Holy Ground

I think one of the many beautiful things about our God is that He meets us everywhere and anywhere.

He's in our living room during home church and He's in a school gym during youth group.

And He's in the Apple store as two of His people chat and He's right beside me and my whispered prayers.

No need for massive cathedrals and temples, because a year and a half ago, when I sat in a slum and prayed with my brothers and sisters, that was holy ground.

Dead cats and all.

And when my parents wash feet in a church basement, that's holy ground.

And when my youth group gathers in a school to write cards, clean, knit and bake cookies for others, that's holy ground.

photo credit: @thebosscurt

No fanfare and no stained glass windows (although that could be holy ground too), just His people bringing a little bit of heaven to earth.

Wherever we do on earth as it is in heaven, it's holy ground.

So what if, everywhere we went, we made it holy ground?

Couldn't we?

Couldn't we make the very way we walk a meeting with Him? On earth as it is in heaven? And wouldn't that make every ground God's people walk on holy?

Wouldn't that be beautiful? 

And if we walked to the ugliest places... Is it possible meeting Him there could make it holy. perfect. beautiful?

That thundering question of Where is God? 

Is best answered when the people of God offer a hand and whisper: Here I am. 

That thundering question of Where is God? 

Is best answered when the people of God tear everything else away and take the time to show it: Here’s His love for you – beating right here, right here in me, right here for you. 

What else is time for but this? -Ann Voskamp, What Radical Christianity Looks Like Right Where You Are

Yes. What else is time for but to show the world: Here is God.

Here.

Right here,

in me and where I stand -

on holy ground. 

The World

The First World.

Who came up with that anyways?

Like really, what are we trying to prove by calling ourselves "first"?

The first shall be last.

And don't I believe that, yet live the first world life everyday?

The first world really does have its problems. Real ones.

Like the fact that first world people might be the most spiritually dead people on the planet.

Or the fact that we might be spending and hoarding ourselves into our lonely, apathetic graves.

(Not to be harsh or anything.)

And here's the thing with charity.

Charity is trying to bring the first world into the third world, and I really don't think they want our problems. 

Yes, they do need some of our infrastructure. Yes, some of the first world - such as uncorrupt governments and better justice systems - needs to find its way into the third world.

But I think we need the third world brought into the first world just as much, if not more than, the other way around.

We need that faith. That faith that literally prays for daily bread.

We need that joy. That joy that has no wants, not because it has everything, but because Jesus is enough.

We need that community. That community that ditches the iStuff and the do-it-on-my-own mentality for the beauty of the Body of Christ - built up and in unity in the faith.

Here's what compassion is. Compassion means to suffer with. 

And maybe we need to stop charitably dumping the first world into the third world, and instead do compassion.

Suffer together with the third world. Pray together for daily bread. Rejoice together. Learn from each other.

Make it real. Bring the third world into our homes, make their problems ours, and suddenly there is no their problems.

Just our problems.

Together.

Suffering with.

And maybe it might all balance out - they'd learn how to create a more functioning society and we'd learn how to let go and live faith and joy.

I think Jesus would like that. I'd bet something beautiful would happen if we all ditched the first mentality.

Easier said than done.

---

Bring some of the third world into your home: Sponsor a Child.

Go. Live. Be Free.

Note: If you haven't seen Les Mis yet, go see it. Also, if you haven't seen Les Mis yet, spoiler alerts. :)

Grace.

Sometimes, it's too easy, we make it hard for ourselves.

I saw Les Mis on New Year's Day, and I've been meaning to write about it, but better late then never?

There's so much that stood out, and I could write for days and days about the beauty and the truth found in that story (you really must see it), but I'll just leave you with a little bit today.

Javert.

He scared me.

Not just because he's a ruthless, heartless man. Not just because he shows no compassion whatsoever.

But because grace was right. there. for him. and he left it.

He worked hard for perfection. He worked hard to have clear black-and-white in his life. There are no grey areas. Everyone, absolutely everyone, gets what they deserve. The honest and hard-working get good lives, the dishonest criminals get terrible ones. They pay.

And he makes sure of that.

But then everything messes up.

And he's on the other side - someone else gets to decide what he deserves (and really, he doesn't deserve anything that great.). And that someone (who just happens to be a criminal, so why do they get to choose his fate anyways?!) lets him go. live. be free.

Grace.

But Javert, he can't understand it. He can't comprehend it.

His whole world has crumbled, and he's overwhelmed by the grace he's been given.

And he can't receive it. 

So he jumps off a bridge.

Me? I'm Javert sometimes. I'm this recipient of God's amazing grace living in a world where everything, absolutely everything, is earned.

But I'm trying to go. live. be free.

Because oh my goodness, wouldn't it be terrible if we wasted Amazing Grace?

The biggest tragedy in life would be to choose death instead of living the freed-by-His-grace life.

It sounds like a no brainer, but don't people choose death over grace everyday?

It's not necessarily jumping off a bridge because grace can't be comprehended.

You know as well as I do: It's possible to be dead even if there's breath in your lungs.

We live this cycle: chase money, possessions, power, connections... Look powerful, look happy, look fulfilled... yet we are the living dead.

And we complain about this dead-life but here's the thing: We choose it. We're the ones slowly spending, chasing, hoarding ourselves into our graves.

And how different would it look if we all chose grace instead?

Grace is right in front of you.

And you have a choice:

jump off the bridge

or

go. live. be free.

What Every Perfectionist Needs to Know

I been realizing something lately.

For those of you that know me well [and those that don't too, maybe.], please don't laugh...

*whispers* I'm a perfectionist.

Shh. [I don't want people to know there's something wrong with me (Because I'm a perfectionist. But shhh!)]

That's the thing, right? What perfectionist admits they're a perfectionist? Because there's nothing wrong with perfectionists and being a perfectionist would be a bit of a flaw. Right?

This perfectionist here? She's a little squirmy as she writes this post.

But here's a little realization I'll share with you fellow perfectionists. [You don't have to shh about this realization. It's one everyone needs to know.]

Admit it. You're a perfectionist.

I know, I know. It's tough to admit there's something wrong. But do it.

Because when you can admit that you're crazy broken [Let's be honest, can you really do all that, perfectly, on your own? No. No one's perfect, and that's a fact.], this crazy grace from this crazy God finds you. Captures you. Frees you.

I know, I get it. I know what you're thinking because this perfectionist has thought it all too many times. I'm not good enough for grace. I need to do just. a. bit. more. to earn that grace. 

I don't deserve grace.

And that's just it. That's what grace is. 

Grace is getting something you don't deserve.

And maybe this world (and this perfectionist too?), this world where you earn every grade, every dollar, every good thing, can learn to accept His grace?

I've been learning how to be broken. It's tough, for this perfectionist girl. 

Nobody likes being broken, and all the more for us perfectionists, y'know? 

Learn to receive His crazy grace. 

You know that saying? "If it's too good to be true, it probably is?" This isn't true for this.

It's true. He loves you. His grace is an ocean, and we're all sinking. 

To all you perfectionists - relax. Shed the burden to be perfect. His power is made perfect in weakness. His grace is sufficient for us. 

His grace is right there. All you have to do is reach out.

Claim it.

Then, don't forget to respond to that grace.

Not cuz you have to earn it.

But because it's the least you can do, right? Shouldn't all that crazy grace spark some response?

Live as a recipient of grace who can't help but be compelled to spread some crazy grace in response.

His grace, my fellow perfectionists, and living as a "freed-by-His-grace"...

That, is the most perfect thing of all.

Peace

I'm not saying that getting rid of guns would end mass shootings forever.

I'm just saying, if your God said "Do not murder" and you believe in that 100%, then why do you need a gun?

I'm just saying, if you follow, believe and admire Jesus, the guy who laid down his life when he could have fought back against his attackers, why is that gun for "protection"?

I'm not saying anybody's less-Christian or more-Christian here. We're all broken in our own ways. I'm just saying, 20 kids died and I just can't keep my mouth shut here. It's pretty clear: our Lord is the Prince of Peace.

[Hint: Peace doesn't involve guns.]

I know this is a touchy subject. I'm okay if you don't agree with me and I hope I don't offend anybody with this blog post, but the massacre in Newtown was one of the things that had me itching to blog during my blog break. 

Now that there's a little space, some breathing room, less news reports, etc., maybe now's a good time to look at the fact that a gun was used to fire bullets into 20 children. 20 six- and seven-year-olds. 

And then followers of the Prince of Peace, coming into a season of singing "...and His gospel is peace", got a little protective of something we're supposed to lay down.

It made me sick.

I was thoroughly impressed by this blog post, and thoroughly sickened by some of the comments made towards the author. 

I'm not saying I have all the answers. I know a law wouldn't stop evil from obtaining guns. I'm just saying maybe we as Christians need to look at ourselves and re-evaluate. Look over our shoulder and see how far we've come from imitating the man who healed a severed ear and told His friend that violence was and is not the answer. 

I know it's easy for me to say, the girl who grew up in a totally different culture than the gun culture. The girl who cringes a bit at kitchen knives. 

But I hope this is some encouragement, maybe a little poke, something to think about. His gospel is peace. He taught to turn the other cheek, and yes, that's a hard one (I speak from experience.). No, not all of His teachings are easy ones. 

Really, we have a responsibility. This world is in our hands. And maybe, since we're screwing up so much, we should go back and look at Jesus. 

The Prince of Peace.

It's On Us, Now

Yes, my word for 2013 is patience.

But that absolutely doesn't mean stop-fighting-for-hope-because-God-will-do-it.

Absolutely not.

Truth is, it's on us right now. God left humans in charge, making us in His image, making us His representatives in the world, and haven't we messed. up.?

This past Sunday, Bruxy, the teaching pastor at our church, delivered probably one of the best sermons I've heard ever. Seriously. Please please please check it out. [Really, I'm serious. Do it.]

In light of the shootings in Newtown, CT, many people are asking the age-old question: Why does God let such bad things happen?

Here's the thing. He left us in charge remember? That's the cold, hard truth, and we really can't blame God anymore.

We're His representatives, His hands and feet on this earth, and I don't know about you, but I'm gonna vote that we've really screwed up. [Not to be harsh or anything.]

Here's the thing. Hope's not gone. Now is never too late to start doing better. Here's some ideas. Or here. Smile at a stranger. Sponsor a child. Buy a homeless person a coffee. Volunteer. Build a house.

God wants to overcome this world with hope.

We just have to let Him.

But if you are one who lives in the love of God, then know this - you are His hands from heaven. Yes, you. You are the means by which the love of God is scattered all over this world. You are His hands and His feet. -Palmer Chinchen, True Religion

Patience [It's a Virtue]

#oneword2013

Oh boy.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm not patient. At all.

So I don't really know what that word is doing up there on the top of this blog post.

I'm not easily annoyed, but one thing that's super annoying to me is slow stuff. Slow songs, slow games, slow movies, slow TV shows all usually get shut off because they're not moving fast enough. Just look at the sports I enjoy: hockey, basketball, football. Baseball? Too slow. Golf? Too slow. Poker? Oh boy.

Here's what I've learned: Although it's good to have faith and just jump right into the deep end, sometimes, you should probably get into the shallow end first, learn how to swim, and then swim to the deep end.

You drown less.

Thing is, learning to swim is a long process. A slow one. And I get a little impatient. Take me to the diving board.

Another thing I've learned? Hope is slow. Hope is like molasses. And for a girl like me, living, striving, working for hope, it gets a little frustrating at times. I get a little impatient. (Okay, a lot impatient.)

I do this thing with God where I'm like, Why don't you just fix it? You can. So why. don't. you.

I see hopeless eyes and I see hoarding and I see war, poverty, mass shootings, slavery, and I say where is the hope? It's slow. It's coming, it's real, but we have made hope oh. so. slow.

This year is going to be a year of trusting God's timing. Of trying to centre myself with His will so I can see, He's got this. I don't need to tell Him what time it is. I don't need to tap my watch at Him, because I really don't know better that the God of the Universe [really.].

I can scream "Why?" at Him and He'll just look at me and say that I should take heart, because he has overcome the world.

I can be like, "Hey God? Now would be a good time." and He'll say, "No. I know of a better time."

And I just really gotta trust that.

And be patient.

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. -Romans 8:25