Recently, I had a conversation with someone at convention that went like this.

Someone: So, you did the blog design for Andrew Marin’s blog?

Me: Yep. I had a lot of fun doing that. I really believe in Andrew’s ministry.

Someone: Well, you make money on stuff like that. So of course you like it.

Me: Well, yeah I do make money doing that kind of thing. But I didn’t get paid for that one. I did it because I believe in what he is doing.

Someone: What? You didn’t charge him? That’s crazy talk.

Me: Of course not. Why would I?

Someone: Because that’s how you make money.

Me: But that’s also how I give money. Money he didn’t spend on a blog he can spend doing ministry. I don’t have the cash I want to give to his ministry, but I can give something that costs money so that he doesn’t have to spend it.

Someone: Oh. Wow, I never thought about it like that. I bought his book…

I don’t bring this up to make myself look good. In fact, I really wish I had the cash to write checks and support The Marin Foundation. I know, like any non-profit, cash is tight right now and he really does need cash donations. But the simple fact is I don’t have the cash to help The Marin Foundation like I wish I could.

I bring this up because too often we say we love someone’s ministry, or that we’re behind them, or that we’re excited about what they are doing… but we don’t do anything to actually further their ministry. The tribe of people that I hang with– youth workers– often don’t see the connection between “I’m supporting that person” and “I’m putting my treasures behind that person.” Because we’re fairly low on the church totem pole we feel a little weird about the money thing when it comes to church… and we carry that forward into other areas of life.

The challenge here is not simple. In fact, it may require some creativity on your behalf.

The challenge is to tangibly support the things you love with your treasures.

For me, my commitment to Andrew has been like this. He has my friendship, my support, my prayers, and anything he asks of me I try to make happen. In the past year that’s meant that I pray for Brenda and Andrew daily, Kristen and I have hosted him in our home when he’s in town, I help him with his blog and tech stuff, I talk about him to my friends, I keep my ears/eyes open for things I think are opportunities for him, I tell every ministry leader I know that their staff needs to wrestle through his book. On and on. I find ways to tangibly support his ministry.

I believe in what he is doing and I try to back it up. Like I’ve said, I don’t have the cash to back up my love for what Andrew is doing to change the church… so I give him my time and talents where I can. The stuff I help him with would both cost him cash and I forego earning cash from helping other people. So, it’s not cash but it is like cash. That’s why I’m saying… if you support something give it your treasures.

If you’ve heard about Andy’s ministry of bridging Evangelical culture and the GLBT culture, and you’d like for it to continue to help these two communities learn to love one another, it’s time to support The Marin Foundation. Don’t just say you are behind him, get behind him.

Learn more about Andrew’s story and The Marin Foundation.

My family isn’t one that will likely go around the table and share what they are thankful for. But that doesn’t mean I am lacking gratitude this Thanksgiving. Here’s a few things I’m especially thankful for.

#1 I am thankful for my red hot smokin’ wife, who is a stone cold fox, and two kids, Walker and Texas Ranger. (Oh wait, that’s Ricky Bobby…) I am thankful for Kristen, Megan, and Paul. They bring immense, intense, wild, fight-club-worthy joy to my life.
#2 I am thankful for all things San Diego. From our neighborhood, to our new church family, to my friends at YS, to the beachy goodness, to all things Mexican food and sushi.
#3 I am thankful for getting to invest in the lives of so many youth workers around the globe. Marko expressed this much better than I could, check out this video.
#4 I am thankful for Youtube, who just started offering widescreen video and all the fun I will have with that.
#5 I am thankful for Steve and all my friends at Apple Computer, I’m glad I finally saw the light.
#6 I am thankful for Snickers. Dang they are good.
#7 I am thankful for Facebook and all of the old friends I’ve reconnected with.
#8 I am thankful for Andy Marin. I praise God that He has raised up a man willing to stand in front of 5,000+ people and proclaim himself, “The gayest straight man in America.” I’m happy to call him a friend and I join him in praying that the church would continue to love the GLBT community.
#9 I’m thankful for Free Speech, that I don’t have to worry about getting sued if I call someone’s ideas stupid.
#10 I am thankful the thousands of “mmm’s” I heard at NYWC this fall as speaker’s spoke truth into leaders lives.
#11 I am thankful for the genius feature on iTunes.
#12 I am thankful for the Chargers, Irish, Wolverines, Spartans, and any other sports team I care about in 2008 sucking so I could concentrate on other things.
#13 I am thankful for the dress code at YS.
#14 I am thankful for horchata.
#15 I am thankful for pretty things, like Gmail’s new themes, sunsets at Ocean Beach, and odd wildlife in our backyard.
#16 I am thankful for Wii Fit as there is nothing quite like watching your 5 year old do yoga.
#17 I am thankful for former students. They encourage me, join my crazy conversations, challenge me, and inspire me to keep going as I watch them stumble towards faith.
#18 I am thankful for a lot of things, big and small this year.

How about you, what are you thankful for?