Reflections on Lent: IF

My church has been focusing on I Chronicles 7:14 this Easter season with a sermon series called "IF"

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

It's a time to reflect on NCC's ministry mission and how God is working it out:

Ordinary people, empowered by God’s Spirit, doing what Jesus did, together, wherever they are.
 

NCC and Community

Reflections on Lent: Listen to Him

Yes, this week we can think about what we listen to and what informs us, 

but also, find that rest in the voice of the Lord and truth that comes in there. 

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I spend a lot of time in reflection and a season of conviction, I get weary - weary of being wrecked, humbled, stomped down, and sent down roads I don't understand. 

So take a moment with me to rest and trust in the words of our Fathers and replace them with the hurry scurry of life...
 

The viability of our prayers is not contingent on scrabbling the twenty-six letters of the English alphabet into the right combinations like abracadabra. God already knows the last punctuation make before we pronounce the first syllable. The viability of our prayers has more to do with intensity than vocabulary. This is modeled by the Holy Spirit Himself, who has been intensely and unceasingly interceding for you your entire life.

 

  Psalm 32:7 is a must-circle promise. I like the King James Version: "Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." [For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory - NLT]

  Long before you woke up this morning and long after you go to sleep tonight, the Spirit of God was circling you with songs of deliverance. He has been circling you since the day you were conceived, and He'll circle you until the day you die. He is praying hard for you with ultrasonic groans that cannot be formulated into words, and those unutterable intercessions should fill you with a unspeakable confidence. God isn't just for you in some passive sense: God is for you in the most active sense imaginable. The Holy Spirit is praying hard for you. And the supernatural sychronicities begin to happen with we tag-team with God and do the same.

 The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson
Dream Big. Pray Hard. Think Long.

"Even now we believe even then" - we are more than conquers.

Reflections on Lent: Listening

This week World Vision act:s has challenged Christians to rethink what they consume in what they watch, what they spend their time on, what vioces they listen to, and what they buy. It's been really challenging to for personally to think about this and way to "sacrifice my consuming" beyond the tradition of fasting food.

It think there's a new day in the faith when we realize that we are so much more than "what we eat" but that the words of Christ ring true today than ever:

"Man does not live by bread alone"

I'll leave you with this poem written by a fellow blogger on her blog Inscription: God-wrestling in the light of day

Reflections on Lent: All Consuming Fire

ReLENTless act:s of Sacrifice: Sacrifice What CONSUMES You

act:s Video - Week 5

In the Bible our God is describe as a "all consuming fire"-- what are you consuming that is getting in the way of your relationship with God, your relationship with others, and your relationship with the world around you? 

What is getting in the way of your calling to be in the world but not of it? 

What is stopping you from your unique calling that you have been given through your specific talents, passions, and opportunities to effect the world for Christ.

Reflections on Lent: God-Sized Dreams

“The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

 

How Tightly Should We Hold On to Our Dreams?

“God-sized dreams” might be small, and tucked in, and quiet. Sometimes it’s easier to think that “God-sized dreams” mean big dreams, our dreams, the things that are exciting and appealing and out “there.”

 

I’ve often wrestled with the phrase, “God-sized dreams” because I don’t understand what it means. God-sized? Dreams? What does that even mean?

And what of our dreams? What if they are just that, our dreams? Haven’t many people followed their dreams as an excuse to go their own way? To leave their families? To neglect the small, mundane, precious things that teach us patience, humility, and compassion?

I think about these things because I am on the verge, the edge of possibilities that could drastically change my life, my small, somewhat quiet life. I’m desperate not to lose the small. I want to hold on to my home and my little ones and my husband and stay within reach.

To read the rest of this blog, go to (in)courage....

Reflections on Lent: Ananymous Extraordinaries

Remember - You've been "called" to every moment of your day... 

"All I was doing was trying to get home from work" -Rosa Parks

 

Natalie Warne: TEDTalk

Reflections on Lent: If Leaders

So when people talk about calling, most times I think of getting the task of leading a movement. But it doesn't have to be that way. Calling maybe a simply call to be obedient as a mother, a wife, a boyfriend, a best friend, a secretary, or a co-worker. It may be to sell all you have and set off for a far away place or it may be as scary as going to your fence and having a conversation with your neighbor.

Reflections on Lent: Let Us Love

- Let Us Love -

by NeedtoBreath

We were born to embrace not accept it

We were given nothing more so we kept it

As the color of our boots keep fading

We live a life that we hate without saying

Who would listen to the cries of a poor man

We never done nothing

How can we be something

 

Every heart has an hour of existence

Every breath brings a chance for redemption

If somehow we could Wake Up!

Let us love (like we were children)

Make us feel (like we're still living)

in a world I know is burning to the ground

Give us time (to beat the system)

Make us find (what we've been missing)

In a world I know is burning to the ground

In the crowd of the dead and disappointed

We're ashamed given up on what we wanted

Take a chance at long shot this time

Aren't we all just at least worth another try

 

I'm a king in the land of abuses

Undermined by the promise of excuses

Whose to win if we know that it's not fair

Who would fight when it seems that no one cares

If somehow we could Wake Up!

Let us love (like we were children)

Make us feel (like we're still living)

in a world I know is burning to the ground

Give us time (to beat the system)

Make us find (what we've been missing)

In a world I know is burning to the ground

Let us love (like we were children)

Make us feel (like we were living)

in a world I know is burning to the ground

Leave your hurting on the road behind you. 

Let the wind go with you till the morning comes

Yeah your sorrow, no it can't save you. 

It won't answer for what you've done

 Let us love (like we were children)

Make us feel (like we were living)

in a world I know is burning to the ground

Reflections on Lent: Good Future

"I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will find me when you seek me with your whole heart. I will be found by you..."

- Jeremiah 29:11-14

Reflections on Lent: Calling in Small

Hannah is eight years old and recently attended a freedom event hosted by her aunt, Janelle. After viewing a documentary about human trafficking, Hannah asked, “Aunt Janelle, can I give money too?”

She didn’t have the money she diligently saved with her, but the following day, she brought an envelope with all the money she had saved to donate it to The A21 Campaign. When asked if she wanted to donate all of her savings, she willingly agreed and said she could always make more money. Her small gift was such a large contribution in the fight against slavery!

Read the rest of Hannah's story at A21Campaign's blog (http://blog.thea21campaign.org/?p=20).

Reflections on Lent: The Sacrifice of Calling

The Sacrifice of Calling

Are you working or are you pursing purpose? 

Is what you do daily making you more alive or is it killing you one joy at a time? 

What is it that your heart beats for?

What skills do you uniquely possess? 

What are you doing to make a difference in the world around you?

These are all questions that float through my mind - no lets be real - these are all questions that wreak havoc on my mind and have cost me my fingernails, sleep, and smiles.
Coming off a weekend of contemplation, another phone call with the sister to talk about life, yet again questioning how I spent my time and money, still struggling with the feelings of failure yet not even knowing what I'm failing at...?
And then I listened to this video this morning and feeling the release of resting once again. Of Exodus 14:14 where God commands us "I will delivery you, you need only be still."  Today, I heard about a release from that. I heard about a journey that started with God and being still and ended with the same. Yes, there's growth in the middle but as this speaker says

"Life is not going to make sense while you're living it. 

It really only kind of makes sense in retrospect..But in the moment you really don't know."

When will I learn to fully trust? When will I learn to leave my cares in the Lord's hand? Probably the same day He says

"Well done my good and faithful servant."

So here's to life

with all the crazy moments of fear, 

of exhilarating moments of release, 

and many many more regular days that fill the in between moments.

Reflects on Lent: Words

What is the power of words?

This is the question I started the week with and continue to mull it over in my mind.

What if I gave the Lord all my words?

What if I gave him my twitter, my Facebook, my gchat status?

What would change if I filled my mind with His words and praise and not 

rap or the Hunger Games?

What changes could this have in my life, on my relationships, and on the world?

Needless to say, these are not questions or tasks that can be answered or done in a week, a month, or a year. These are the questions that drive our growth continually and lead us to the cross. They lead us to seek Christ more fully, seek life more truly,  white knuckle my control just a little bit less, take faith steps a little more often, and and press in just a little bit farther.

So I'm leaving you with others' inspiring words because normal, they say it a lot better than me!

Reflections on Lent: Labeling Myself

What's a label you've found is true about yourself during the Lent Season aka what do you miss?

potato chip-a-holic

shop-a-lic

non-water-a-holic

Whatever you've found yourself missing this Lenten season, maybe you're like me and have recently realized an addiction like how I turn to a cup of coffee as a source of calm in the storm. No seriously, just holding that cup of steaming joe has an alluring quality of calm and control that makes me feel confident approaching any situation.

Reflections on Lent: Oh the Randomness that is my thoughts

Please tell me I'm not the only one who sometimes has trouble remember how in the world I started thinking about that ice cream shop...

 in the middle of Kansas... I visited when I was 10... on the way to Denver... for Thanksgiving...

 in the middle of my board meeting?!?

As I sit and think about what informs me, describes me, and is expressed by me, I stumble on instance of this ...of random rememberings,
          ...of times of conviction and great sorrow,
                                ...of joyous times,
                                              ...of times the Lord has walked me through,
                                                              ...of times I've run away,
                                                                                  ...of times I've run to,

of times I've been surrounded by the grace and love of the Father.

Often, I write things down to help myself remember:
- what I need to get done
- what I've done
- what I want to do
- people I need to call
- things I need to create
...etc. etc.

Lists to Remember

As I stumbles on the slideshow above, I thought to myself "What if I knew these types of things about the people in my life?"

What would sharing you daily lists/thoughts with those you are closest with do? 
What would it change in your life if anything? 
Would it change your relationship with them? 
Would it change how you saw and approached the world?

Just some random thoughts in my head in the middle of my board meeting...

Reflections on Lent: Real Life Becca

Real Life Becca: Whatever.: If your life ended with this sentence, what would you regret? I had an epiphany three months ago. It transformed my worldview. God loves me...

Check out the rest of Real Life Becca's post about the amazing discovering of letting God describe you!

Reflections on Lent: What would it actually look like to give my words completely to Godke to actually speak life

"As you practice sacrifice this Lent with InterVarsity and World Vision ACT:S, some of you may start to feel guilty for all the things around you and the opportunities you have and may become resentful of your stuff and of those who have plenty like you. Some of you may feel ashamed of your house and the money in your bank account, or you may get angry and share this post on all your "rich" friends' Facebook walls. Some of you may get scared that these "bad things" may happen to you next so you'll start hoarding even more. Others of you may make a donation to a nonprofit right after reading this because you "have to".

My prayer is that before guilt, shame, fear, obligation, or rage causes you to do anything, you would stop and realize that none of these feelings are from God...

Week 3:Sacrifice What Describes You

..Instead, read Romans 8:1 and see that there is no shame or condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Stand on that promise. 

Then you can replace guilt and shame with the grace and love of God; because it is this Love that was the foundation for Jesus’ coming among us and it should be the core value for our comings and goings as well–especially for working with those in material poverty, spiritual poverty, and poverty of being."

- Jonathan Walton

This week the ACT:S team's words can only be shared. Check out their video and resources people like you are creating for this week's challenge!

Go to this link, and take the challenge!

Reflections on Lent: Sacrifice What Describes You

Words are the way we express our selves. The way we give life to our ideas. The way we describe the desires of our hearts. Words like:

Honesty.          Hope.         Cheerful.           Positive.          Driven.              Welcoming.

What are the words those you love use to describe you? When I think of those questions, I hope they're ones like the ones listed above. But if I'm honest, they could very easily use words like:

Impatient.                  Controlling.                    Drama Queen.                    Tactless.

as well. How does that make me feel....?

Reflections on Lent: Not your typical story

TED Blog: Leymah Gbowee

In 2004, working on women’s rights, she was asked to take a 9-year-old, who had been raped every day by paternal grandfather for months. And she did. Every day the child lay beside her, saying, “I wish to be well, I wish to go to school.”

Reflections on Lent: Seeing Wide and Praying Long

With the rise in public awareness of child trafficking, most of it is focused on the sex trade and women and children lured to the US to be trafficked. Unspeakable evil and pain comes from this and it is truly a horrible situation. It is however only half of the problem. Human trafficking also refers to labor bondage, organ solicitations, and many other forms of problems.

According to UNICEF, of Zimbabwe's 1.3 million orphans, some 100,000 are living on their own in child-headed households. Many such children are forced to leave school and find work as street vendors or labourers on tobacco farms, tea and sugar plantations, and in mines in order to support younger siblings.

Reflections on Lent: International Woman's Day

When I want to explain why empowering girls and women is critical to fighting 

poverty, I often tell a person's story. It's easier to relate to a personal story than to global data 

telling us that the majority of the billion people who live on less than $2 per day 

are women and girls. We are often told to never treat a person like a statistic

....Rina Begum is a real person -- 

Reflections on Lent: It's here too

Truth. Identity. Injustice.

"In to many places the opposite of poverty is justice...Ultimately, we won't be judged by our technology. We won't be judged by our design. We won't be judge by our intellect and reason. Ultimately, you judge the character of the society. Not about how they treat the rich and the powerful and the privileged abut how they treat the poor, the condemned, the incarcerated. Because it is in that nexus that we begin to understand truly profound things about who we are. "  

- Bryan Stevenson

To listen to the rest of this amazing words on identiy and injustice here in America, go to ted talks at  http://www.ted.com/talks/bryan_stevenson_we_need_to_talk_about_an_injustice.html

Reflections on Lent: Seeing all Sides

Often, when I think about being self-centered or naive, I think what it is to be an American - like there's no suffering or controversy within these borders. With new stations, bloggers, and news papers tailoring to an audience, if you aren't careful, you only get one side of the story. Look at the national debate right now on birth control and more specifically on the showdown between Sandra Fluke and Rush Limbaugh.

To skip all the political jargon and risk this blog spiraling out of control, I want you to stop and think about what is behind the story. Get past the brass "slut" comments and the claims that birth control should be free and you see two sides who refuse to hear each other. Sandra Fluke is a Georgetown student who choose to go there though its insurance plan does not cover birth control based on its Catholic morals. It should have the right to do so just as she had the right to choose to go there or not.

But that is neither what she testified about nor what Rush Limbaugh targeted her about.

Fluke testified on behalf of a friend who had to have ovarian surgery due to cysts, saying if she had had access to free birth control the surgery would have been preventable. Rush Limbaugh has stole the stage with his "slut" comments about us having to pay for her lifestyle choices. Hence the ensuing drama around birth control, life style choices, and the s-word.

Both exercising their freedom of speech, but have either of them really address the greater issue behind the debate? And what has the national conversation focused on -- the use of the "slut" or the real issue behind lifestyle choice and government funding?

Let's not be so niave here in America to think that it's our way or the highway. It's not getting us anywhere in Congress or internationally. Just like we need to be aware of international issues, so do we need to be aware AND INFORMED about domestic issues -- so what news station will you listen to tonight??

“In our vibrant and diverse society, there always are important differences that need to be debated, with strong and legitimate beliefs held on all sides of challenging issues,” DeGioia wrote. “The greatest contribution of the American project is the recognition that together, we can rely on civil discourse to engage the tensions that characterize these difficult issues, and work towards resolutions that balance deeply held and different perspectives. We have learned through painful experience that we must respect one another and we acknowledge that the best way to confront our differences is through constructive public debate. At times, the exercise of one person’s freedom may conflict with another’s. As Americans, we accept that the only answer to our differences is further engagement.”

Read more: http://ideas.time.com/2012/03/05/the-new-sermon-on-the-mount/#ixzz1oLGt78BB

Reflections on Lent: Sacrifice Serenity

Sacrifice what Feeds You

Nothing is more difficult than to face this, than deciding to look, squarely at profound convictions and to act upon them, even when doing so goes contrary to our desires. Yes, it must be done--deciding to abandon ourselves deliberately and completely to that which is so beautiful,  justice, and to that which is so terrible, the reprisals, the disesteem of men.

We know it, perhaps we have even done it--
made the act, said the yes

Reflections on Lent: May my words be few...

So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: 

Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. 

- Romans 12 (The Message)

Dearly Love by Jimmy Needham

Reflections on Lent: Sacrificing Surrounding Scenerie

For those of you that know me personally, you know I left part of my heart back in Malawi in 2008. 

My Malawi Sisters

Mawali is a very small country in southeast Africa around Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique. It's mainly known for it's lake - Lake Malawi - which is the only body of water naturally containing kampoyo (fish). What is not as well known is the fact that though it is the 16th poorest country in the world, it is the "heart of Africa". They truly gave me more than I could have ever given back, but I will continue to try every way I can.

Reflections on Lent: Sacrificing Surrounding Stereotypes

When I speak about prostitution and sex trafficking in Chicago, people often ask the same questions. They want to know the scope of the problem in our city, which neighborhoods have the most activity and how to identify trafficking victims. These are normal questions, of course, but it's rare that people ask the questions that drive my work: "Who is profiting from the sex trade, and who are the men buying sex?"

This is the opening paragraph to a great Huffiness Post Chicago editorial by Rachel Durchslag, University of Chicago graduate, founder of Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, and long time advocate of ending the demand of sex slavery. There is the some more of what she writes:

Sexual exploitation is caused by exploiters. This isn't a revolutionary idea, but it's one that our culture buries in favor of other messages, especially when it comes to the sex trade. Just think about the last time you saw a news article about prostitution. Undoubtedly, it was accompanied by stock images of women wearing high heels, or mug shots of women who were arrested and charged criminally. What most articles do not explore is that many of these women are victims of sex trafficking, which happens when someone uses force, fraud or coercion to recruit or keep that woman in the sex trade. 

Most johns (men who buy sex) know that they cause harm when they support the sex trade, but they continue to buy sex because they face very few consequences. I know this because I conducted a study that interviewed 113 johns in Chicago, and only 7 percent of those interviewed had ever been arrested for buying sex. When men are targeted by law enforcement it's called a "reverse sting." Why is it a reversal to arrest purchasers? 

Click here to read the full article.

This week as I sacrifice my surroundings, i am sacrificing my naivety and ignorance. I am sacrificing being an complacent advocate of the status quo and stereotypes. Will you join me?