Service and submission

******Note - this was originally written in response to a lesson at my home church last week regarding 1 Corinthians 8. We discussed how mature or "strong" Christians should respond when a "weaker" Christian expresses a concern that a particular activity, while not sinful in itself, may prove to be a stumbling block for them. The discussion was strong and lively. During the week, I was reading Bonhoeffer, and the subject of his writing dovetailed with our discussion. As such, I wrote the below to review the questions and discussion from a different viewpoint.*******

The beatitudes are Christ’s verbal representation of the characteristics of those who, through their submission to the will and glory of God, live their lives in such a way as to reflect that submission and glory to the rest of a fallen world. We, as Christ’s children, with His indwelling in our heart, should strive to live each of these daily in our inward and outward lives. But in reading and prayer, I am struck in the way in which some of them are applicable with regard to the lesson we discussed this past Sunday. (In truth, they are all applicable, but if I wrote about them all, this would be about 5-7 pages long, and nobody would read it. As such, I chose the three that were shown to me to be most clearly apropos for this topic)

- “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5.

To be clear here – meekness in this context is not a reference to timidity, weakness, or being a pushover. This meekness is recognition that we maintain no rights of our own when held up against the presence, power and glory of God. When we come to love and recognize His presence and hand in all things, only then can we truly submit to the path which He has set out before us. No matter what trials are to come, or what difficulties lay ahead, we understand that He is in control and has laid this plan for our ultimate benefit.

Accordingly, His disciples “… are meek, they renounce every right of their own and live for the sake of Jesus Christ. When reproached, they hold their peace; when treated with violence they endure it patiently; when men drive them from their presence, they yield their ground… They are determined to leave their rights to God alone.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, p109

Bonhoeffer’s description shows our response when faced with the trials, scorn, rejection, and ridicule of the world, but it is also ultimately applicable within the Church walls as well. When we determine to leave our rights to God alone, then and only then can we be willing in love and mercy to submit ourselves to the “weakness” of our fellow brothers and sisters who are in bondage to their weak consciences. If we do not possess the meekness to submit our selves and our “rights”, we will be unable to be lowered into a position necessary for lifting this weak brother or sister from their bondage.

- “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7.

“In order that they may be merciful they cast away the most priceless treasure of human life, their own personal dignity and honour. For the only honour and dignity they know is their Lord’s own mercy, to which alone they owe their very lives.” Bonhoeffer, p111

If we want to get into the realm of difficult teaching, this one is way up there. From the lofty position of your own self-affected dignity, it can be exceedingly difficult to muster the true mercy to bring yourself to the level of the afflicted. From that view, it is more rightly termed pity, which is not the same thing at all as mercy. In order to present true mercy, it is necessary to sacrifice your own position, pride, and comfort. You must come to the afflicted before you can bring them out of their affliction. Only when you are willing to kneel at their level can you understand, and when you understand, then you can share the mercy that builds and replenishes their strength, and lifts them out of their ditch.

This is the truth of Christ’s sacrifice for us. He came down from the throne of glory, into the world. He shed his crown and stepped into the muck, the misery of humanity. From this position at our sides, he was able to live out the true mercy which paved our path upward to the feet of his Father. What’s more, this shedding of his dignity and honor was for a specific time and a purpose. So too will the displacement of our dignity for the sake of Christ and his children be temporary, with the intended purpose of serving his glory during our ministry on earth. Therefore, have no misgivings about giving up the dignities that you are so tied to in the here and now, as they will be reborn with infinitely more glory in the age to come.

- “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” Matthew 5:9.

“His disciples keep the peace by choosing to endure suffering themselves rather than inflict it upon others… In so doing they overcome evil with good, and establish the peace of God in the midst of a world of war and hate.” Bonhoeffer, p113.

This is the most simply and directly applicable beatitude in reference to this past Sunday’s lesson. When faced with a situation where a weak brother or sister’s conscience is defiled by a stumbling block in their faith, it is our call as a disciple of Christ to willingly sacrifice our own freedom, which threatens to ensnare our fellow believer, and so embrace our role as peacemaker. We should seek not only to maintain and enhance the peace amongst our body of believers, but also within the conscience of the troubled believer for whom we make this sacrifice.

This peace, when established within the heart of the struggling believer, can prove to be the very foundation by which we can begin the process of building their understanding of the freedom which is granted to us by God. It can be the starting point by which the stumbling block can be eroded away and removed as an obstacle.

Using only these three beatitudes, it becomes clear how deeply and fundamentally they are intertwined in how we engage with all of our relationships within and beyond this world. Our meekness in recognizing our low stature opens the way for us to willingly take a position in which we can share true mercy. From this position of mercy, we are ideally situated to act as peacemaker – as we willingly sacrifice our own freedoms and stature for the sake of others, that the peace of God’s presence may form the foundation from which we can be built up and, in so doing, to glorify God by our love.

And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about.

Blogger's block

Since I started blogging again this spring, I've had several ideas germinate regarding possible posts. Unfortunately, I usually think about it in the car, or during work or class, when I'm not in a good position to write out notes or brainstorm in more detail. Half the time, the idea gets lost along the way. Sometimes, the idea gets so convoluted and misshapen by the time I'm in a position to address it that it loses its appeal as a potential post. Occasionally, one of those ideas actually makes it to the site. But the ones that really get me are the strong messages that lodge themselves in place, and that seem so clear and straightforward in my mind, but when I sit down to write it out, I run smack into a wall.

Tonight was one of those nights.

I had a concept begin to form during my lunch break. It crept around and ruminated all afternoon. While I was having dinner, it seemed so clear that I tried to start writing it up in my phone. (Stupid tiny Blackberry keyboard) Then I went to class, and on my way home, it bounced around some more.

Finally, I got a chance to sit down in front of the computer. I wrote out what I had started on my phone. Then... nothing. I actually have less written out now than when I started, because I dislike the flow. I don't like the way it starts, I can't make the transition into the main point, and I haven't even began to consider how it would wrap up.

And even now, the point seems so obvious in my head. Argh. I'm officially giving up on writing the post. Heavenly Father, if you want this message to be listed, it is entirely up to you to get it typed up. I certainly can't do it on my own. Not coincidentally, that has a lot to do with the subject of the blocked post. See how simple it is?

Gig 'em Aggies!

Congratulations to the Fightin' Texas Aggie Women's Basketball Team!

First National Championship is on the books. Here's to many more in the years to come.

And while you're at it, could you give our guys some pointers to help them get over the hump?

Gig 'em and God Bless you ladies.

And a special Gig 'em to Coach Gary Blair - you are a credit to your family, your school, and your profession. Your first championship is well deserved and long overdue.

Save the Whales

Friends don't let friends be like Todd.

Embodiment of God's Glory in the Present Age

Many of us have heard these kind of stories. A person or people are placed in a dangerous or precarious situation. God speaks audibly and internally to this person, with clear direction. Through their obedience, plus a bit of supernatural assistance, the dangerous situation is defused. God's protective hand is obvious in the retelling. His peace and power, when combined in harmony with the believer's obedience and faith, inspire a profound miracle, and deliverance from the danger in which the believers find themselves.

I've read or heard a number of stories of this nature over the years. And I have a confession to make. I've always listened to the story and found myself wondering, "Hmm. That's interesting. I wonder what really happened there, or if it ever actually happened at all." Sometimes, I'd apply logical mini-leaps to the story to fill in gaps or explain away the supernatural.

That changed tonight.

A friend of my church, who I personally know, and trust to be one of the most honest and straightforward children of God who I've ever encountered, experienced one of the stories alluded to above.

This friend shared an account with us of a recent event that occurred on a current missionary journey that left me amazed and awestruck. The vividness and detail of the story, especially coming from one whose stories and journeys had been shared with such heartfelt honesty in the past, left absolutely no doubt in my mind of the veracity of the description.

As I listened, I ended up doing the only thing I could do at that time. I praised God for the incredible blessing that He was granting us - a glimpse into the true power of His faithfulness to us, and the power of our lives when we are TRULY surrendered to him. He WILL use us in incredible ways. He WILL impact the world through our person. All we have to do is TRUST in Him - completely and totally, without hesitation, without questioning or doubt.

It's funny. Earlier tonight, during our prayer time, I thanked God for his faithfulness and guidance in our lives. And to be honest, even a couple of hours later, it occurs to me how insincere that prayer was. I'm not suggesting that I didn't mean it. Instead, I didn't have any grasp of the depth and breadth of what I was thanking Him for. Thanks to the retelling of my friend's journey, I have a somewhat better idea. I am hopeful that this is still with me tomorrow, and during the weeks and months to come. I don't want to fall back into the incomplete obedience to which I have become accustomed. I long for the faith that my friend lives every day.

Have you had a first or second hand experience like this, that has wiped away your doubt? Have you truly glimpsed into the majesty of the abundant life which only He can offer us? If you know this Truth, then I encourage you to revel in it. Shout it from the rooftops! Don't let that truth slide into doubt or obscurity or get crowded out by the worries of the day.

I love you all. I pray that God will reach inside of you and profoundly grab you as He has me tonight. I further pray that I don't try to wrest control back. Abba Father, let me be yours, now and for all time.

How does Love Win?

Prior to today, I've had only a vague awareness of the the new Rob Bell book, "Love Wins",and no knowledge of the discussion and furor that has apparently swept the internet.

Then this morning, I read an article from Yahoo News "Most Viewed" articles, discussing the existence, particulars, and some debate about Hell; opinions regarding Bell's book; general aspersions and debates raging from both sides of the argument; and other related topics.

Later, I came across an ongoing discussion on an internet forum about this book and author. Within this discussion were links to several reviews/critiques of his book. Then things got meta. Further into that discussion, I happened across an outstanding blog post, which was itself discussing the discussion about the book.

Having not read the book, and further having no first-hand basis for forming an opinion of Mr. Bell, I will refrain from adding my two cents to the discussion of the book itself. After all, the net sum of my input would be based entirely on second and third hand recounting of what he may or may not be saying or mean. The topic at hand - God's plan for salvation and eternity - is far too important for me to wade in to the middle of somebody else's argument and start hammering away at the imperfections I see from my 'lofty perch'.

I do, however, want to take a similar tack as Mr. Norvell did in this post, and continued in this one. Obviously, people with a genuine interest seem most often to fall into one of two categories. The first are those who disagree with Bell's theology, writing, conclusions (hunches?), etc. On the flip side are the pro-Bell writers and defenders. Granted, there are those who enjoy sitting on the sides and throwing molotov cocktails into the fray, but I won't count them as an actual part of the discussion.

To read the commentaries and reviews, the core argument is a big one - maybe THE big question of Christianity. Does God give an alternative to Salvation through Christ? Can and will we all be saved eventually, regardless of our decisions made here in the life we're currently living? Needless to say, the gravity of the question brings out strong opinions and accusations from both sides as they battle to defend their beliefs. Far too often in what I've observed, the battle is very WWI - both sides stake their borders, dig their trenches, and begin a battle of attrition that is bloody, messy, and serves to advance neither side.

Civility is often one of the first casualties in these conflicts. Charity, love, and rationality often soon follow. It saddens and hurts to consider that in what is essentially a discussion based upon the mighty power of God's Love and Mercy, both of those are conspicuous by their absence. The real crazy thing to me in all of this is that the discussion centers around a book that is not even in publication yet. It comes out tomorrow, the 29th of March, yet this discussion has been going all this past weekend.

My encouragement for my Christian brethren is this: By all means, continue to hold your arguments and beliefs with passion and fervor. But check the manner in which you do so. In all things, argue with love, and with compassion. Let the world see Christ arguing through you, that they may be convicted and know His glory. If you find yourself faltering - resorting to personal attacks against your brother rather than focusing on the topic, using destructive or dismissive language, or otherwise straying from the true topic, then please stop yourself. You have already lost the battle, and risk doing far greater harm in the larger war. And in that war, you and your opponent in this battle are supposed to be on the same side.

In so many ways, Christianity - especially American Christianity - has become the Corinthian Church. We're so focused on which leader's interpretations to follow (1 Cor 3:1-4) that we short change the true leader of the Church - Christ, and Him risen. And with the freedom and anonymity afforded by Twitter, Facebook, and the Blog-sphere, we have lost all inhibition against airing our quarrels among and in front of non-believers (1 Cor 6:1-8). And yet so many wonder why the Church has lost its efficacy.

I admit to being a gross hypocrite in my words. I too am terrible at arguing my position in love and compassion, and fall too often into the trap of anger, bitterness, and crudeness when my arguments are unpersuasive. I continue to pray that God will continue His great work in forming my heart and mind into the image that He seeks me to portray in this world. I offer the same prayer to all of you tonight as well.

Skittles Smugglers

This evening during our lesson at church, a discussion arose over a rather innocuous activity and its moral/legal status. The activity in question is carrying drinks, snacks, and the like into places like movie theaters and sporting events that post rules against doing so.

Some were strongly in favor of the practice, for mostly practical reasons - cost concerns being the primary motivator. Others argued just as adamantly against on the principle that the 'offender' was violating the rules of the establishment. The discussion got pretty lively. There was even argument about the distinction between rules and laws.

Ultimately, in the interest of continuing the lesson, an agreement to disagree had to be reached. As Christians, we are definitely beholden to follow the laws of man, except where they stand in opposition to the Law of God. On the other hand, as the redeemed children of God, we have been given freedom in Christ, and that includes the freedom not to toe the line of every rule all of the time.

I'm not going to get into that freedom any deeper - I would be here all night. However...

After service was over and I came home, I was given a different perspective on the question while folding my laundry. Ultimately, everything comes down to our purpose for being here. As a child of God, and a follower of his Word and his Son, we need to embrace our purpose for being on earth, which is to increase His Glory in all that we do. As such, everything we do, every choice we make, every word spoken to another should be filtered against that purpose. Is this action going to increase or distract from His glory?

Lord knows that I am terrible about this. I fall so short of that ideal that it sometimes seems that the bar that is set by this standard is 500 feet high. But as I continue along my walk, I pray that God will continue to keep that bar within my sight, and help me not only to want to reach for that bar, but to maybe even achieve it some day.

The hilarity of the internet

After a very long week, I feel somewhat emptied out. I've been going so fast that I've barely made enough time to be alone and quiet with God. I've had no time for even thinking about posting. But tonight was finally a quiet night.

Now that the wife is asleep on the couch, I'm tracking the Spurs-Heat game on Yahoo Gametracker (Go Spurs Go!), and I've decided to conjure up something for the blog. After I logged in, I took a brief moment of curiosity to look at the 'stats' page for this blog. If you're unaware, Blogger.com gives you a myriad of ways to check out generally who's been reading your blog - by country, by post, by how they were referred, etc.

Tonight, I found another sorting method - by search term. In and of itself, no big deal. But what got me laughing was one of the terms used that brought a person to my blog. That term was "scrawny thigh." What possible motivation could exist for searching that term is beyond me, and frankly I probably don't want to know. I have to assume that he point of that search was not theological or religious in nature.

I wonder if the person who clicked through based on that actually read what I wrote, and whether it had any sort of impact. Since they didn't stick around long enough to comment, I may never know. But I get the impression that little things like that are precisely why I'm supposed to be doing this. I serve an awesome God who can use an endless number of methods to see that His work is done.

Have a great weekend to you all.

Will somebody please talk to me?!?

There are a lot of reasons I could give as to why I stopped blogging a year ago. I didn't have the time. I felt pressured to come up with things to write. I didn't really have anything worthwhile to say.

In truth, the biggest reason I stopped blogging was because I generated no discussion, which was the purported reason for this blog. The way I viewed it, I was hoping to bring together a group people who would build upon my thoughts, challenge my positions, and make me and others who read this blog develop a more fully fleshed and considered faith.

Now here I am a year later. I've started blogging again, and I've told exactly nobody I know except my wife, and I've directly asked her not to tell anybody either. I know that unless somebody randomly stumbles across this, it may never get read, much less commented on. Nevertheless, I come here every couple of days, and feel a twinge of disappointment when I see no comments.

The funny thing is, as mentioned above, I actively tried to minimize the likelihood of comments, so that I could focus on committing myself to the obedience and discipline that regular posting requires. And yet I cannot get past that need for human approval and engagement. My desire to be acknowledged, appreciated, and accepted here continues to overshadow my walk with God. This is such a microcosm of my life, and I'm getting tired of it.

In truth, I want to get to a point where my relationship with God surpasses and directs all of my personal relationships. Until I do, all areas of my life are shortchanged. I fall short in sharing the gospel, for fear of rejection or offense. I hold back in being truthful in my relationships with friends and family, for fear of hurt feelings or sensibilities. I even hold back in my marriage and church life, two places where my trust in God should display most brightly and easily.

I'm not going to claim today as a turning point. All that would do would set me up for failure, probably starting right after I hit 'Publish'. But I am going to acknowledge this weakness in my life. I will continue to turn it over to God, and ask for Him to strengthen me. I've spent years trying to do it for myself, and it hasn't exactly worked out so far.

Do you recognize your weak spot when it comes to placing value over God?

The Kings Speech

Tonight, for our weekly date night, my wife and I went to the movies and saw The Kings Speech. Speaking as one who has struggled with speech difficulties in my youth, and who still wrestles with a tongue and brain that often operate at different speeds, this one really hit home.

For those not familiar, the movie is about King George VI of England. He ascended to the throne in the late 1930's shortly before the advent of World War II. The thrust of the story revolved around the king working with an expert to overcome a pronounced and debilitating stutter. Colin Firth delivered an outstanding performance as King George VI. Geoffrey Rush was excellent as well, playing Lionel Logue, the therapist who worked with the king.

Beyond the technical performance of portraying a man who had stuttered his entire life, Mr Firth really gave life to the anguish and rage of a man whose thoughts were so often trapped within his own mouth. I highly encourage those of you who still appreciate quality acting, character development and story over the fx and glitter of the latest Bay/Spielberg/Lucas OCD popcorn flick, I highly recommend the film.

What are you Complaining About?

Got a gut check last Friday, and wanted to share what I took out of it.

Last Friday, I went to that great culinary mecca, a KFC/Taco Bell combo restaurant. Usually, I splurge on a Taco Bell $2 meal deal, but that particular Friday, I decided that I wanted to have chicken. So I ordered a 2 piece grilled chicken basket - leg and thigh, side, biscuit, drink.

When my food came out, I almost took it back. The thigh was this shriveled, undersized little mutant thing, and the drumstick was nowhere to be found. Upon further investigation, I discovered a dark little drummette hidden under the thigh. I was quite annoyed. Where are the sizeable portions to which I am accustomed? Don't they know this is Texas?!? Everything is bigger in Texas!

Not being one to complain - especially in fast food restaurants, where terrible things can happen to returned food - I took my scrawny thigh and my drummette, and I took them before the Lord in prayer. "Heavenly Father, I think you for this day, and for this beautiful weather with which you have blessed us. I ask you to bless this scrawny thigh and drummette to the ..."

WHAM! Quick kick to the gut! And then I hear it in the back of my mind...

Do you realize that you drove past more than a dozen other restaurants and fast food eateries in order to get to this location? And do you also realize that there are about thirty different menu options at just this restaurant alone? Do you understand that this is more meat than many of My children get to eat in a week? And do you have any idea how overwhelmingly skewed your viewpoint is to stick your nose up at this bounty that is ever available to you? I was flooded with the understanding of how absurd my complaints were, given the stark contrast of my minor inconvenience relative to the serious, life or death struggles faced by so many in this city, state, and world every day.

Needless to say, I felt rather foolish sitting and crying in the dining room of the KFC/Taco Bell. That quick little incomplete prayer has stuck with me since. I've been coming back to it a lot in the last few days. That thing that keeps bubbling to the surface is a question, but not the obvious question I would expect. The obvious question is "what are you going to do about it?", but I already know full well what the answer to that is supposed to be. But the question I keep struggling with is this: Why has God allowed such a disparity in assets to fester here in the first place? Why are some of us blessed with so much, and others given so little?

I believe that the answer to that is two-fold. First, there is so much more to be received from God than material blessings. There is nourishment that He provides that goes so far beyond chicken, or beef, or even bacon, as to be incomprehensible to those who have not received it. And His gifts go beyond just that - wisdom, love, mercy, compassion, understanding, forgiveness. Of the things that truly matter - His love, His mercy, and His salvation, we have all been blessed equally, if only we choose to accept it. The problem is that we miss His greatest gifts because we're all so hung up on the cheap(er) things of this earth, which we're allowed to borrow for a time.

And borrow it we do. We don't carry anything into the world with us, and we don't take anything when we depart. It is all on loan from Him during our brief stop over. In truth, we are not the owners of our things, but rather the stewards of His creation. And therein lies the second part of the answer. As the stewards of this earth, it is our God-given duty to be responsible stewards. It is up to us to clothe the naked, feed the hungry, lift up the oppressed. And this is why He has lent us these resources - to complete the task that he is calling us toward.

The American Church Culture - 2

A week later, I come back and read my last post, and cringe at the judgementalism and negativity that just leaps off of the page - particularly near the end. I gave a little bit of consideration to deleting it, but will not try to hide and dismiss my own shortcomings like that. I am going to continue to pour myself out here, warts and all, and since I can't hide it from God, there's ultimately no point in hiding it from anybody else. So long as it is here where I can see it and grow from it, then it has value, no matter how poorly executed the post may be.

One thing that frustrates me in this is that I don't really have a more loving way of saying what I said. It really does sadden me that we have so many lavish, ostentatious shrines all over the country. Some of these buildings are worth more than many of the poorest communities of the world will know in a lifetime.

To me, it is all coming down to how we perform as stewards of God's resources during our time here on earth. We are little more than temporary visitors here. During that time, God allows us the opportunity to manage a portion of his resources. Some are given much to manage, and others are given less. These resources are not for our benefit, except in that they allow us to bring greater glory and recognition to God. There is not a thing that I have, not wealth, not property, not security, not friends, not even my own life, that I deserve, or have somehow earned. All of these things belong to God, and are here for one purpose - to glorify Him.

My concern is this - how is it glorifying to Him if I build a bigger church or bigger home, while a child in India must sleep in a garbage dump? How is my church picnic glorifying Him when thousands of children die daily from malnutrition or dehydration? How is He glorified if I hide away in my heated, comfortable, spacious, luxurious house of "worship", while so many of His children are cramped, oppressed, beaten down, hungry, thirsty, ill, unloved, unwanted, and ignored?

We have been unworthily lavished with so much more than we could ever need or deserve. How can we sit back and not share that blessing with the rest of God's beloved children?

The American Church Culture

I am reading "Radical" by David Platt. He lays out a rather compelling argument that the American Dream is actually antithetical to the true motives and mission of the Christian church, and that we are on a very broad path towards destruction as a church body.

He starts out with a bang on p2. In the American church culture, he states, "success is defined by bigger crowds, bigger budgets, and bigger buildings." Yeah, so? All three of those things are good, right? Don't we want to bring people in to be closer to Jesus? And aren't we supposed to encourage them to give generously? And isn't the big building a natural progression of the first two?

I'll address the first with the same general point that Mr. Platt makes. Jesus was no megachurch pastor. In essence, he was the pastor to twelve men. And rather than continue to draw ever larger crowds, he knowingly made the hard statements that drove away those unwilling to follow his teachings. As a perfect example of this, see John 6:60-66. Ultimately, he focused his efforts on a small group, and in turn sent them out to expand the ministry. He did the opposite of the current church culture.

As for the bigger budgets, this is probably the biggest reason I no longer feel comfortable in a large church atmosphere. I am absolutely supportive of the generosity and faithfulness of the church body when it comes to charity and tithing. My concern lies with what happens to that money once it is given over. It is my opinion that we have gotten far, far away from what that money should be used for. In the American church, by and large, it is returned to the members of the church, in the form of new buildings, new amenities, Sunday socials, children's ministries, and other internal resources. So little of that money goes outward from our blessed American churches to help those who really need it. We are without comparison the wealthiest country in the history of the earth, and yet we hoard that wealth like misers.

It saddens me to think about how much of an impact the American church could make in the world if it wasn't so focused on lavishing gifts upon itself, and instead turned a caring eye towards Lazarus laying outside our gate.

Speaking of lavishing gifts upon itself, how many multi-million dollar churches does this country need, anyway? Seems like an awfully large misappropriation of God's resources to me.

I'm going to stop now before I get really worked up. I'm sure I'll come back to it again at some point in the future. I do encourage you to consider where the money in your church goes, and if that is truly in the best interest of expanding God's kingdom, or just your own.

Helping someone who doesn't help themselves

Experienced a difficult Christian experience over the weekend.

At the request of a sister from our church, the wife and I gave a little of our time on Saturday to help a neighbor who was being evicted from her home due to foreclosure. I didn't know a lot of the surrounding details, only that there was a cloud of confusion over why they were being evicted, and that they needed to be out of the house by midnight Sunday night.

When we showed up, immediately on walking into the front door, it was very obvious that the situation wasn't quite right. Without expanding into too much detail, the mom was a moderate hoarder, and the likelihood of being moved out in time was approximately zero, absent divine intervention.

In helping to pack and move their stuff, and in talking to the mom, it became clear that the mom's unhealthy attachment to her belongings and focus on acquiring "treasures on earth" was a significant factor in their situation. The most likely truth is that the family is in significant debt and was foreclosed on due to non-payment of their mortgage. And absent a significant lifestyle change, problems will continue to follow them in the future. As of the time of our departure, the mom seemed unlikely to relent towards that necessary change.

Since that time, I've been in frequent thought and prayer over the situation. I have really struggled with my own judgemental attitude, and have had trouble relating the story because my distaste for the whole situation is really evident in my descriptions. I've asked God to soften my heart and give me a better understanding of how to help a person in a situation like that.

I am also in prayer for the mom, and the daughter who is caught up in that situation. I don't want to get more involved, in part because I can't even comprehend the patience, grace, and love that will be necessary to work through this relationship, much less be able to channel those Godly traits. I pray for our sister who does continue to witness to her, and hope that her efforts will bear fruit, and that the family will come to seek God and the healing that He can provide.

Have you ever encountered a situation like this where you know that somebody's actions have been so detrimental to their lives, but have felt powerless to be able to help, because the cloud of denial that surrounds them is so deeply ingrained?

A year in the life

Holy cow, has it really been a year since I last posted? Man, I'm a slacker.

Amazing what a difference a year makes. I have a new job, I am in the midst of adopting internationally, I am finally almost moved in to the new home, I am still in school, and I am making (yet another) attempt to stop hiding from God's plan for my life.

And I can't explain why, but I keep coming back here because I sense that this is, somehow, part of that plan.

I assume that nobody is reading this, and it is possible (likely?) that nobody ever will, but I'm going to start writing again nonetheless. If nothing else, it will give me a chance to release some of what is pent up inside that I can't share eloquently in conversation. Getting a chance to sit quietly, compose my thoughts, and write them out, plus taking the time to read and edit before posting, will be much more productive than subjecting people to the raw, untamed maelstrom between my ears.

Anyways, to all of my devoted followers who have been checking weekly since I went away (you know who you are), I'm back. Maybe I'll even stick around this time.