Sunday night I went to a church about 45 minutes outside of Little Rock to share about missions in Uganda. Since any place more than 15 minutes away from Little Rock seems rural to me, I knew I would be going to a little, bitty town. I drove up to the church at the last possible second, not on purpose, but because I took a small detour (meaning a wrong turn).
I slipped in and quietly sat in the back. The church building itself was small and only about 35 people filled the pews. That was a relief to me since my fear of speaking seems to be much less in smaller groups.
Service was opened with a prayer and then we all sat to begin praise and worship. This was quite different for me. Praise and worship in Africa is a moving experience and I mean that literally. Even the church that I attend usually here on Sundays, we rarely sit during any kind of music. But, since everyone sat down, I also sat down. And actually, being the shy person that I am, I actually liked it. I didn't have to feel self conscious at all, but was able to close my eyes and sit in the presence of my God.
At one point I looked up and sitting about 3 pews in front of me was a man who was about 80 years old. He had his arms open wide, lifted up, reaching out in praise to God. I don't know why this moved me so much. I knew this man was in total awe of God, completely in love with Him. It touched my heart to see a man to be able to completely abandon himself to worship.
I also began to think of how heaven will look. So many people worshipping God in so many ways but not judging each other as to which one is right or which way is the best.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Travel Plans
I am so excited! I was supposed to be going back to Uganda in July and since July seems so far away I've been regularly praying that God would help through the next three months. Well, it seems He did something even better. I get to return to Uganda on May 15. It seems it is cheaper to travel in May than it is to travel in July. That is definitely ok by me.
There's so much to do before then though. Since I wasn't expecting to leave for 3 more months and being the great procrastinator that I am, I haven't done much in raising support. This means the next 3-4 weeks, I'm really going to have to get busy.
There's so much to do before then though. Since I wasn't expecting to leave for 3 more months and being the great procrastinator that I am, I haven't done much in raising support. This means the next 3-4 weeks, I'm really going to have to get busy.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Young Adults: A Force of Change Within the Church
Who says you have to be eligible for a senior discount to be a person of faith in the church? I know several young adults that have a faith that I admire. I know that they are still growing and maturing in their walk with the Lord, but they also have a steadfast love for Christ that can be learned from.
So many times, young adults are neglected or seen as a not so important ministry within the church. This seems strange to me because at the same time they are a group that is called on to serve in the church. Frequently, it is not enough that they serve in only one ministry. Since they have nothing else to do, they should be there any time the church doors are open to serve in every facet of the church. Can you hear my sarcastic tone?
Many times the leadership of churches sees this group as an immature,impulsive, and reckless group and find the easiest way to deal with them is to just simply ignore or oppress them. Instead of being challenged to grow in their giftings, they are often used for the menial or scrap tasks that no one else in the church wants to do.
But, I think if the young adults were viewed differently, such as a vibrant and vital part of the church, they could be used to help the church grow and change in dynamic ways. Most young adults are still in love with God with total abandonment. Their love is still fresh. They are transparent, vocal and passionate. They have a heart for studying Scripture and seeing lives transformed. They are an untapped source of growth and strength for the church. But, perhaps it is easier for the leadership of churches to press this group into the shadows of the church rather than to be challenged by them.
So many times, young adults are neglected or seen as a not so important ministry within the church. This seems strange to me because at the same time they are a group that is called on to serve in the church. Frequently, it is not enough that they serve in only one ministry. Since they have nothing else to do, they should be there any time the church doors are open to serve in every facet of the church. Can you hear my sarcastic tone?
Many times the leadership of churches sees this group as an immature,impulsive, and reckless group and find the easiest way to deal with them is to just simply ignore or oppress them. Instead of being challenged to grow in their giftings, they are often used for the menial or scrap tasks that no one else in the church wants to do.
But, I think if the young adults were viewed differently, such as a vibrant and vital part of the church, they could be used to help the church grow and change in dynamic ways. Most young adults are still in love with God with total abandonment. Their love is still fresh. They are transparent, vocal and passionate. They have a heart for studying Scripture and seeing lives transformed. They are an untapped source of growth and strength for the church. But, perhaps it is easier for the leadership of churches to press this group into the shadows of the church rather than to be challenged by them.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
The Church: To Heal or To Hurt
Well, this week was back to school after spring break but thankfully we were provided with an easy transition back to school in the form of early dismissal every day but Friday. These last few hours without the children left me with some quiet, alone time to think through some things that have been troubling my heart these last few months.
I have really been struggling with church, not the fact of going to church, but really why is there a church. I think many people in my generation are looking for so much more than what the church today looks like. I think many of us want a transparent community of people to worship with, to grow with, to pray with, to love others with and to draw others to Christ with. Instead many of us find ourselves hurt by the church, isolated from and within the church and constantly being frustrated. Many of us are seeing the church as more of a business than a place of love.
For example, I have a dear young friend in Uganda. He is an AIDS orphan and was on the streets. A church took him in as a teenager. They housed him, provided food and schooling for him and gave him hope. This year was his first year in university. During the fall semester, right before finals, the church told him that they would no longer be helping him. Their reason was that it was easier to get money to help young children. People would give more money if the church were helping cute little kids. My friend now has no where to live and is finding himself searching for a reason to have hope again. I am so very thankful that one thing he did gain in his years under the church's care is his steadfast love for Christ. That is all that keeps him going. I talked to him briefly this past weekend. He is not in school this semester and is just scraping by. He is in this predicament, not because of anything he did wrong, but because it was better business to help little children.
After all my hours of thinking this week, I still have no conclusion. I just pray that this generation will continue to strive to be a generation that will live our lives as a representation of Christ's love, that we will be the church regardless of what boundaries the physical church walls try to put around us.
I have really been struggling with church, not the fact of going to church, but really why is there a church. I think many people in my generation are looking for so much more than what the church today looks like. I think many of us want a transparent community of people to worship with, to grow with, to pray with, to love others with and to draw others to Christ with. Instead many of us find ourselves hurt by the church, isolated from and within the church and constantly being frustrated. Many of us are seeing the church as more of a business than a place of love.
For example, I have a dear young friend in Uganda. He is an AIDS orphan and was on the streets. A church took him in as a teenager. They housed him, provided food and schooling for him and gave him hope. This year was his first year in university. During the fall semester, right before finals, the church told him that they would no longer be helping him. Their reason was that it was easier to get money to help young children. People would give more money if the church were helping cute little kids. My friend now has no where to live and is finding himself searching for a reason to have hope again. I am so very thankful that one thing he did gain in his years under the church's care is his steadfast love for Christ. That is all that keeps him going. I talked to him briefly this past weekend. He is not in school this semester and is just scraping by. He is in this predicament, not because of anything he did wrong, but because it was better business to help little children.
After all my hours of thinking this week, I still have no conclusion. I just pray that this generation will continue to strive to be a generation that will live our lives as a representation of Christ's love, that we will be the church regardless of what boundaries the physical church walls try to put around us.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Who Says Women Talk All The Time
Women are supposed to talk all the time, right? Well, this past Friday night I went on a retreat with about twenty or so other women. And, yes, Friday night there was a lot of talking and catching up with each other as well as meeting new sisters.
However, on Saturday morning we were instructed to wake up in silence. I loved it. For the first time in I don't know how many months, I was able to shower and get ready for my day in quiet. It was so peaceful and to make it all the better we woke up to the sound of rain. I love the sound of rain early in the morning.
After breakfast, we spent the next three hours in silence. However, for all of us it wasn't total silence. Even though we weren't speaking to each other, each of us heard a word from One who is a far greater friend, lover, father than any of us could ever dream of.
Then after our "silent" time, we came together and shared with each other what we had heard from the Lord and as ladies tend to do there were some tears as well as some laughs.
I was so grateful for this time. It was a time that I could spend alone with my God without all the distractions of life and even without the distraction of my talking to God. I didn't even have to do anything.I got to just sit in His presence and listen to Him.
However, on Saturday morning we were instructed to wake up in silence. I loved it. For the first time in I don't know how many months, I was able to shower and get ready for my day in quiet. It was so peaceful and to make it all the better we woke up to the sound of rain. I love the sound of rain early in the morning.
After breakfast, we spent the next three hours in silence. However, for all of us it wasn't total silence. Even though we weren't speaking to each other, each of us heard a word from One who is a far greater friend, lover, father than any of us could ever dream of.
Then after our "silent" time, we came together and shared with each other what we had heard from the Lord and as ladies tend to do there were some tears as well as some laughs.
I was so grateful for this time. It was a time that I could spend alone with my God without all the distractions of life and even without the distraction of my talking to God. I didn't even have to do anything.I got to just sit in His presence and listen to Him.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Light and Darkness
I John 1 5-7
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
I was reading this today after several frustrating conversations about how much you should attend church. My argument was that even if I attend church every day of the week, if I'm not choosing to live right, I wouldn't be better off. I'm sure there are many people who are regular church attenders but also are habitual sinners.
So, when I read this, it got me to thinking about really what is light and what is darkness. I came to the conclusion that light is what is pure, righteous, holy and truthful and that darkness is the complete opposite. Light is revealing. Darkness hides things. God is in the light but the darkness is where He cannot be found since the two cannot exist at the same time.
This made me think about my own life. Do I choose to habitually walk in darkness or do I try to habitually walk in light? My prayer is that I will consciously make a daily choice to walk in light and that my life will be a testimony to the light of God.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
I was reading this today after several frustrating conversations about how much you should attend church. My argument was that even if I attend church every day of the week, if I'm not choosing to live right, I wouldn't be better off. I'm sure there are many people who are regular church attenders but also are habitual sinners.
So, when I read this, it got me to thinking about really what is light and what is darkness. I came to the conclusion that light is what is pure, righteous, holy and truthful and that darkness is the complete opposite. Light is revealing. Darkness hides things. God is in the light but the darkness is where He cannot be found since the two cannot exist at the same time.
This made me think about my own life. Do I choose to habitually walk in darkness or do I try to habitually walk in light? My prayer is that I will consciously make a daily choice to walk in light and that my life will be a testimony to the light of God.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Fellowship in Community
I John 1:3
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is wiht the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
John's authority came because he actually walked with Jesus. He saw Jesus with his eyes; he heard Jesus speak with his ears and could actually touch Jesus and feel a real, live person. John said that he wrote the letter of I John so that we could also have fellowship with "us." How do you have fellowship with someone who is no longer physically living here on earth?
The word fellowship in the Greek is koinonia, which means to have something in common. We are able to experience this fellowship with Jesus because of what we have in common with Jesus- the Holy Spirit. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit and this Spirit is also Christ's Spirit. We can still fellowship with Jesus because the Holy Spirit is living in us. We can fellowship with the Father and the Son in the same manner that we fellowship with other believers.
Fellowship usually happens in community. What is community? In a book I'm reading right now (The NIV Application Commentary of I John), Christian community is defined as "partnership in experience; it is the common living of people who have a shared experience of Jesus Christ." I'm still struggling to decide what my definition of community is. I've heard it's the neighborhood you live in which to me is just a geographical location and says nothing about interaction. Many of us don't even know the names of our neighbors.
I think I really like the definition given in the commentary. I have several friends that are experimenting with living in community. They have several people living in a shared house, not just to share expenses, but to also share meals, prayer and life experiences in general. I think that goes back to the definition given in the book. I think without being willing to partner together to make the experience work there would be less of a willingness to communicate through difficult times. But, most of all their experiment in living in community is bound together in their shared experience of Jesus Christ.
Their fellowship is triangular. Person 1 fellowships with Christ. Person 2 fellowships with Christ and they fellowship with each other.
We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is wiht the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
John's authority came because he actually walked with Jesus. He saw Jesus with his eyes; he heard Jesus speak with his ears and could actually touch Jesus and feel a real, live person. John said that he wrote the letter of I John so that we could also have fellowship with "us." How do you have fellowship with someone who is no longer physically living here on earth?
The word fellowship in the Greek is koinonia, which means to have something in common. We are able to experience this fellowship with Jesus because of what we have in common with Jesus- the Holy Spirit. Every Christian has the Holy Spirit and this Spirit is also Christ's Spirit. We can still fellowship with Jesus because the Holy Spirit is living in us. We can fellowship with the Father and the Son in the same manner that we fellowship with other believers.
Fellowship usually happens in community. What is community? In a book I'm reading right now (The NIV Application Commentary of I John), Christian community is defined as "partnership in experience; it is the common living of people who have a shared experience of Jesus Christ." I'm still struggling to decide what my definition of community is. I've heard it's the neighborhood you live in which to me is just a geographical location and says nothing about interaction. Many of us don't even know the names of our neighbors.
I think I really like the definition given in the commentary. I have several friends that are experimenting with living in community. They have several people living in a shared house, not just to share expenses, but to also share meals, prayer and life experiences in general. I think that goes back to the definition given in the book. I think without being willing to partner together to make the experience work there would be less of a willingness to communicate through difficult times. But, most of all their experiment in living in community is bound together in their shared experience of Jesus Christ.
Their fellowship is triangular. Person 1 fellowships with Christ. Person 2 fellowships with Christ and they fellowship with each other.
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