i needed this today...

"I look out the window
The birds are composing
Not a note is out of tune
Or out of place

I look at the meadow
And stare at the flowers
Better dressed than any girl
On her wedding day

So why do I worry?
Why do I freak out?
God knows what I need
You know what I need

Your love is strong."

-Jon Foreman

“God’s call for your life is where the world’s deep hunger and your deep gladness meet.” – Frederick Buechner

missional living.

tonight i am talking at higher ground (our youth group at sunshine) about MISSIONAL LIVING. how do we represent Christ whether we are living in the Guatemalan jungle or in west Michigan?
here's the handout. let's make a difference in the world. let's represent Jesus in everyday life.

missional living = living simply and giving extravagantly

1. pray and fast for the 2 billion people who live on less than a dollar a day
2. as a small group, sponsor a child through Compassion International for $32/month – if there are eight people in your small group, it would cost each person $4 a month…almost the same price as one coffee from Starbucks (www.compassion.com)
3. encourage your family to adopt a kid :) (www.bethany.org) – or you can donate to the Warners’ adoption fund to bring Trey and Tessa home! (http://godlovesethiopia.blogspot.com)
4. give a random compliment to a stranger. it is the best way to start a conversation.
5. rather than buy a birthday present at the mall, buy something from the Bright Hope International online store which pays fair price for goods to artisans in other countries (www.brighthope.org)
6. start a garden (tomatoes, green beans, etc.) and give the food away
7. pray at the abortion clinic
8. at Christmas time, make and send an “Operation Christmas Child” shoebox to needy children (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/occ/) or send a care package to missionaries or other people to encourage them
9. as a small group, look in the church bulletin for addresses of sick or shut-in people and send them a card or bring them a meal.
10. read Red Letters by Tom Davis –a book about the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa and about how to make a difference in your everyday life
11. walk around downtown and pay for the meters that are expired. leave a little note as you go.
12. bake cookies for someone simply to encourage.
13. leave an extra big tip and a personal note for your server at a restaurant.
14. save your spare change in a container to give away. consider putting aside a certain percentage of whatever your income is.
15. as a small group, watch the video Invisible Children to learn about what is currently happening with child soldiers in Uganda or look up their website to learn more (www.invisiblechildren.com)
16. pray in the shower, on your drive to school, etc. because “its about an imperfect, finite creature crying out for the aid of an infinite, powerful God who wants to restore this world.”
17. write a letter to a leader of a Christian organization simply to encourage him or her. (you can look up organizations like Pregnancy Resource Center, LIFE International, Bright Hope International, International Teams, Operation Mobilization, Youth With a Mission, Children’s HopeChest, etc.)
18. go to a local thrift store and drop $1 bills in random pockets of clothing being sold.
19. as a small group, have a prayer walk around your school or grand rapids.
20. go to a nursing home. visit the people, tell stories, read the Bible together, or play board games.
21. head down to Mel Trotter Ministries or DeGagé, helping in any way that they need (www.meltrotter.org and www.degageministries.org/)
22. buy only used clothing for a certain amount of time (a month? a year?)
23. buy a t-shirt that gives some of the proceeds to help people around the world with clean drinking water, mosquito nets, etc. (http://weareoverlooked.com)
24. become a pen-pal with someone in prison or in a different country or with a soldier (www.adoptaplatoon.org)
25. start a miniature food pantry in your house (every time you or your family members or small group members go to the store, but one extra canned good). after collecting a significant amount of cans, bring them to the church food pantry, a needy family, or a local organization.
26. donate your gently used shoes to people who may not have any or raise money to help this effort (www.soles4souls.org)
27. check out this cool idea called LifeStraw that brings clean drinking water to developing nations (http://www.vestergaard-frandsen.com/lifestraw.htm)
28. with a friend or by yourself, offer to babysit for free for a family going through a difficult time or for a single mother.
29. become aware and learn more by looking up some of these websites…
Bright Hope International: www.brighthope.org
Compassion International: www.compassion.com
World Vision: www.worldvision.org
International Aid: www.internationalaid.org
Childrens’ Hope Chest: www.hopechest.org
Healing Waters International: www.healingwatersintl.org
International Justice Mission: www.ijm.org
ONE: www.one.org
The Micah Challenge: www.themicahchallenge.org
30. go on a missions trip
Operation Mobilization: http://www.om.org/short-term-opportunities/
Adventures in Missions: www.adventures.org
International Teams: http://www.iteams.org/go/
Youth with a Mission: www.ywam.org

"Speak up for the people who have no voice,

for the rights of all the down-and-outers.

Speak out for justice!

Stand up for the poor and destitute!"
Proverbs 31:8-9 (from the Message)

What I'm interested in seeing you do is:

sharing your food with the hungry,

inviting the homeless poor into your homes,

putting clothes on the shivering ill-clad,

being available to your own families.Do this and the lights will turn on,

and your lives will turn around at once.Your righteousness will pave your way.

The God of glory will secure your passage.Then when you pray, God will answer.

You'll call out for help and I'll say, 'Here I am.'
Isaiah 58:7-9 (from the Message)

i left my heart in san francisco...

just look at these faces...

i've been home from mexico for over three weeks. but i can't ever be the same.

i am 'gloriously ruined.'

a brooke fraser song sticks in my head...

now that i have seen, i am responsible

faith without deeds is dead.

now that i have held you in my own arms,

i cannot let go till you are...

i will tell the world

i will tell them where i've been

i will keep my word

i will tell them...

God is the God of the world!

the mystery of summer plans...

i am currently thinking and praying and hoping about what this summer will hold. its always a mystery. it usually ends up being filled with a variety of adventures and excitement and rejuvenating down time and trips to the beach and trips to camp and time to catch up with people i love. God, where are you leading? is it somewhere or something specific? i have been struggling to pray about it because the school year feels so busy and summer feels so far away. and sometimes God is not really clear on what he wants me to do. and i am forgetful. and i am human. and prayer is not something that always comes naturally to me, as much as i wish it did.

so, for this summer of 2009 i am considering some of the following options.

1. running the river bank run (that means i need to kick it into gear with my training schedule!)
2. watching a family with 6 kids (i'm planning on this...and i love it)
3. going to california with them (i'm also planning on this in june)
4. moving into a new house with some great people (i'm hoping this will happen too)
5. a coldplay concert in detroit
6. training for the chicago marathon (the thought terrifies and excites me)
7. some weekends at upbc
8. counseling at upbc for a week or two
9. going to arkansas to see my incredible, lovely southern friend rachel (oh, how i would LOVE this)
10. traveling to the dominican republic with katie (tickets are the same price as flying to little rock!)
11. going to some weddings of dear friends
12. somehow going to mexico with kellie
13. a random roadtrip
14. getting my new siblings in ethiopia? (unfortunately, this is looking like it won't happen until fall)
15. taking a summer class (this does not sound very appealing. at all. i don't think i'll do this.)
16. reading a lot of good books that i haven't had time to read during the school year

any other ideas?

and as i consider all these good ideas and wonder where God is leading and being concerned about money and asking Him how He will provide, let me finish off with this quote...

We say things like, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me'... Then we live and plan like we don't believe God even exists. We try to set our lives up so everything will be fine even if God doesn't come through. But true faith means holding nothing back. It means putting every hope in God's fidelity to His promises." -- Francis Chan, "Crazy Love"