By Josh Weidmann on Thursday, February 22, 2007 2:41 PM

I remember when Facebook first started. It was one of those seemingly fad websites that was sweeping college campuses, and I refused to be a part. My sister, Janae, had signed on and was quickly building her profile and adding to her already extensive network of friends. She convinced me to register in order to help her and I have a better relationship – she was sure this would be the key to keeping our communication in tact, as we were separated by some 2000 miles.

I remember thinking, there is no way anyone from my school is actually using this internet social life software. Boy was I wrong. Upon signing into Facebook I was quickly presented with a list of other people in my “network” at my school, Moody Bible Institute. Facebook then prompted me to build my profile, giving me things to fill in like “Favorite TV show and Movie,” “Favorite Quote,” “Birthday,” “Relationship Status,” “Political View” and a more vague “About Me” section.

Let me tell you, I thought about that profile for days and carefully typed in the information I thought would make me look somewhat sensitive, yet entirely masculine. I chose my best picture for the profile. I posted a few things in the “album” feature to give people a bit more of a view into my world. I wrote on a few people’s walls hoping they would write back on my mine to show the world I actually did have friends. In that cyber space world, I began to become somebody. I had an identity. I clearly stated what I believed in some things, how I preferred some things, and then sought to portray that I truly was known by other people. My cyber life had begun, and I would find myself checking on it numerous times a day just to make sure I was not turning into some socially awkward person on the internet.

Why is it that we are all so obsessed with creating ourselves online? What is it that causes us to be so intentional to build our identity in a world that doesn’t exist anywhere but on the web?

Sure, some of our intentions are right...we do simply want to have a way to better communicate with our friends. But is there some other self-gratifying quality that we get by returning to our “Profile” page to know we actually exist?

Out of curiosity, I did a search to see if God had a Facebook page. He does, although clearly by the comments and the profile, someone else has pirated His page and tried to create a profile for a being that could never be contained by a Facebook page even if it took up the entire world’s internet space.

God doesn’t have Facebook page because God doesn’t need to make His presence known just so other people (or even Himself) can be assured that He actually is. He is more real than you and I, yet He has no need to tap into a social network to interact with or encounter others. God is God without Facebook. So why are we so dependent on our newfound internet identity? What is it that makes you and I obsessed with our internet interactions with others?

Do we really know who we are, or do we need a website like Facebook, My Space or Xanga to ensure we actually have a unique identity? And how many of us who have an online Identity have sat in front of the computer and had to work at trying to figure out who we are and what we believe just so we can fill in the prompted places on our profile. And how about the times where we’ve had to go back to the profile screen to change something or add something because we don’t agree with what we first put in?

Is there a deeper issue here? Is there something missing in our search for ourselves that leaves us with empty screens and empty hearts at the end of the day?

Perhaps if we could simply set aside our online identities and learn more about God’s identity, we would find out who we are by learning better who God is. I believe I can know who I am by knowing the great I AM.

 

Dear God,

You were before time and space even existed. You are perfect and You know Your own perfection well. Please help us to better know You so that we may have better insight into ourselves.

You don’t have to guess Your identity. We do.

You don’t have to imagine a better You. We do.

You don’t have to deal with regrets of Your past. We do.

You don’t ever have to make Yourself known to others in order to validate Yourself. We do.

Help us. We abandon ourselves to You and Your perfection so that we may be complete in You, despite our imperfection.

We pray this in the name of the One who has never doubted His identity but gave Himself to death so that we may know ours, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

By Josh Weidmann on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 12:32 PM

My music preferences are quite diverse in sound. I’ve listened to and loved everything from DC Talk to Rascal Flatts. However, there is one particular artist that I’ve followed for more than just a “phase” in my life – that is Mr. John Mayer.

Last night I was able to see Mayer and Mat Kearney in concert. Though the show was simplistic in its sets, it was profound in the delivery.

I was introduced to Mat Kearney about 9 months ago, and I was as excited about his opening show as I was the main stage Mayer show. Mat has a phenomenal sound and a gamut of talent from strings to keys and from slow-paced vocals to fast-paced rap. I loved his stuff. If you haven’t heard of him, please do yourself a favor and check him out.

Then there was Mayer’s set. It was spastic and jazzy in nature, but hey, that is John Mayer. He is truly talented and is not just some pop star singer who relies on tracks or his back-up band. He held nothing back last night and of course let the music lead him down a few guitar solo rabbit trails.

In addition, one thing I will never forget was this psychotic fan in the front row who mustered up the courage during the last song to jump over two security guards and onto the stage. She was only a few feet feet away from Mayer when one of the security guys got ahold of her ankle and literally dragged her off. Perhaps the most comical part was that John had his back turned and was facing the drummer, having no idea he was about to get grappled to the ground. This added an interesting third act of the concert.

Though this blog entry had nothing to do with anything spiritual directly, I share it so you can know a bit more about how I’m pursuing a balance of both ministry work and fun in my life in an effort to be balanced before God. I encourage all people of Christ to take a few dance steps or sit back and enjoy a concert (or whatever) to ensure your own sanity. :)

By Josh Weidmann on Wednesday, February 21, 2007 1:27 AM

Dear Overly Curious Blog Readers,

There are certain things I leave out of my blog for the sake of protecting the innocent. However, to dispell all rumors, please allow me to be frank and tell you my dancing partner is nothing more than a dancing partner and a great friend.

The End.

ps. Should I ever have more than a friendship with a woman, this is one of the last places I will post such information.

By Josh Weidmann on Tuesday, February 20, 2007 12:11 AM

When I walked into the room, the heels of my leather bottom shoes clicked on the hardwood floor. I nervously walked back and forth from one door to the next hoping my dance partner would show up. I remember thinking, “What am I doing here? This is crazy.” All the other couples lined the walls of the room and their eyes followed my nervous steps. I had a feeling this thing was going to be more insightful than I had first expected.

A few weeks ago I thought I needed something in my life that would be fun and relaxing. So I signed up for Ballroom Dancing Lessons. I couldn’t help but feeling like Richard Gere in the role he played in Shall We Dance? with Jennifer Lopez. Here I was trying to find something that would make me enjoy life again to its fullest. Pathetic yet optimistic.

As the lesson began my dance partner arrived. Our instructor stood in the middle of the room. He has to be 70 years old and he wears a full wig. In addition, he has a slight lisp and slender died-blonde-haired wife which makes him perfect for the part. After the first lesson I heard his weathered voice ringing in my head for days counting over and over “1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4…”

Tonight was my second lesson and I was not nearly as confident as the first week. However, in spite of my partner’s bruised toes and my bruised self-esteem, I still think this dance lesson idea was worth the investment. Through it I’ve learn how important it is to try new things. Too many times I get comfortable with my crazy life and I don’t take the risks to try something outside of my comfort zone. I’ve learn a few things about myself through these lessons – besides the fact that I have two left feet.

Who ever knew an old dance instructor with a toupee could teach me steps to a dance and life simultaneously?

By Josh Weidmann on Sunday, February 18, 2007 11:01 PM

It has now been sixty some hour since I left and went to Michigan for winter camp with my church, Harvest Bible Chapel. Out of those sixty hours I have: Slept 8 ½ hours, been cold at least 30 hours, preached 1 ½ hours, hung out with teens nearly 40 of those hours. Now I am home, sitting covered with as many blankets as I own and absolutely exhausted.

However, I am learning that in ministry (especially youth ministry) when you are exhausted, it is a sure sign that lives are being touched. I can honestly say that I would take all the headaches, backaches and neck aches again and again just to see God work in such mighty ways among students.

This weekend I spoke on God’s attributes of immanence, transcendence and faithfulness. Not only did I speak about them, but I experienced them all weekend.

First off, I was overwhelmed by greatness of God as I stood in the midst of his hand at work in the lives of the teens. The conversations I shared with them on the snowy game fields or in the dinning hall and all around camp were chronicles of God’s greatness manifest among his people.

Secondly, I saw his intimate involvement with people lives as at least 8 teens gave their lives to Christ for the first time and many more rededicated their lives to being lived fully for Jesus.

Finally, I didn’t just preach on the faithfulness of God, but I experienced it in a miraculous way. This morning I woke up with one of the worse headaches I’ve ever had. It was certainly from a lack of sleep and an abundance of stress. It was so intense that I found my self doubled-over the toilet heaving from the pain. I didn’t think there was anyway I was going to be able to preach. Yet, no more than 45 minutes before I spoke the headache broke and I was able to speak on God’s faithfulness knowing I had just experienced it in full!

Winterfest ‘07 will be a camp that goes down in my mind’s memory as wonderful and truly a display of great the true I AM really is!

I’m going to rest now and look forward to his new mercies to come at dawn. Good night.