For those of you who don’t know, The Davis’ story is a lot like Brian and mine… but flip flopped. You can read more about their journey on their blog (which I listed below).

Justin and Trish are not strangers here at JenniClayville.com. They have guest posted before and I’m sure this won’t be the last time either. We are not only thankful for them as friends, but we are beyond grateful that they introduced us to the ultimate second chance in our marriage.

So, Justin is gonna kick off this week’s Second Chances Series.

Justin’s Blog: www.refineus.org
Justin’s Twitter: @justindavis33

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I’ve always been a fan of second chances. I’ve needed about 1000 second chances through out my lifetime. I am, in a sense, the king of second chances. A famous phrase for me growing up was “Just give me one more chance.”

• The first time I came home late and got grounded, I pleaded with my parents, “Give me one more chance.”
• The first time I got pulled over when I was sixteen years old and knew I was going to get a ticket, I begged the officer, “Please give me one more chance.”
• The time I overslept in college and missed a mid-term exam, I remember crying to my professor, “Please Mr. Clymer, give me one more chance.”
• When I got caught drinking at a bar my sophomore year of college, I sat in the dean of student’s office and bargained with him, “If you will just give me one more chance.”
• When I failed a class and was on the verge of not being academically eligible to play basketball, I found myself at the mercy of the registrar “Please, give me one more chance.”

People would always say things to me like “Justin, you have so much potential.” “Justin, if you would just make wiser choices, you could one day reach your potential.” “Justin, when you mature and grow into your giftedness, the potential that you have is so great.”

People who take second chances for granted don’t need to grow into their giftedness; they need to grow into their character. It doesn’t matter how many second chances we are given if we don’t do something with it.

The thing about second chances is that they aren’t guaranteed. You can run out of second chances. I thought I had run out of second chances when my affair happened in 2005. There was nowhere left to run. There was no more potential to try to reach.

What I’ve come to understand is that it isn’t how many chances you are given, it is what you learn from the failure that matters. When Trisha extended an underserved second chance, there was no way I was blowing it. There is no doubt that grace is unmerited favor, but how we choose to live after receiving grace makes all the difference in the world.

What could your marriage be if you valued second chances? Not expected them, but cherished them. What could your relationship with God be if you were grateful for second chances? Not took them for granted, but were committed to making the most out of them.

Second chances can change nothing.
But second chances can change everything.

Exciting times, people. Below is the newsletter Brian just wrote. Since I’m not doing so well with keeping up with my blog right now, I thought I’d just re-post his words

First of all, a huge thank you to all the prayer supporters, notes of encouragement, phone calls, text, twitters or FB messages and $$$. We are so thankful for every kind of support we are receiving and feel so blessed in our relationships.

We’re writing this extra newsletter this week because it’s crunch-time for us and so we thought we’d send out a request for extra prayers.

We are beginning to really feel the loss of leaving Portland because…

… to read more… CLICK HERE!

Thank you all for your continued prayers over us, our family and ministry in this new year. We feel it and are SO thankful for every breath you lift up on behalf of us!

Now… your turn…

What happens in 12 days for YOU?

I hear God pretty clearly these days.

There was a time when I didn’t. For about three years, I didn’t hear His voice. I missed it. I just longed to hear His voice again… and on the plane ride home, I heard Him.

His voice was still and quiet. Barely a whisper. But the magnificence of it made the hair on my neck stand on end.

I leaned over and said to Brian: “I think we’re supposed to move to El Paso. But I don’t wanna.”

Brian looked at me and replied: “I think the same thing. But I wanna.”

DANGIT! DANGIT ALL TO BLURG!

In the last year, Brian and I have been more in sync than we ever have our whole marriage. This wouldn’t be the first time God revealed something separately to us at the same time. And when this happens… it means “HANG ON!” because we’re in for a ride.

You’d think because our trip was such a great experience this would be a no brainer. But there was SO much change and “ask” involved:

* I have ALWAYS lived in the Pacific Northwest.
* Brian’s parents are in the PNW and there are grandchildren involved.
* My friends.
* Paseo is a church plant and cannot provide a salary, so we would have to raise support for our living expenses every year.
* I’m comfortable.
* I hate moving.
* I love LOVE love my neighbors.
* The mere thought of the unknown terrifies me.
* I’ve never raised money for a long-term mission before.
* The closest naturopath that practices NAET for my family’s allergies in El Paso is 154 miles away.
* No Whole Foods in El Paso.
* No predictability.
* Trees & hybrid cars.

It all comes down to this…

… I’m SELFISH.

I put my own comfort and rituals over God’s desire for me and my family. I am WAY more in control if I think God is in a little box that I can contain Him in. I’d rather just pull Him out when I need Him to grant me my wishes like Aladdin’s genie. You’d think I’d know different by now… but I am one seriously stubborn mule.

So for a week, I wrestled with God. Literally. Every night starting from our return from El Paso, I barely slept. I either tossed and turned with nightmares or I stayed in that restless in-between awake and asleep state. I fought. I resisted. I justified my selfishness. I cried. I mourned. I threw a fit. I begged Him to give me something else… something easier… cuz I JUST.DIDN’T.WANNA.

I did most of this quietly, but I DID process my true, honest thoughts with Brian, our family, a handful of my closest friends and accountability partners.

I was EXHAUSTED.

Saturday night. I threw in the towel. I waved my white surrender flag to God. I wasn’t going to fight him anymore. I felt defeated… from fighting myself. And by that next morning, I had decided to choose JOY in obedience.

Instead of fearing what might be, I’m embracing the adventure.

Brian & I have never been better placed in our relationship with each other to do something like this… TOGETHER… NOW. We’re not leaving any loose ends untied in Portland, and we’re not running from anything. We have never been more free to just go, be, learn and serve.

The Sunday I surrendered myself to my God regarding El Paso was also the first night I actually slept peacefully since returning home. It’s now Friday… and I can happily report I’ve slept wonderfully every night since. Not only do I have a complete peace about our decision, but I can honestly say I am really REALLY looking forward to where our journey is taking us.

Now, it’s just all about mastering the details… but that will be another post another time.

The Clayville’s are going to Texas!

ASIAN IN THE HOUSE!!! HOLLA!!!

We had been down to El Paso before for our friends’ wedding (they were stationed at Fort Bliss at the time of their wedding)… but that was 8 years ago. The first thing we noticed when we landed was that El Paso had grown quite a bit since we last visited. That’s always a fun thing to see.

Greg (the lead pastor at Paseo) was there to pick us up at the airport and took us straight to his house where he and his beautiful wife, Jill, hosted us for the next five days. Bless their hearts.

The next five days were a whirlwind.

Church members toured us all over El Paso (as well as parts of New Mexico). We spent one-on-one time with MULTIPLE couples. Many invited us into their home for a delicious home cooked meal while others treated us to some of their favorite El Paso restaurants. I led a full band of people I barely knew but immediately fell in deep, deep LIKE with. We rocked out in band practice and then I led beside them on the platform the next day. And MAN oh MAN are they a seriously talented bunch of musicians.

Playing with this team humbled me and drove a desire within me to be better than I currently am. Being a part of leading Paseo into worship that Sunday morning reminded me of some of my favorite days leading at Sunset for students. I remember looking out and seeing their innocence as they cried out to God in anthem song. I remember feeling like I wasn’t alone but part of something WAY bigger than I could ever imagine. I remember feeling so small, yet I belonged.

This time I looked out and saw honest, authentic, broken, seeking and worshipful men and women singing their hearts out, hands lifted, faces raised, eyes closed. The feeling was familiar… but oh so different. I wasn’t leading anymore. I was being invited into a worship experience. Paseo was warmly inviting me to worship our great and powerful God WITH them.

Oh how I’ve missed feeling like I’m part of a body.

The next two days didn’t slow down much. We met TONS more people, drove down into the very poor areas (the projects), met some of the homeless people Steve works with, saw some of the different projects/organizations Paseo has partnered with and helped out with, watched Steve speak Spanish to a few Mexicans, realized I wasted 6 years taking French, realized I needed to learn Spanish, wished for a superpower in which I could steal Steve’s magnificent Spanish speaking skills, discovered I was ridiculous, saw a graffiti’d plant (seriously… it was amazing), had dinner with the entire Paseo Elder Team & Staff, shared our story, and attended the weekly staff meeting (which I’m proud to say I successfully STOPPED myself from derailing. thankyou!)

WOW RUN ON SENTENCE… moving on…

Even while we were on the plane headed down to El Paso, I truly thought the possibility of the Clayville Clan ending up in the desert was a long shot. The only reason Brian and I even agreed to go was because we both heard God separately say to us that He wanted us to see what was there. And when we hear God… we obey. Little did I know our trip down there would change how I saw everything.

We returned home with a pit in our stomach.

I was about to see how very selfish I really was…

(to be continued)

August 26th in Seattle, Andy Stanley and Craig Groeschel will be sharing practical leadership strategy for creating and sustaining momentum.

Also, there will be a few Q&A sessions with Andy & Craig and a candid conversation between them about their different leadership styles and common lessons they’ve learned.

Here’s a preview of the ONE DAY content:

Catalyst One Day from Catalyst on Vimeo.

I don’t usually give stuff away here on my website… so this is a rare treat. I think this definitely a valuable win. PLUS, I’ll be there… so you’ll get to spend some time with a pretty cool Asian chick!

HERE’S HOW TO WIN:
1. TWEET THIS: Win Tickets to Catalyst ONE DAY in Seattle: http://bit.ly/d0aakF

2. COMMENT BELOW: with your twitter name (so I know you did step 1) and your strangest habit (just for fun)

3. AT 5PM (PST) FRIDAY TUESDAY, June 18 22 : I’ll randomly choose 2 entrants below to win 1 ticket each!
**Sorry! I had to change the date because we gave out a lot of tickets this week… so it’s been changed for next week. Thanks for rolling with it.**

Ready? Get set? GO!

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AND THE WINNERS ARE:

Jeff Holton and Jennifer Radar

Yes… I’m no longer working at Church! at Bethany.

On Monday afternoon, in a meeting room with Brian, me and our church Treasurer… Matt relieved me of my duties as the Creative Arts & Worship Pastor. He stated the reason as: “different visions” which are somewhat irreconcilable. I guess that will work for now.

Our meeting lasted between 10-15 minutes.

Brian and I were not surprised this happened when we went in. We walked into Church! at Bethany two years ago two VERY different people. And in the past two years, we’ve journeyed a road most people don’t ever need to travel and became two different people… BETTER people. Matt and Church! at Bethany were a key piece to my confession and our healing afterwards… and for that, we will forever be grateful.

We will forever love our church.
We will forever love it’s people.
And we will never stop fighting for it’s people.

Our next step? We don’t know yet… but for now, we’re going to enjoy not having ANY responsibility, be poured into by other churches (we are one body, after all) and hang out with our beloved houseguests, David & Diane. We’re going to rest in God’s grace, trusting He already knows our paths.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11

Where do you put YOUR faith?
Your plans or His?