I have lived the majority of my 22 short years in one of the most beautiful places on this planet - Kalispell, MT. The entire human population of of Montana (aka "Big Sky Country") does not exceed the number of cows, but the people you find are something else.

Since it's baseball season and I'm in the land of "Twins Win!" ... I will use a baseball analogy. When you're at a baseball game and you are eating excessive amounts of peanuts, only one thing is better than a home run - finding 3 nuts in one shell! This rarely happens, but when it does I know most people jump for joy, yell and scream, and most likely hug complete strangers. It is the best thing about baseball. Period. Meeting people in Montana is the same way. You find more "3 nuts in a shell" type people than anywhere in the U.S.A.

I've learned that Montana and Minnesota have been facilitating an unofficial exchange program. The higher education in Minnesota brings Montanans to colleges throughout the land o' lakes and the mountains and adventure bring Minnesotans to Montana. Ain't that swell?!

Near the turn of the millennium - when the Backstreet Boys were 'larger than life,' my clothes were kind of cool, and we were all ten years younger - Minnesota blessed the state of Montana with a man by the name of Jim Bjork.

Jimmy B hails from Fergus Falls, MN where he was the Young Life Area Director for many years. God opened up the doors for Jim and his family to come to the Flathead Valley and bring the message of Christ to the local high schools. Jim's unique gift of being able to do absolutely everything (except text message) has impacted the lives of hundreds, probably thousands of teenagers in the past few years.

I'll never forget learning that my Ford Bronco II had a carburetor, not fuel injection, and that a car can't have both at the same time. (This was after Jim let me try to convince him that it was fuel injected with a carburetor.) Bjork knows how to fix just about everything, and if he doesn't know how, he'll make something up and you'll think he knows what he's doing. Jim has a fleet of cars with quirks. Sometimes these quirks give tow truck drivers something to do. I will always remember that everyone you meet has a story, even the tow truck driver with fewer teeth than a turtle. That's enough said about his mechanical abilities.

Going places with Jim is always an adventure. New things to see, old things to talk about, funny stories to tell, and of course, new people to meet. Jim is good at reading name tags. Reading a name tag properly is like opening a book. Not only does Jim read name tags, but he opens books.

Every week I was blessed to open the Bible with Jim. Sitting at Sykes, home of 10 cent coffee and scrambled eggs wrapped around bread (aka French Toast), we talked about life, watched old people, and tuned in to "Jim's Bible Bullet." The Good News of Jesus permeates through the life of Jim Bjork and in at least one case (me) it has had an eternal impact.

Laying on the trampoline in the hot sun, discussing the plan for life on this earth, and dreaming of eternity at Jesus' feet; Jim tried to quote that Kansas song, but left me remembering this ...

"All we are, are farts in the wind."

Flash Mob

Do you know what I want? Zeal. Passion. Spark!

A spark may begin small but before you know it, it turns into a wild forest fire.

In James 3, in regards to taming the tongue, verse 5 says, “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.”

While we know the damage a small spark can do, I also think a spark can start a revolution.

*Spoiler Alert*
If you do not know what a Flash Mob is, read no further until you have watched this video:… Otherwise I will ruin the surprise and you will not understand what I am talking about.

Watch Flash Mob Video


A Flash Mob begins with just one person, a spark, and gradually grows and grows until it is a massive crowd of people all united under one purpose. It is utterly amazing to see hundreds, even thousands of people come together under one goal.

A spark can be a good thing or a bad thing. Fire can cause a lot of damage, but what if we want a fire? What if we were a spark that set others on fire for God?


I love the lyrics to Toby Mac's "Catchafire (Whoopsi-Daisy)"

"We gonna catch a fire, catch a fire for God...

Spark to a flame, I'm flippin' up my game
I caught the fire and I'll never be the same
So unexplainable I can't contain it, son
And my retaining it would only be a shame

Heat, like the Kingston concrete
There ain't no stoppin' the fire
We're straight breakin' ground
There ain't no cooling this thing down
We burnin' up and keep'n it krunk as we know how
Hear me now people

Catch a fire let it burn within

Catch a fire let it burn for him"

Psalm 119:137-140 "Righteous are You, O LORD, And upright are Your judgments. You have commanded Your testimonies in righteousness And exceeding faithfulness. My zeal has consumed me, Because my adversaries have forgotten Your words. Your word is very pure, Therefore Your servant loves it."

We have the ability to be a spark, to be zealous for the Lord, to start a fire that burns for Him. My question to you is what kind of spark will you be? What kind of fire will you start?

Naomi

p.s.
A couple other awesome flash mobs:
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution
Black Eyed Peas

A Question

What is the great work of the saints?

This is all that I have today. If you read this please take the time to make a comment below answering the question and next week I will continue on with the same theme.