left of danger

I woke up at quarter to six this morning to meet up with some friends for a sunrise kayak adventure. Unfortunately, the Sound was covered with thick fog, so we never saw the sunrise. It made for an eerie, thrilling atmosphere, though.

As we rounded the point of my little neighborhood, my friend Zack explained the best strategy for paddling under the Mannette bridge.

"You see that sign? Keep it to your right and you should be fine."

Megan & I squinted in the fog to see the sign. We could only see the big word in the center: DANGER.

"So, you're telling us to stay left of danger..."

And we were fine.



Last night I listened to a sermon from the Village Church in the Dallas area. It was about the 23rd Psalm. About trusting that God is always enough. In danger. And in plenty, too.

This next season of life doesn't seem too dangerous. There's a lot of "known" and not nearly as much "unknown". Still, God is faithful.

map

This map shows how WFP is providing nutrition to children and families affected by the food shortages in East Africa. I've been reading two books this week: Radical by David Platt and 58: Fast Living by Scott Todd. Compelled to follow Jesus' example.

lifestyle

"Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. LIkewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me." Phillippians 2:14-18


"Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin. The time for waiting is past! Should such men as we fear? Before the whole world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God... and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand times sooner die trusting only in our God than live trusting in man. And when we come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious campaign is in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ." -C. T. Studd, missionary to China, India and Sudan, 1910

grant me grace...

... because the Truth seems so obvious.



This is the solution the world is coming up with.

Church, what will  WE do?

We are the hands & feet of Christ. What will WE do to help?

a little raw

 Tomorrow is the rehearsal for my dear roommate Shannon's wedding. I'm staying in a hotel room in Eastern Washington tonight. Because I have cable TV, I'm watching Anderson Cooper 360 on CNN.

They just showed images from Dadaab. The thousands of people showing up at the refugee camp hoping for aid. "These are not numbers. These are people. They have faces. They have names."

There was a soundbyte from a press conference with our Secretary of State. Regardless of your opinion on her politics or character, she said, "While droughts may be an act of God, famines are caused by man." Some villages in Kenya and Somalia have experienced 100% crop failure because of this drought. However, world hunger is a problem of distribution.

The UN announced that it would need $2.5 billion to feed everyone effected by the drought and subsequent famine. World Food Programme (a credible organization that is providing the largest portion of the aid) announced that they only have enough food to continue supplying the refugee camp for another 3 weeks. Famines last longer than a few weeks.

This week I've been reading the book of Genesis. I just got to the part about Israel's sons. Through a series of God-ordained events, Joseph ends up in charge of the Pharaoh's grain supplies. During a 7-year season of plenty, Joseph interprets a dream that prophesies an upcoming 7-year drought. With Heavenly wisdom, Joseph is able to allocate resources so that Egypt is prepared for the impending famine. His brothers in Canaan did not receive the same prophecy and consequently experience famine. Ultimately, this drives the brothers to travel to Egypt and reunite with Jospeh, restoring family relationships.

What if the Universal church played the role of Joseph in this time of crisis? Those of us who have resources are in a place to share bounty with our brothers and sisters in need. What if God orchestrated these events, thousands of years after Jospeh & his brothers in Egypt, to similarly unite brothers?

Those starving because of the drought in East Africa are not starving because of choice. Rather, they are starving because of consequence. What is our response?

My heart is too close to this issue to speak with grace. Thousands of Somali children are dying. They have names. They are souls. Many have never had a chance to hear the Truth about Jesus.

Pray, friends. Always pray. But act, too. Here are some links of organizations that are ACTING:
http://www.wfp.org/stories/horn-africa-10-ways-you-can-help
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/07/20/iyw.howtohelp.somalia.famine/index.html
http://www2.worldvision.org/news/world-vision-east-africa-response


Closing with some words from Jesus:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Two organizations

I'm hoping to have dinner with the founders of this organization sometime soon, like before school starts:
http://witli.com . They are a young family that are part of a local church and have big dreams for bringing education and God's love to the people of Burkina Faso. Hoping to share some heart and maybe even start big plans about the next few years. We'll see how things go!

Then, a friend posted a video from this organization: http://live58.org/. What if poverty could END during our generation? I've read Sach's book The End of Poverty and seen the statistics saying it is possible. But what if God enabled HIS PEOPLE?

"Is this not the fast that I choose:
To loose the bonds of wickedness,
To undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard,
Then you shall call and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am'.
If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing finger, and speaking wickedness,
if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the LORD will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;
you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
you shall be called the repairer of the breach,
the restorer of streets to dwell in."
Isaiah 58:5-12


"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever."
Revelation 22:1-5

passion revisited

I spent the last two weeks reading Shadow of the Almighty. Reading about how a couple determined their passions within Christ.

Then, my friend Megan shared a great icebreaker question: "What is your passion?"

I asked a group of peers that question over dinner last week. The response was underwhelming. My generation is not marked by passion. Some people had to think for awhile. Others said, "entertainment" or "sports". Where is our passion?

I've already written a lot about passion.

But today, I found this article on allafrica.com that renews passions I've been patiently preparing for.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201108021068.html

Why would you live without passion?

beautiful

I've been receiving a lot of compliments lately. Not that I've been fishing for them, just that people have been offering.

Even tonight, when I felt like a mess after an intense adventure weekend (kayaking, hiking, camping, and climbing). Friends saying, "You look great!" instead of "hi."

A stranger stopped me as I left a restaurant to say, "You look beautiful tonight."

And yet, life isn't at all about living for the praise of man.

The sermon at church today was from 1 Corinthians 4 about humility. We were taught to accept both criticism and praise with "thank you." Through the filter of Christ, all criticism and praise are ultimately for God's glory.

Tonight, after the compliment from the stranger, I wept at a beautiful sunset. God's beauty is vast and dramatic. My beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31 even says so, to back me up!)

Stuck in my head this evening were the lyrics of a Newsboys song:
"Lord, I don't know where all this is going
Or how it all turns out
Lead me to peace that is past understanding
A peace beyond all doubt"

THAT is truly beautiful.

part of a prayer

Tonight after youth, the Cheshire moon looked like God grinning over us. We spent the evening talking about "the good life." Teenagers here are catching the vision of bringing Heaven to Earth. They described a society focused on Him.

No more fighting. No more purchasing. No more poverty. No more pain.

How?
Righteousness.
Because the war is already won. Because our lives are already purchased with the blood of Christ. Because
the poor are blessed with abundance. Because Christ has defeated death.

That's how.
Righteousness is not of this Earth. But, then again, neither are we.

We are an army prepared to do whatever it takes to bring Heaven to earth. We're done pretending to be dual-citizens. We are from Heaven and we live like it.

This is time for revival.
Victory is here.
His name is Jesus!
Amen