Gather

Mathew 18:20
"For when two or three gather in my name, there I am with them."

I think most ppl hear that voice and equate it to Church or Worship. Which would be accurate. But I don't think it is limited to that. Remember what it felt like to be at your favorite band's concert and everyone was singing the words at the top of their lungs? Remember being in the hometown crowd and the last second shot goes right through the net? Remember what it felt like to be hanging with a group of friends and everyone is in tears laughing at utter silliness?

As humans we like to anthropomorphize God. Which is silly because God is actually much more complex and at the same time much simpler than all of that.

God IS love, God IS passion, God IS joy. Fill in the blank, any positive, amazing noun adjective and even verb.. that's God.

Listen, I'm not trying to spin this into an anti covid or mask thing. Yes, wear your masks. Yes, take the necessary precautions. But this weird ass side effects some of us have fallen to (me included sometimes), where we're literally afraid of people and would rather shut everyone off in the name of safety. I firmly believe that is 100% the devil's work.

Suicide is up, addiction is up, divorces are up, starvation is up, unemployment is way up, depression is up. The easy thing to do is to blame our leaders or lack there of. But that in itself is faulty. I don't trust Trump or Biden with my life. I don't trust that governor Newsom has my best interest in mind. Are you f***ing kidding me? They're merely just filling a role and doing what's best for them. Ya know, being human. So stop giving them so much power in your mind. What any of them do, does not affect you. Not in the ways that actually matter, anyway.

All those negative things are up because God is in all of us and when we lose our connection to each other, we lose our connection to God.

"Josh, I don't believe in God"

Cool, how's that been working out?

"But if you believe in God and your still struggling, how are you any better off?"

Because faith and hope feel better than fear and despair. So even if the only thing I got going is that I legitimately feel better inside, I'll take it.

Honestly friends, family, colleagues, former students, etc.. I don't know what I meant to type out. I think I started off with a sarcastic joke, deleted it, and then this came out. Which is funny because between you and me, I've been doubting my faith this whole f***ing time, yet when I let my soul speak, out comes a ton of faith. hmmm interesting. But let's get back on track.

The connection between us is divine. No, I don't mean social media and zoom. There is a place for it, for sure, but it will never replace feeling the vibe of another person near by resonating on a similar frequency.

I've been doing these social distance open mics. And other than my last one which was decent, man have I sucked. But the last time I was up, things started to work again. And I could see the look on peoples faces and literally felt the energy in the area when their mind went where I was leading it, they got the joke, and laughed. That's magic!

I did a private tumbling lesson for two elementary kids in their back yard. (social distance precautions were taken. I feel like I have to say that, but I said it in a very mocking voice and I threw up in my mouth a little) These kids who since going back to school, and since the end of last school year before that, have been spending 6 hours or so on a laptop. I could just feel their energy pouring out. They were light fireflies who's light made each other's light brighter. And I can't even remember what was said, but the first genuine laugh of our "class". The best way I can explain how it felt, is.. it felt like a jewel of light in my soul. That's the most emo thing of this whole status, but you could've clicked away a long time ago.

THE POINT IS, and I'm bringin it on home now.. the point is, the energy of comedians responding to a joke at a secret open mic in a park, the energy of a child laughing...insert more examples here.. the energy of people being together, is the energy of God. I get we're not out of the woods yet. But let's not shut each other out

-Josh