God is good

Matt is nowhere near as creepy as this picture makes him out to be.

Spent a significant chunk of the weekend with my long-treasured college chum Matt Hoffland. He's a minister/husband/father of three from Wisconsin and the old guy and I were in a number of dramatic productions together during my Grace College days (including my personal all-time-proudest dramatic moment: playing Biff to his Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman).

Anyhow, Hoff's way in the upperatosphere, talent-wise. A gifted writer and dramatist and a truly formidable musical performer. I usually find very little inspriation in most Christian music, but I've always found his CDs awfully touching and sincere. I suppose part of it is because I know the heart of the guy behind it, but I don't know. "I need a Hoff in my life," I told Carey the other day.

He's got a way of reminding me of things I already know, but tend to forget. He told me about his ministry at Camp Forest Springs, his wife, his dreams, his goals, his successes, his love for his kids. "God is good," he'd say periodically throughout the weekend, and he meant it.

I've been told my whole life that "God is good". That blessings are blessings from God and that hardships are opportunities. "God is good"? It's certainly possible. That's been one big, fat pill to swallow for my loved ones and me over the course of the last year. A case can certainly be made that, if God exists at all, He isn't good. Or fair. Or just. Or empathetic.

"God is good."

"God is not good."

If anything, the past year has asked me to believe one and understand the other. Sometimes, I wish I had every single answer. I really do.

God is "good"?

I don't know. But I'll believe it.

And Hoff, if you're reading, it was great having you. We really need to do it again, brother.