About Phil Lashinski

·        I am 22 years old

·        I graduated in 2004 from Coon Rapids High School

·        I was a Religion Major at Concordia College in Moorhead for two years

·        In the fall of 2006, I transferred to Crown College to get my degree in Youth Ministry

·        I have been a counselor at Luther Crest the past two summers

·        I am currently doing my six month internship at Luther Crest

·        This summer I will be the camp’s DVD Producer

·        I am a huge movie buff

·        I enjoy short walks along the beach, jumping in puddles, and singing in the shower

·        Most importantly, I find my identity in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

Archive

CURRENT BLOG

1) Stop the World (3/12/08)

2) Traveling Light (3/19/08)

3) In Christ Alone (3/26/08)

4) Romans 12 (4/2/08)

5) Father Grant (4/11/08)

6) Ephesians 4 (4/21/08)

“Stop the World”

By Matthew West

The TV is talking

The telephone’s ringing

The lights are all on and the radio’s screaming

A million distractions

Are stealing my heart from you

I’m tired and empty

This life is relentless

It weakens my knees and breaks my defenses

It’s wearing me down

And I’m desperate to hear from you

Stop the world

I wanna get out

I need an escape away from this crowd

Just to hear you speak to me

I need to be still before I make a move

I need to be humble with nothing to prove

I need your world

To show me the Truth

And I need time, precious time

Stop the world

I wanna get out

I need an escape away from the crowd

Just to hear you speak to me

Stop the world

I’m ready to listen

Show me a sign

Give me a vision of heaven

I can hold onto

Stop the world

I need some time with you

And before I can find my voice

I need to hear your voice

Above all this senseless noise

This world is so full of distractions.  We have all become so great at multitasking in today’s culture.  I am also in this boat of too many things going on at once. I can be studying for an exam while listening to music, chatting with several friends on instant messenger, in a room with my roommate doing the same thing.  It comes to a point where it is almost competition to see who can do the most things at once.  It is exhausting!   I long for the chance to live out Psalm 46:10; “Be still, and know that I am God.”  In a deeper life conference at Crown College last year, there was a speaker named Sunder Krishnan.  He told us a story of a missionary in Africa.  The missionary was surprised the first day how speedily and efficiently the locals helped him.  He was excited early the next morning to have another day of productivity and work.  Much to his surprise, he found all of the people sitting on the ground.  When he asked them why they were sitting on the ground they told him that they had moved so fast the day before and they were waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.  Do we ever just take a day to let our souls catch up with our bodies?  God seems to think it is important.  God created everything in six days, and rested on the seventh day.  God wants us to be still.  Jesus retreated to a quiet place early in the mornings to spend time alone with His Father.  Have you ever taken the time to let your soul catch up with your body?  I think it would take about a year for me.  I think it is so important to just turn off the world; TV, iPods, video games, internet, etc… This lent I decided to give up the internet (minus email because of school).  For the most part, I held true to my commitment, but I admit I checked facebook a couple times.  It’s funny; it’s actually easier to multi task than to “single-task” or even “no-task.”  Why is that? 

This is why I find camp to be so important.  Camp provides a place away from the world of distractions.  At camp, our youth can just be.  When a camper comes, they are told to leave their iPods, cell phones, video games, computers etc… at home.  Here at camp we offer a place where youth can interact with God, building a foundation for their faith life, free from distractions.  And isn’t it interesting?  The time where most people look back to as a transformational point in their faith life is a time where they are alone with God.  For me it was at a Bible camp.  For many people, they remember a mountaintop experience at a camp. 

Jon Skogen, Assistant Director for National Outdoor Ministries in Chicago, expressed camp in relation to the Transfiguration story. 

“Something amazing happened on the mountain.  It was truly unbelievable.  And then we are told to go down and go out.  We cannot remain.  But when we go out, we have the comfort and the peace that comes with knowing God will go with us.  People of all ages yearn and ache to hear that message of hope.  The message that says whatever happens – whether on the mountaintop of a camp experience – or anywhere else, that God will go with each of us.” 

The campers cannot stay at camp just as the disciples could not stay on the mountain.  However, camp can be something to be looked back upon and can be seen as an encouragement through the rough times in our faith journeys as a place where we met with the Almighty God of the universe. 

Turn off the world for one day.  See what happens.