One of my favorite miracles that happened in Ireland was the nightly discussion six of us men had. We tended to gather around 10pm and chatted into the next day with lights out any where from midnight to 1:30am. The miracle wasn’t men talking into the wee hours, but rather the open vulnerability that each shared.

Our conversations were deep and revealed some of our most inner thoughts and feelings. We trusted each other with our hearts and the respect we had for each other grew exponentially. We knew that our conversations were held in confidence and we could count on the acceptance we showed each other with no fear of rejection.

The conversations were not puffed up or superficial by any stretch of the imagination. Every topic revealed the positives and the negatives of our shared circumstances. There was no pretence and none of us had any desire to one up anyone. It was straightforward sincere communication.

Every night ended in prayer and with the sharing of a blessing for each other. Each man received love, compassion and understanding. Every man also shared love and respect with each other. It was totally awesome.

A couple of women and I were chatting in a pub one night about the experiences us men had and the women were amazed to hear about our closeness. They commented on how unique our experience was and they were thrilled for us. During the conversation they opened up about their husbands and wondered how they could help them become vulnerable enough to share from their heart.

I gave them a couple simple tips based on the talk I once gave titled Drawing Out Your Man’s Verbal Intimacy. They suggested my comments were confirmation based on their experiences earlier in the week and were excited to implement their own changes that would make sharing more safe and conducive for intimate conversation.

Every one of us men became equals in Ireland. While our experiences greatly differed, there wasn’t one of us better than the other. We all struggled with the same types of issues and we all desired to serve God and love our neighbors as ourselves.

I should clarify that not all of our conversation was serious, as humor played an important role in our sharing. We had numerous laughs and a little ribbing to boot – Not to mention some of the silly moments brought on by exhaustion and sleep depravation. But some how, we all made it through and are proud to be called each other’s friend.

The comradery will stay with each of us the rest of our lives. The memories will always include those special moments when one of the guys touched our hearts. And, every one of us will remember that we were unconditionally accepted by our peers – An incredible gift for men to give each other.

I must admit that while the Ireland trip touched me in many ways, I have to say that time every night with the guys was the greatest highlight of all. And yes, I already miss those great conversations before bed. But I’ll look forward to reconnecting with the guys the next time our paths cross. In fact, I’m confident that our hearts will leap for joy the next time we see each other.

So, if you happen to be around a couple of guys giving a knowing look and slightly holding back a smile, its probably us trying to maintain some level of composure as our spirits soar – Reminiscing a few of the greatest days of our lives.

Blogging during my trip to Ireland was difficult to say the least. Most entries were written after midnight and few amazing experiences were captured due to the fullness of activities that kept me going from 6am to 1am most nights.

This trip was one of the most enlightening ones I’ve ever encountered. Not only was it amazing to capture footage for the documentary, but it was also amazing to capture the spiritual activities that flowed throughout our time there. It’s my hope that I can share some of those moments with you in a handful of up coming blogs.

The most memorable lesson I learned came from me asking a simple question. “What is the most notable problem facing the American church?”

I asked this question of seven different Irish believers who didn’t know I had asked others. All were extremely hesitant to answer, as they didn’t want to come across judgmental. I had to pry the answer out of each one. These were people that had a special love for Americans and they were thrilled by our presence.

All answers were the same, “The American church is judgmental.” One woman shared how she became a believer and stated that had she lived in America, she would never have been saved due to the church’s condemning spirit. She went on to share how important it is for the American church to fully understand and share grace.

After all seven Irish believers shared the same comment; I couldn’t help but wonder if it was just that international idea that all Americans are bad, so I asked several Americans if they thought the church was judgmental. Every one of them answered “yes” and immediately gave examples.

I recalled the comment Jesus made in Matthew 7:3, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

The fact that we all fall short was clear to Paul who wrote in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” One Irish woman agreed with Paul and shared that there are so many problems in Ireland that it was easy for each believer to show grace, especially since they all knew that they didn’t live up to God’s complete standards.

I talked with one woman about divorce. She was shocked to hear that divorce in the American church was about 54% (based on the last statistic I read). She couldn’t understand why Christians would divorce when it was clear in God’s word that marriages were sacred and for life. She asked me what the Christian view of obedience to God was, since the divorce rate was so high.

The cultural differences based on spiritual understanding were significant. It made me think and rethink many spiritual concepts in light of an international community. I suddenly found myself asking why it was that America had so many denominations that take such strong stands on a handful of verses that have little impact on our daily lives.

The thought of our petty differences continue to shake me. Unity in the church created by sharing love and grace is important and I’m a firm believer that it’s our job to love one another, not judge one another.

An American shared at breakfast one morning that, “they will know us by our love.” This was a comment of hope from a woman who watched numerous people acting out in judgment against others on the trip. It reminded me of 1 John 4:8, “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

I can tell you plainly that the Irish church loved me. I can also tell you that the guys I hung out with also loved me. Unfortunately, there were some who didn’t know how to love, nor did they know how to put others above themselves. The sad thing was watching others share love with them and watching them not being able to receive and accept the love. They were so entrenched in their own thoughts about how life should play out, that they missed the blessings God poured in their direction.

The love from the Ireland church was pure and I watched them overlook numerous “sins” committed by the Americans on the trip. The amount of grace they poured out to us was overwhelming, especially when I knew it wasn’t earned or deserved. They emptied themselves of every ounce of love they could squeeze out.

I was in awe of their faith and hope some day I can live up to the same precious beliefs they hold dear and true. I want to be known as a person who shares grace from the depths of my soul and I never want to be found judging others. Maybe then, someone who feels guilty or is filled with shame will find me to be a breath of fresh air in a time of need.

Today was a light day of working on the projects followed by an afternoon on the golf course. The first hole teed off with a castle in the tree line and the ocean behind it. The weather was perfect and the guys a lot of laughs. My score was a bit off, due to me being distracted from the incredible and beautiful surroundings — I know, poor excuse.

This evening we had a project party closing off the construction and film. There were many sad faces saying goodbye to each new friend. A live band played American and Irish tunes. An award winning dancer presented several Irish dances. All was cupeled with jokes, singing and the handing out of gifts.

This is my last entry from Ireland and I noticed that the later at night I wrote, the less detail I shared. Maybe I’ll write a highlights article down the road, when I’m a little more awake. Or, I’ll cut together a highlight video so you can see some of what I’ve shared. But for now, I’m signing out from Ireland.