as prepare to enter the heart of the upper Northeast. It's enemy territory! The home of the Boston Red Sox. Sam, what do you think of the Red Sox? "Booo," says Sam in a cute but still condescending way. Yes spring training is still a few months away, but the rivalry still lives on. I'm going to make every effort possible to focus on the task at hand, making the prelimary plans for this year's Student Institute of Campus Missions (aka SICM), but I can't help but be distracted. My affection for the Yankees keeps me from feeling completely comfortable in the Red Sox Nation. Maybe, if I have a little time while walking around town, I can make a stop @ Fenway Park...I may need to use the bathroom.

Collegiate Chronicles

2005-12-14T02:36:00.000-05:00

Dog eat the mail? Did your spouse throw away it away before you were able to read it? No need to fear, you can download it here. Here are a few back editions of the Collegiate Chronicles for your reading pleasure.

October 2006

May 2006

February 2006

October 2005

Katrina Relief Edition

August 2005

To open the PDF file you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed. To get Acrobat, go here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

First Message of the Year

2005-12-08T23:30:00.000-05:00

Tonight was my first opportunity to speak at Thursday Night Worship. It was great to be back. I thought the 4 of you who are checking my blog might like to read what I shared:

Be grateful (Phil 1:3-11)

Christmastime is amazing. It’s a time a transformation. Brown and dreary trees are now brilliant with thousands of lights. Dead grass is covered up by white snow. Plain doors are adorned with wreathes and bows. Sad song are replaced by the happy festive tunes of the season.

And then there are the presents… Wow do I love presents! I remember when I was about ten years old I couldn’t wait for Christmas morning to find out everything I got. So my brothers and I tiptoed down the basement steps and inspected the gifts. But we didn’t stop there! We carefully unwrapped each one, making sure we didn’t tear the paper so we could find out what was inside. I needed to know if this Christmas was going to be a good one.

How do we usually judge what a good Christmas is? By what we receive. Even this week, I found myself scheming how I would be able to encourage Jen to get me the “right” gift. We all do it! Amazon.com and many sites like that have wish lists. We can fill them out prioritize them and send them to all our loved ones. I have to admit, I’ve got a wish list! Some people don’t even play the hinting game. I was talking to a friend recently who told me he was tired of the gift-giving thing. He said, “Just give me the money and let me buy what I really want!”

Is that what Christmas is all about? Is the season all about getting what we want? Something inside me says it’s not. There have been too many of these holidays when I walked away disappointed. I thought, “I shared enough hints, but they didn’t get me anything I wanted!” It’s like the movie A Christmas Story. Life is good when I get the “Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.” Really?

Someone once said that it is better to give than receive. I don’t think I understood that until I started giving gifts to my son. Now this wasn’t true the first year of his life. Sam would have liked a rock as much as the majority of the toys Jen and I gave him. But then Sam turned two. We had watched him carefully over the few months before his birthday to try to find out what he would really want. It was a “Stomp Rocket.” This is one of the coolest toys I’ve ever seen. It’s basically a Nerf rocket that you attach to a hose with a big balloon on one end. You then “stomp …let me just show it to you

We actually saw it in the store and got one for his cousin Micah’s birthday. When Micah opened it up Sam exclaimed, “present” and couldn’t stop playing with it. I became the rocket loader for the rest of the time we spent with the family.

As soon as we got home, we bought one for Sam’s birthday. Jen wrapped it up along with all of his other gifts and we waited for the big day. On July 10th, we celebrated with cake and ice cream and then Sam dove into the gifts. He tore open some great ones—a full percussion set, a remote control car, a new DVD, but when he opened up the last one, the “Stomp Rocket,” his eyes lit up and he exclaimed, “present” as if it was what he was waiting for.

I’ve received some pretty great gifts over my 31 years, but I’ve never felt such joy as watching Sam receive this one. In our desire to please our son, to show how grateful we are to have him in our lives, we took time to learn what would give him joy and as the joy overtook him we were swept up in it. I learned it truly is better to give than receive.

But I have a tendency to forget this and slip back into my me-centered thoughts. How can we live this way, a way of thankfulness, of grace, of gratitude? How can we truly be grateful instead of greedy? I think this is the attitude Paul is reflecting as he writes in Philippians chapter 1

3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of
you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the
first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in
you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart;
for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you
share in God's grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with
the affection of Christ Jesus. 9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of
Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus
Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

I thank my God…It’s pretty obvious to see that God is the center of Paul’s life. In this small passage alone he mentions God or Jesus 9 times. What’s the deal with all this Jesus talk? Well Paul was utterly transformed by Him. An experience with Jesus changed him from a self-righteous, letter of the law following, murderer to an apostle. Paul had been wandering in spiritual blindness. Jesus removed the scales from his eyes so he could see.

This is what we celebrate at Christmas. We, like Paul, were wandering in the darkness of our sin, our willful disobedience of God. But then Christ came to earth as a baby to show us how to live a life submitted to God and then He died so the penalty for our disobedience could be paid. He made it so we can participate in blessings of a relationship with our creator now and eternally! Is there any gift that could be better? When we remember what Jesus has done…when we focus on God…the One who began the good work in us and will carry it to completion, the One who gives us abounding love, knowledge and depth of insight, the One who can show us what is best and keep us pure and blameless, the One who can give us the fruit of righteousness… When we focus on Him, we can truly be grateful.

Gratitude is dripping from this letter. If I was one of the original readers I think I would be a bit embarrassed by the things written. What’s even more amazing about the tone of this letter is the circumstance Paul was in as he wrote these words down. He was in prison!!! It’s easy to be grateful when everything is going right, but I think most people would give you a pass if they knew you were incarcerated!

This semester was tough for Jen and me. Our passion is here. We wanted more than anything to be with you. We wanted to be here as tried to follow after Jesus and worked to make Him know to everyone here @ AU. Needless to say, I was disappointed when at the end of August when it was certain that we would have to spend the rest of the semester away from here raising money for our own personal salary and ministry expenses. There were plenty of times when I became frustrated, and even angry. If this is what God has called me to do, why doesn’t He provide for me to do it? But my attitude changed when I looked to the things I could be thankful for. I could be thankful for a change of pace. I had been doing the same thing for 7 years. God was giving me a chance to rest, recharge, and re-envision my work on campus. I could be thankful for a chance to share our ministry with thousands of people who would pray for us, support us, and maybe even become personally involved. I could be thankful for God taking you, our student leaders to the next level in both discipleship and ministry skill as you worked to fill the gap left by the absence of staff. I could be thankful for a more regular work schedule so I could be with Jen and Sam for dinner and enjoy their company as I often worked from home. Man, this support-raising thing’s not too bad!

Paul says in v7

for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you
share in God's grace with me.

What does this mean? It means that circumstances mean little when it comes to the blessing of God. When we look for the reasons to be thankful in all situations, when we foster the right perspective we can truly be grateful.

So Paul is thanking God in the midst of difficult circumstances, but what is he thanking God for? The Philippians!

Look at the way he builds them up: partners in the gospel, I have you in my heart, I long for you! I would say that Paul is gushing over the Philippians. Have you ever had anyone gush over you? At first it’s a bit weird. The person is looking into your eyes and saying the things that he or she appreciates about you. The attention makes you want to crawl under a rock. But then it seeps into your soul. It cracks your surface of cynicism and poor self-image and lets your true self shine. I love being affirmed!

But do you know what’s even better? Being the affirmer. It is amazing to watch the gratitude work its way in to the heart of a friend and put a smile on their face or a tear of joy in their eye.

Competition is everywhere. It’s inherent in GPAs and honor rolls. You see it when you apply for a job and search for a promotion. It’s even present when you’re searching for a love relationship. Paul knew that life is too difficult to see everyone as an adversary. When we see others as friends, when we forge partnerships we can truly be grateful.

How do we make this practical? Let me suggest a few ways.

Spend some time in the next few days thanking God. The best way to do this is write it down. Dust off that old journal, open up that computer file and write the reasons you have to thank Him.
Find reasons to give thanks in your present circumstances. This may be harder for some than others. I know at the end of the semester you’re crushed under a load of assignments coming due and finals looming on the horizon, but remember this: There are millions of people who would love to trade places with you right now. So many are without the access to the things we take for granted. Think about that for awhile and you’ll be thankful for every paper, group assignment, and essay test.
Do something about it! Who are you thankful for? Tell them. Buy them a gift. Do is specifically do it as soon as you can. It will make both of you feel great! Oh and by the way do you want to find out how you can know what the gifts under the tree are? Be the one giving most of them!
Plan to live a life of gratitude. If you’ve been set free from sin you have a responsibility to show others the same freedom. Who can you pray for, who can you talk to, who can you share the love of Christ with this Christmas. At the end of this month we’re going to the World Missions Summit. A lot of us talk about surrendering our lives to Jesus, but when it comes to planning the future we follow the advice of our guidance counselor. This will be a time when you can truly seek God and in a spirit of gratitude say, “How do you want to use me?” If you’re thinking about going. Do it. If you need money to get there. See me.

Good-bye to paci?

2005-12-03T23:42:00.000-05:00

Could it really be this easy? Three nights ago I tried an experiment. I know, call me crazy, but I wanted to see if Sam would go to bed without his pacifer. I had it ready to give to him, but instead of offering it. I quietly placed it under the story-time rocking chair, just out of sight, while I grabbed "Pajama Time."

Now for a little background, my son has used his nook religiously for all sleeping occasions since he was about 2 weeks old. That's a lot of paci time! I expected the worst, crying, whining, pleading...but nothing happened. We read our two stories, sang two songs, prayed, in fact we went through the entire routine and he didn't even notice. I laid him down in his crib and I walked slow, knowing any moment a muffled cry of, "want paci" would come from Sam's mouth. Nothing. He slept all night long.

Now I can't say it's a complete cold turkey. Sam had a relapse this afternoon, but tonight he's back on the wagon. His once cherished paci now sits in the kitchen drawer soon to be dumped into another kitchen receptacle. This parenting thing is a piece of cake ;) Potty training anyone?

December 1st...we're back.

2005-12-03T23:33:00.000-05:00

It's finally here. The moment we've been waiting for...budget just about complete and back on campus! I have to say it was a bit less dramatic than I anticipated (probably the reason why I'm writing about it a few days later). There wasn't any fanfare or a red carpet or trumpets, but as I sat in my closet/office/pantry preparing to teach a discipleship class, I just got this feeling. I can only describe it as feeling right, that I'm supposed to be doing this. That's a good feeling to have.

So for all of you who have enable me to be doing what I'm supposed to be doing, thanks. I pray that you're feeling right wherever it is God has placed you.

Something to be Thankful for...

2005-11-28T23:37:00.000-05:00

I know I'm a few days late, but I'm not really fast with this posting thing yet and to at this point there are a total of about three people reading this blog, so it's not the end of the world.

Two weeks ago Jen and I saw our new baby for the first time. You can see a rough cut in the picture. I have to say that the grainy image is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Pregnancy is such a mystery. You know something is growing inside your wife, but what does he/she look like? Is the baby healthy? Properly formed? Growing according to schedule? A boy or girl? There were so many of these questions in my mind as we walked into the radiologist and the in the space of a few minutes they were all answered. This Thanksgiving I can thank God for a wonderful wife, amazing son and a perfectly formed, healthy, normal new baby boy! Now all we need to work on is a name. Sam's suggestion: Gokki Butter. I'll need to find out what it means before we make it a definite :)

Windy City

2005-11-13T19:03:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting in my friend Josh's comfortable office chair working on the update to AU Chi Alpha's web site. Actually Josh is working, I'm just giving "constructive criticism. We're listening to some good music by Andrew Peterson turned up loud. No I'm not trying to return to the days of my youth (if it's too loud you're too old) and Josh isn't trying to drown out my creative comments; we're just competing with the wind noise. Oh, I forgot to mention that Josh's desk chair is located in Chicago and boy is it the "Windy City." We went out to church and I was almost blown off my feet walking through the parking lot to the front doors. I guess I can now tell everyone that I've experienced the essence of Chicagoland--a bad hair day.

Barforama!

2005-10-27T21:22:00.000-05:00

Sam's sick. It's been very evident by the smell of our house and the fact that our paper towels are in short supply. He's developed some sort of stomach virus over the last weekend and it became evident to us on Tuesday. Actually I was the first to notice.

It began as a distinct odor. A diaper change was necessary. When I laid Sam down on the changing pad, I noticed that his back was starting to get wet, and much to my chagrin, it wasn't because he spilled his juice box. I quickly transported him to the bathroom and did what any good father would do...I yelled for Jen!

I've been thinking about the spiritual ramifications of this event. First I pondered why God made our body excretions smell so bad and stick to everything. I didn't get any answers. But God did remind me of how I have a tendency to make a mess of myself all the time. (For those of you who are wondering, I am out of diapers, the mess is figurative). Sam knew how to take care of his mess. He cried. Mom and Dad are programmed to try to stop his crying as quickly as possible and the mess was taken care of in a few minutes. My messes usually are not as easy to clean up. I also have a tendency to hide the mess which makes things more difficult to make right. I need to take a lesson from Sam. When I make a mess of my life, I need to cry out to my heavenly father and trust in His help to make things right.

Just in case you wanted to know...

2005-10-26T01:21:00.000-05:00

The game just ended.,,White Sox 7, Astros 5...it's 2:21 am. I'm glad it's Jen's morning to wake up with Sam. Good night, morning, whatever.

Why am I still up?

2005-10-26T00:41:00.000-05:00

It's 1:41 am and I'm still up. Why? Game 3 of the World Series has just gone into the bottom of the 13th and it is now officially the longest World Series game ever played. I don't know what it is about this series, but I can't stop watching it.

Usually the baseball postseason is filled with both excitement and angst. As the Yankees advance, I am filled with the hope of another championship but also the assurance of October stress as they continue the hunt. This year, however, the Yankees bowed out early and although I wish they would have done better, I'm enjoying the relief. What a story! Chicago without a series win since 1917 and Houston has never even been in it. All of the games have been fun to watch and are riveting to the end (however long it goes). So I'll continue to enjoy some great baseball and root for some great baseball. I hope this one goes all seven--it's too long until next April!

Support

2005-08-15T11:08:00.000-05:00

Thanks for your interest in supporting this ministry. Below you will find step by step instructions as to how to become one of our financial partners.

How to Begin Supporting the Godzwas

Decide whether you want to donate via personal check, a monthly credit/debit payment, or online.
To give securely online click here.
Download, print, and fill out the Faith Promise Form
If giving by credit or debit card, but not giving online, you must also download, print and fill out the Credit Authorization Form.
If giving by check, write your first check and make it out to "Chi Alpha" and include "Michael Godzwa #2616597" on the memo line of the check.
Make sure all forms and checks are filled out completely and mail them to the following address: US Missions, 1445 N. Boonville Ave., Springfield, MO 65802

That's it! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Thanks so much for your interest, and we look forward to hearing from you soon!

About Us

2005-08-14T23:13:00.000-05:00

Both graduates of a Central Bible College (Mike 1996, Jen 1997), they completed their campus ministry internship @ Eastern Michigan University in the spring of 1998 and received their national appointment as U.S. missionaries that September. Mike and Jen have served as the directors of Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship at American University since the fall of 1999 and were ordained with the Assemblies of God in May of 2003.

Mike enjoys watching Yankee’s baseball, and he finished his 7th marathon in October of 2004. Jen likes reading, hunting for bargains, and hanging out with friends. Both Mike and Jen have a mutual fascination with their sons Samuel Jaden, who joined the family in July 2003 and Levi Christopher a recent arrival in April of 2006!

Ministry @ American University

“The university is the clear-cut fulcrum with which to move the world. More potently than by any other means, change the university and you change the world.”

-Dr. Charles Malik

In 1997, there wasn’t a single evangelical ministry on campus at American University (AU), a campus of 10,000 students from all 50 states and 165 nations in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Seeing the need, Dave Owens, then the director of the city-wide Chi Alpha ministry started a Bible study with the help of Barry Goldberg, the women’s volleyball coach, establishing Chi Alpha at AU for the first time.

In the fall of 1999, we became the first full-time Chi Alpha missionaries to focus our efforts at AU. Our strategy was to train leaders. We invested in the students in the Bible study, discipling them to reach their friends and classmates and extend God’s kingdom on campus. That strategy paid off! The participation in Chi Alpha has increased more than ten-fold. There are over 100 students that are part of the body of Christ expressed in Chi Alpha. Ministry on campus includes over a dozen small groups, a weekly evangelistic discussion, an outreach to athletes, prayer meetings, literature distribution, yearly missions trips and many other outreach and fellowship events.

Our Strategy

Creative Outreach
We believe every member of the campus community deserves to hear the gospel in a relevant way. Through movie discussions, book-tables, contact evangelism, and residence hall presentations, we seek to reconcile the university community to Christ

Strategic Discipleship
We believe in the awesome ability of students to lead their peers. That is why we invest in students’ lives to enable them to grow in Christ and minister effectively throughout their years on campus and for a lifetime beyond.

Sacrificial Service
We believe the way of Jesus is better caught than taught. Through serving the needs of others both on campus, in our nation’s capital, and in countries around the world, we spread the love of Christ in a tangible way.

Would You Like to Help?

Click here to find out how

BIG NEWS!!!

2005-08-01T14:04:00.000-05:00

"Be another Godza," as Sam says. Along with Sam, we're happy to report that Jen is expecting. We found out last Wednesday and have recently finished sharing the news with our families, so we can finally let the cat out of the bag! Jen is about 4 weeks along and the expected due date is in early April. I'm a bit shocked at the timing (we only started trying last month), but I couldn't be more happy. So far Jen is feeling great but the pregnancy hunger has kicked in. We'll see what cravings emerge. Stick around for more info on Baby Godzwa in the coming weeks.

Espresso Emergency

2005-07-27T21:16:00.000-05:00

Mayday, mayday...I have a caffenine emergency! At 18:45 today Gaggia (my beloved espresso maker) went down. Upon making two lattes the fuse link blew. Of course that sounds pretty dramatic. I actually didn't know what happened until I called an espresso tech @ Wholelattelove.com. I need to replace the $3 part ($10 shipping!), but until it arrives, I'm espressoless. In lieu of flowers, donations will be received in the form of Starbucks cards.

Training Begins

2005-07-25T13:52:00.000-05:00

This week, the hottest in my 7 year DC history I might add, I begin training for my 7th marathon. I'm going south to run the Richmond marathon on Nov 12th and I've got high hopes this year! I'm planning on doing things like: sticking to my training, waking up early enough so I don't have to melt in the summer heat, and avoiding injury so that I can finish with a respectable time. I'm hoping for a 3:30 this year (for those of you scoring at home, that's shaving more than 20 minutes off of my best time). I know that's pushing it, but I'm tired of 70 year old seniors beating me to the finish! The adventure begins now.

Sam Turns 2

2005-07-16T01:11:00.000-05:00

The little guy isn't so little anymore! A few days ago Samuel Jaden Godzwa turned 2 and rockets went off. This is literally true since one of his presents was a "Stomp Rocket" (air powered foam rocket launcher). We had a blast (sorry couldn't help myself) with Jen's parents opening up presents and then playing with all Sam's toys. I was a little concerned with his disinterest in a remote control car we got for him, but then I realized that I won't have to share :) As you can see in the picture, Sam was very helpful in making sure I was well fed. He didn't spill a crumb! The chocolate mess you see on the plate is the remains of an incredible baseball cake crafted by Jen. It was a great day.

Taking the Show on the Road

2005-07-16T00:59:00.000-05:00

It’s hard to believe that more than eight years have passed since we’ve began the adventure of ministering to college students! During that time we presented the message of Jesus to hundreds and dozens come to know him personally. American University Chi Alpha has gone from a small Bible study to a fruitful ministry reaching almost every area of the campus. We have even had a hand in pioneering university ministry at the University of Virginia, Gallaudet University, University of New Hampshire, University of North Carolina, and Villanova University through the Washington, DC internship. God has done far more than we ever could have imagined!
A big reason for that is you!!! We have had a team of faithful supporters enabling us to focus our attention full-time on reaching students, training leaders and influencing nations.
In the next few months we’re devoting our time to adding to that team of supporters. We need to find 30 more partners who would be able to support us at $50/month. If you would like to make the ministry you read about possible, give us a call!
We also want to reconnect with our current team. We’ll be calling you soon as we make our travel schedule.

New Blog!

2005-04-23T21:29:00.000-05:00

I'm jumping into the blogging community. Hey my twin brother's got one so I couldn't let him get too far ahead of me! Look for fairly random postings on a wide variety of topics. Hopefully you'll be entertained by my ramblings.

Happy reading!