Noble - Fearless Life, Reckless Love

Coming May 8th

for more info visit Noble The Movie

 

not an issue to solve

Do you see me as a problem? A puzzle?  Something to fix?

I want you to see me.  Just me.  

A little girl who has to grow up too fast.

I'm not just a headline.

I live and breathe and hurt.

I am just like all the other children you know.

Yes, I cry, but I laugh too.

I am not an issue.  I am a life.

I am an opportunity.

I am an invitation into relationship.

What God created us for.

I am waiting.

He Is waiting

What are you waiting for?

Poverty is not necessarily an issue to solve; 

it is an opportunity to serve. 

As we go through each day, 

our heart’s cry should be, 

"Lord, where would you have me give, 

serve, and invest myself to bring hope to the poor?"

Orphan Justice author, Johnny Carr

Is the Lord whispering to your spirit, urging you to get involved?  

Click here to begin the sponsorship journey.

  

Activist Faith by Burroughs, Darling and King

I have long been moved, almost haunted by the words of James:

Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. James 1:27 The Message

How can I claim to be a disciple of Christ and shut my ears to His call?

In their new book Activist Faith, From Him and For Him, Dillon Burroughs, Daniel Darling, and Dan King tackle the tough issues of our time:

Human Trafficking; Immigration; Poverty; Environmentalism; Disaster Relief; Homelessness; Defending the Unborn; War, Terror and Genocide; Religious Freedom; Parenthood and Sexuality: Crime and Urban Decay; the Orphan Crisis.

Using quotes as varied as the Word of God, modern theologians and others, the words hit the mark and convict the spirit.  For example:

Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. —Dr. Seuss

All three authors share stories of people they have met and lives that have been changed, including their own. I wept through Dan King's telling of a mother in Kenya:

My biggest question is the same for everyone we meet: “How has the opportunity to run this business with the support of the micro-loans affected you and your family personally?” 

She responds simply, “Now I have some extra money to buy things for my kids.” She has three young children under the age of ten. 

This is a response that I can really relate to! I have a six-year-old son at home. As his dad, I love having a little extra money from time to time so I can buy something special for him, such as a handheld gaming system. But I don’t see many kids around there playing on their handheld gaming systems. In most parts of Kenya, the term “handheld gaming system” usually means “a stick.” Some of the more fortunate kids I see get to play with an old flat soccer ball.

So I ask her, “What kinds of things do you buy for your kids?” She shrugs a little bit and responds, “You know, meat and bread.” 

For the first time ever in my life, I am utterly speechless. Here I am thinking of all the luxuries I’m going to shower my son with when I return home, and she just told me that all of her hard work provided her the luxury of buying her kids food!

Activist Faith does much more than remind us of what God desires. The authors provide examples, resources and effective steps to take with sections in each chapter: How You Can Help;Think It Through; Helpful Tools and Resources - for Research and for Action.

I pray that this book changes each and every one of us.  May these ending words burn deep in our spirits:

As you pray for guidance, consider that Jesus might answer, “I’ve changed you so you can live out your faith where you currently live, work, and study. Begin right now.” Okay, so Jesus did not exactly say it like this in the Gospels, but it’s accurate realistic paraphrase. You might not like your job, your major, or your place in life at the moment. God might have some big plans for you in another part of the world someday. Until then, start where you are. That’s where He’s placed you for the moment. Live with Activist Faith.

Activist Faith isn't just a book, it is a way of life.  Be sure to check out the website which is intended to be an ongoing resource to support the movement.

I was privileged to receive an advanced reader copy of this important work by Navpress.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 

A ton of bricks



Loading handmade bricks



Building a family house at Bbira, Watoto Childcare Ministries, Kampala, Uganda

Breathing in heat,
hours sweating
reflected bright.
Catch, pass, repeat
fingers cramp, stiffen
or go numb
arms ache
as if they have
carried the world.
Laughter and grunts
blend, harmonious song.
Sudden struck 
"We are really here"
following the will and
call of God.
All of us
receive the blow
two thousand pounds
of sun baked clay
as red dust
coats each heart.


submitted for the next Random Acts of Poetry at High Calling Blogs
where we are reviving dead metaphors.

The greatest adventure

This week Peter chose the word adventure for the One Word at a Time Carnival.

Stories of times of stepping out run through my mind.

My hold my breath and jump collision into a love that God arranged when I met my beloved husband Rick.  You can read about our first face to face encounter here and here.

Then there's the journey into the heart of God when we visited Uganda, you can read a taste of it here.

But I know better than to dwell on past experiences, for indeed He has more in store for us than we can yet imagine.

No one's ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him.  
1 Corinthians 2:9 The Message

Even today, as I sat waiting in His presence, He spoke promises of what is to come:

I Am bringing life back to your land, allow the warmth to soak into your spirit.
It is soon time to celebrate My victory, for just as the enemy considers himself a conquerer, truth rises, faith explodes, love wins!

The same power that freed Me from death lives in you.
Release all that I Am in you.
"But what is the key to that release?" you ask.

Surrender - and in your surrender bolted doors will swing wide.
Give up.  Your control only gets in your way.
I Am driving.

What greater adventure can we consider than the fullness of life in Christ?

Stop by Peter Pollock's to read more words about adventure

Tears for one - tears for millions

Picture from PentictonToday.com

Since the earthquake and resulting tsunami I’ve been spending time in prayer, seeking the Lord for answers to the emotions stirring within.

Surely I grieve for the lives shattered and lost in Japan; the ears of my heart are not deaf to their cries.

And yet I wonder why the outpouring of shock, tears and support is so evident around me in the middle of this crisis in a way different than when Haiti was struck, or when the tsunami devastated Indonesia. These already seem forgotten.

Japan is much like us, a first world nation. Is that why we are moved? If this could happen to them, it could happen to us.

In the middle of my pondering I recalled the following from Richard Stearns The Hole In Our Gospel:

I want you to imagine for a moment that you woke up this morning to the following headline: “One Hundred Jetliners Crash, Killing 26,500.” Think of the pandemonium this would create across the world as heads of state, parliaments, and congresses convened to grapple with the nature and causes of this tragedy.

Now imagine that the very next day, one hundred more planes crashed – and one hundred more the next, and the next, and the next. It is unimaginable that something this terrible could ever happen.

But it did – and it does.

It happened today, and it happened yesterday. It will happen again tomorrow. But there was no media coverage. No heads of state, parliaments, or congresses stopped what they were doing to address the crisis, and no investigations were launched. Yet more than 26,500 children died yesterday of preventable causes related to their poverty, and it will happen again today and tomorrow and the day after that. Almost 10 million children will be dead in the course of a year.  So why does the crash of a single plane dominate the front pages of newspapers across the world while the equivalent of one hundred planes filled with children crashing daily never reaches our ears?

Do we, can we allow the storm that rocked Japan to loom larger and take on more importance than any other losses?

I hear the voice of one
in the cries of millions.
My heart trembles
teeters, cracks
as it falls
all at once able
to leak fresh tears.
Sometimes
there are no answers.
My spirit weeps
with those who weep.
I hear the voice of millions
in the cries of one.

Check more Wednesday One Shots at One Stop Poetry

Dancing with my mustard seed

Image by New York Public Library via Flickr

We've reached the end of our time exploring Richard Stearn's The Hole In Our Gospel with Chapter 26, A Mountain of Mustard Seeds.

Have I the faith to believe that anything I could do might impact the lives of others in need?  Faith as small as a mustard seed?

Richard leaves us with the voice of the Lord, quiet, almost a whisper: 

You, Me, let's go.  We have work to do, and it's urgent.  Join Me...

And my heart says "yes"

my heart says "when?"

my heart says "where?"

but my heart does not say "how?"

because it knows

that anything that I can do

is only because of the One Who lives in me

It is time for my ears to hear

It is time for my eyes to see

and if you can't see my vision

if you can't hear my music

than dance to the tune He plays for you

I may do a slow waltz today

and a samba tomorrow

a jig or a mad break

to a funky beat

but know that I am listening

obedient

with eyes wide open

fixed on His glory.

Joining Sarah and Jason HERE for this final week of discussion and praying that we all have been changed.

Letting go

Cover via Amazon

This week Sarah, Jason and more of us are reading Chapter 3 of The Hole in Our Gospel by Richard Stearns. We get to meet the rich young ruler that questioned Jesus about His requirements.

Another day, a man stopped Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

Jesus said, "Why do you question me about what's good? God is the One who is good. If you want to enter the life of God, just do what he tells you."

The man asked, "What in particular?"

Jesus said, "Don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as you do yourself."

The young man said, "I've done all that. What's left?"

"If you want to give it all you've got," Jesus replied, "go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me."

That was the last thing the young man expected to hear. And so, crest-fallen, he walked away. He was holding on tight to a lot of things, and he couldn't bear to let go. Matthew 19:16-22 The Message

I have to question how tight is my grip on the things of this world? Even as my spirit longs to fly free, unburdened by the weight of possessions, my flesh yet shouts to "hold on".

My husband and I have sought the Lord for His plans for our life and both feel committed to long term missions work. As we pray and plan and dream the conviction grows firmer.

And yet...

There is that nagging voice, whining voice, selfish and proud, that asks and asks again "Why would you want to walk away from all that you have? You love your house and surrounding land. You have a good and happy life, why mess with it?" The louder the words, the more I know this is the sound of my flesh, or the sound of the crowd or indeed the voice of the enemy himself, but it is not the Lord speaking.

And I answer "Because God asked, and I will obey."

And I can almost feel my fingers release their hold just a little bit more, knowing that the enemy has once again overplayed his hand, and I reach higher for the things of the Kingdom of God.

Come on over to Jason's place Connecting to Impact to read more and maybe even add to our discussion.

Word Filled Wednesday - Who is the Builder?

Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. Psalm 127:1 NIV

This was the family home we helped build in Kampala, Uganda for Watoto Childcare Ministries. It is indeed the work of the Lord that is being done for the poor, wounded and orphaned ones.

Come enjoy more of His Word at Internet Cafe Devotions

Words For Uganda

Kelly at This Restless Heart is doing a link-up today and asked us to re-post one of our favorite entries from our archives.

With eyes and hearts turned to Haiti and the struggles of orphans, I was reminded of our journey to Uganda in November 2007 -- first posted in February 2008

Words for Uganda

The other evening the shapes in the clouds looked to be God’s hands reaching down from the heavens, and surely God’s hand IS on this nation. There is a stirring, a shaking, a hope in the midst of desolation. When God is all there is then God is enough. If anything else is placed above Him, then nothing is enough. He is, as He says in His Word, a jealous God, and He will have no other gods before Him. I believe and I will declare that His favour will rest upon this place.


The heart of Uganda appears in the faces of the children; smiles in the midst of deprivation, laughter rising up from a belly never filled with food enough. Tears of need and tears of sorrow, but joy returning upon the simplest act of kindness.Can we learn to need so little? Our hope could be their hope – to find our strength and joy in Him alone. It is as if they already do so, even those that cannot tell you why.

Oh Uganda, release yourself into His hands. “Pearl of Africa” is what a local billboard called you. Shine with the luster of a pearl polished by the Master’s hand. Shine as a witness to the darkness. Shine in the light of His love that more would be drawn to the light. Blossom and prosper as a sign even to the “first world” nations – “Look what our God can do”

Here I find a stillness. Here I find a peace. Here perhaps I will find a pathway that leads me to the heart of God.

Why not join us here and share one of your favorite posts.

Help - Without answers

Our world has been shaken by news of the devastation in Haiti. We gasp, weep, pray. And we ask "why?"

While we may never have answers, we must respond. As mind boggling numbers of deaths, injuries and loss are reported, those affected by the Haiti earthquake cry out in desperation.



In an email to Compassion Bloggers, Shaun Groves writes:

The catastrophic earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12 has resulted in unfathomable chaos and devastation for hundreds of thousands of children and families. Compassion sponsors and donors serve more than 65,000 children in Haiti. At least a third of them live in the areas that were hardest hit.

I am asking you to please send a generous gift today to help precious children and their families, and to encourage others to give to Compassion International through your blog, Facebook and Myspace pages, Twitter account and e-mail. Please utilize every on-line tool you have access to. The people of Haiti desperately need our help and hope.

Compassion International is working rapidly to assess the situation and determine the full extent of damage:

• Sadly, we anticipate there will be many deaths.
• We anticipate thousands of children and families will have lost everything.
• We anticipate many of our church-based child development centers will have been destroyed.

Without a doubt, the children we serve in Haiti are in shock and face immediate needs for food, water, medical care, shelter and counseling. We have teams prepared to respond, and we are deeply committed to helping each child.

We need your help immediately. Please reach out in the name of Jesus to bring relief, comfort, love and restoration to precious children and families whose lives have been devastated by this crisis.

Go to the Crisis Update Page to read the latest info from Compassion.

I'm asking that you take time now to seek the Lord. Listen to the way His heart breaks for the people of Haiti. Ask what He would have you do. Then in obedience to His call, act. Give. Help. Pray.

Word Filled Wednesday - Acceptable Religion

External religious worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: to visit and help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need, and to keep oneself unspotted and uncontaminated from the world.
James 1:27 Amplified

In Canada we celebrated Thanksgiving in October, and in the United States they will gather tomorrow. Let's be thankful for the abundance the Lord has provided for us in North America and remember that He has called us to share with those who have not the bounty we are blessed with.

is hosted today by Susan at Forever His

Word Filled Wednesday October 21 - Fear of the Lord

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

all who follow his precepts have good understanding.

To him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 111:10 NIV

This picture was taken at the Laroo Boarding Primary School - For War Affected Children in Gulu, Uganda. To read more about our visit click here

Christy is hosting us this week at Critty Joy

Cafe Chat Week of August 16

This week Kim asked "Tell about one time in the past 5 years where you took a HUGE Step of Faith in your journey with the Lord. What was the outcome?"

God had spoken to me and my husband before we had even met that one day He would send us out. We shared those words as we were getting to know each other and agreed as a couple that we would listen for His voice and go where and when He sent us. That was simply a truth we received and pondered every now and then, but it sat on the shelf for God had not given us any vision of what He wanted us to do. We continued to grow in the Lord and in our desire to be obedient to whatever He might ask.

The Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda had just finished their second visit to our church, and we had billeted 2 of the girls and their chaperone “auntie”. We gave them our email address saying we were interested in more info, thinking that we would become prayer supporters, something we both do for a number of different ministries.

A few months later we received an email about the possibility of joining a global team to build a teacher’s home in Uganda for Watoto Childcare Ministries. Suddenly, there was the vision, working side by the side with others we had not yet met, for the benefit of the orphans who had come to know Jesus and trusted him and us for their support. We looked at each other, and even without words knew this was God calling.

We discussed it with our pastors who agreed that we should apply to go, so apply we did, thinking that perhaps we would not be accepted on the team. After all, we would have to raise a large amount of money, more than what seemed possible to us.

We received another email, within a few weeks, accepting and welcoming us to the Global Team. Included in that email was info about booking our flights, how much money we would need to raise, sample itinerary, etc.

We were excited, we were happy and we were scared. I don’t think we had a fear of going, but we had doubts about our ability to raise the funds necessary. In faith we pressed on, trusting God’s Word that He doesn’t call us to a task without equipping us. We had to trust that if indeed He wanted us to go, He would provide all that was needed.

I was releasing my faith, and releasing the love of Christ within me as we spoke to individuals and groups about our mission and our needs. More money came in than we ever could have dreamed and yet not enough to cover all of our expenses. Again, we needed to stand in faith that if we used our own funds, God would take care of us financially.

God is and was true to His Word. We journeyed to Uganda to be part of a team of 43 people from Canada, USA, England, Scotland, Ireland and Australia. It was the experience of a lifetime, but only the first. We are already praying, planning and believing God to lead and guide us as we put a team together to return in 2010.

To share your answer to this week's question, join us at http://www.internetcafedevotions.com/2008/08/august-16-2008-cafe-chat.html

First visit to the Bulrushes

The Bulrushes is Watoto's first baby's home and a place where those who have been orphaned and discarded can begin to learn about the love God has for them.

“Jesus said let the little children come to me and do not hinder them” Matthew 7:14

This was artwork around the top of one the main rooms.

We were blessed and honoured to have the chance to be God's arms as we held many of the little ones. This boy was both deaf and blind but his remaining senses craved stimulation. He loved being held, stroked and tickled. For my part, I was happy to provide what he desired.

This picture of Geoff and the boys on the slide looks quite calm and charming, actually both babies began to cry as Geoff came near. The rest of us didn’t really find him nearly that scary.

Everyone had a baby or two and dishes of food and helped out at feeding time. When extra volunteers are not around, the regular workers are likely run off their feet.

Uganda 2007 - We Begin

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1 We were instantly in love with the beauty of Uganda. Even knowing we were going to equatorial Africa did not prepare us for the lushness that greeted us.

God Himself created this team! 43 strangers from around the globe were brought to Kampala, to work together, live together, learn together, and pray together. His grace was evident in the way everyone managed to get along.