Finally sitting for a bit. I have about 45 minutes until we start serving Gobena Coffee again. I do hope people get decaf and head to bed early as Louie suggested. The day started with a volunteer meeting filled not just with logistical information but also with encouragement from Louie. He told us then that there were 21,900 registered and probably 80 percent of them were first timers.
After lunch, it was off to my home for the next four days – the Go Center. I’m serving with an amazing organization called Gobena Coffee. It was founded by a couple who adopted a child from Ethiopia and wanted to pour back into the country that have them their child. You can Google Gobena Coffee and are the whole story on the web site. The cool thing is that the profits from the sale of the coffee are used to feed and educate orphans and vulnerable children in Ethiopia. Earlier today someone figured out that the profit from each $2 cup of coffee will feed or educate a child for two weeks. Amazing how much good we can do when we direct our spending on stuff we use anyway to causes that glorify God! The coffee business started out slow, but picked up throughout the day. People are spreading the word and coming here instead of other corporate entities, if you know what I mean. Best of all, I’ve been able to just chat with students. There really were a lot of first time attendees who drove crazy distances through the night to get here. They were so excited to be here! I was also really thankful to see a former youth group student who would probably be better classified now as a friend and her fiance. A fairly large crew of volunteers carried an immense number of towels and socks to the Go Center as the first general session started. I never made it into the session until Louie was well into his talk. Students are at community groups now. After that many will go see David Crowder Band in concert at the late night. Some will drift over here to the Go Center. And we’l have the coffee ready.
I can’t post this from somewhere high above the East Coast, but I can at least write it and post it later.
Today has literally been a day of planes, trains and. automobiles! After enjoying the traditional pork and sauerkraut dinner with the family, I hit the road for Passion 2010 (that’s the automobile part) to catch the light rail (that’s the train part) to the airport (that’s the plane part). The first two legs of the journey went really well, but the airport was another story. I walked right up to the check-in kiosk and was at security within minutes of my arrival. If I do say so myself, I went through like a seasoned traveler – especially compared to some of those around me. At the gate, I caught up on my Bible reading plan (thanks YouVersion!) and grabbed a little dinner. This was timed so that I would eat just a few minutes before boarding. Unfortunately, there was a schedule mix-up with the crew and we ended up taking off almost an hour late. I must say, however, I never saw a plane boarded so efficiently. It was stunning. They called all the zones to board at the same time, people lined up, walked on, stowed their bags and sat down. We were pulling away from the gate within minutes. So now, having forgotten my headphones and lacking reading material, the only constructive thing I could think of to do was to draft this post for later publication and take a picture of my Passion 2010 journal. I promise that further posts will be far more exciting and have more to do with the Passion experience than modes of transportation.Note: So today you may or may not get a post from the road as I get head to Atlanta for Passion 2010. The last Passion held a four-day conference set me on a new course in ministry so it seems only appropriate to re-post this recap of what happened … and to reflect on how long it took for me to get it in gear and follow His lead! This was originally posted on 3 January 2008.
Rewind to the beginning of 2007. It’s January 3. It’s the last full day of Passion 07 and I finally had the chance to go through Kneel, the guided prayer journey. As I prayed at one of the stations, I asked God to clarify his will for my future in ministry. I love working with college students and youth, but I also love writing. Could I do both? If not, which one? Part-time, volunteer or full-time? At home or do I need to move?
These are the questions that plagued me on the night of January 3 as I prayed. When I left Kneel, I wrote a brief entry in the tiny journal I carried that reads, in part, “Jesus, it’s only you. Let me live each day in the shadow of the cross knowing that each one brings me closer to you.”
God orchestrated the general session that night to answer my questions — though in a way I never expected. Louie Giglio began by saying that God had a place for each of us in his unstoppable plan for this earth. Later in the talk, he said (and this is paraphrased): I don’t know when, I don’t know where, but I know who I’m going with. I’m going with Jesus.
That was my answer. Say yes now and wait for further revelation.
That’s not to say it was easy. I checked into two major college ministries and didn’t even get an e-mail to say they received my inquiry. I did actually talk to someone from another ministry, but that seemed to fizzle out. I even applied and interviewed for a job that perfectly matched (at least in my mind) my interests in missions and writing, but that didn’t pan out either.
One afternoon, I came home from work to find a newsletter from The Seed Company. I had sponsored a verse through the OneVerse program as part of Passion’s Do Something Now campaign, but this was the first post-Passion communication I had from them. The little voice in my head told me to check them out a little more, but, as I too often do, I let other concerns get in the way.
Then came another newsletter. This time I paid attention to the urging of the little voice in my head and visited the web site to find they were looking for project update writers. Curious, I sent an e-mail and received a rather prompt reply. After a phone call and an application, I received an invitation on December 18 to join them in their work as a volunteer project update writer working from my home.
That’s why this post had to be dated for January 3. One year ago, I had only just heard of OneVerse and The Seed Company. One year ago, I sponsored a verse for the Dela people. One year ago, I decided to wait on the Lord’s invitation rather than pester him about his will. Now, I am volunteering with The Seed Company and have no earthly idea where it will take me.
But I know one thing.
God knows exactly where it will take me.
He’s already there.
Worship in action.
Not raising hands in praise as the band plays. Not even collapsing in a heap as you are overcome by a vision of God through the lyrics of a song. Not clapping. Not dancing. It’s not that kind of action at all.
It’s worship that takes you across the country or across an ocean to give the gospel a face and hands and feet by helping to rebuild a devastated home.
It’s worship that takes you across the street to offer a sandwich to the homeless man.
It’s worship that puts away the toys in the nursery at church after the children have left.
It’s worship that prays with a junior higher and sits down for a deep talk with a senior higher.
It’s worship that brings college students to support ministries in the most far-flung places of the world.
There’s nothing new in my saying that worship isn’t the music. That much has been said repeatedly. It’s not even new that I suggest worship comes in your giving or in your acts of service.
It’s a thought as old as the New Testament epistles themselves.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.
- Romans 12:1 (TNIV)
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
- Hebrews 13:15-16
This is it, such as it is. With Christmas and all, I haven’t been reading as much online this week as usual. And now for the last web site-ings of the year …
From the tweets:
villages: Cat ate my olive wood nativity and what about that Dead Sea Mud soap? Enjoy this interview with Eve Rosen, manager… 
http://bit.ly/6yhXwJ
iheartonline: Hear BONO talk about our malleable world and the Kingdom that’s coming…. http://www.i-heart.org/blog_entry.php?intid=304
hardlynormal: At 10 she interviewed homeless. At 11 she opened her own charity b/c she had to be 18 to volunteer http://bit.ly/4r6ybK (ht @KooDooZ)
And another thing:
Over the next few days, follow me (@living3368), Passion (@Passion268) and OneVerse (@OneVerse) on Twitter. I know I will be tweeting from Passion 2010 and I’m pretty sure the other two will be as well. Leave a comment to let me know if you plan on tweeting from the event so I can follow you. Even if you can’t be there, please pray for us.
Everybody in the world is a slave. Either they are slaves of Jesus Christ, or they are slaves to sin.
— Brother Yun, Living Water.
I realize it’s a few days early to talk resolutions and such, but I need time to get ready and so do you if you want to play along.
I have issues with New Year’s resolutions … mainly that I rarely make them. Sometimes I can’t decide what to do because there are so many things I would like to do.
To that end, I’m going to organize 2010 into a series of monthly challenges. They say that it takes something like three weeks to establish a habit so maybe I can change bad habits – or start new good ones – by successfully completing a monthly challenge.
My first challenge fits well with my blog theme so I’ve cross-posted this entry there. To walk humbly with the Lord, it is imperative that you spend time in His word. January’s challenge is to see how much of the Bible I can read through in a month.
I’ve already selected a reading plan from YouVersion that I can access on my BlackBerry in spare moments. The next step is to find an audio Bible to listen to in the car during my commute each day. I also figure I can cover a lot of ground during the trip to Passion 2010.
If you want to join me, feel free to leave a comment and watch for weekly updates!
I stumbled across this video again on YouTube. It never ceases to inspire me.
Here’s the story behind the song (via JesusFreakHideout):
Leeland Mooring says it was a Sunday afternoon during a quiet devotional time that he sensed what he calls a presence of God. “I was playing piano, just worshiping, and I asked in prayer, ‘God, just give me your heart for the lost.’” It was a hope to feel the longing God feels for people struggling to find their way. “And then I started crying—it was as if God gave me a little glimpse of his heart,” Leeland continues. “‘Tears of the Saints’ came out, and it’s about how for every person who is out there lost there is probably about five people praying for them.” More, the track illuminates the vision the band has for its ministry. “We want to see kids saved,” the songwriter affirms. “What’s awesome about this song live, is how it touches people,” bassist Jake Holtz adds. “The Lord is just blessing people. You can see change coming across their faces. It’s nothing we’re doing. God’s just working through us with this song.”
I always take my journal (that is, the for-real pen and ink version) along to the Christmas Cantata at the church. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s the voices of the choir. Maybe it’s the low light of the sanctuary. I don’t know, but something always sparks a train of thought that just has to be written down immediately or it is lost for eternity.
A couple of years ago, I finished jotting some random thought or another then looked up at the stage to see the Nativity scene as enacted by a group of young ‘uns between fourth and seventh grade. Something didn’t look quite like the usual Christmas card scene. What is it? Hmmm. Manger? Check. Everyone in head scarves? Check. Baby? Wait … that’s it … the baby!
In most nativity scenes, the baby is in the manger or being held by an appropriately adoring Mary, calm and serene even after giving birth without any help in a nasty, dark, damp stable. In the scene playing out before me, Joseph was holding the baby!
Oh, and it didn’t end there. Joseph looked over at one of the shepherds and seemed to say something. Then he handed the baby over to him.
That’s right. That’s how it should be, I thought. These crazy shepherds trooped in from the fields at the angel’s announcement to find the baby just as the angel said they would. Are we to think these ruffians (because that really is what shepherds at the time of Jesus were) just walked in calmly and full of appropriate piety? Of course not.
In fact, if you think about it, you can almost hear them yelling “Hey! Anyone in here?”, “Would ya look at that?”, “In the manger, well, if that don’t beat all.”, “Dang! What’s that smell?” (they were in a stable, after all). You can picture them bumbling into the stable with all the grace of a three-legged cow, bumping into each other, tripping now and again as they all try to squeeze through the entrance.
Then, they stop. Their voices grow quieter. They see the baby. The manger. The mother. Joseph. Maybe, just maybe one of them says, almost shyly, “Can I hold him?”
Maybe Mary nods and gently holds the baby out to this man with the rough hands. For a moment, he looks into the face of eternity and is forever changed.
This Christmas, may our voices grow quieter and may reach out a hand to Him and see our lives forever changed.
This is only a special edition because I have absolutely no intention of posting anything on Christmas Day. So here it is, an abbreviated look at what caught my eye online this week …
From the tweets …
hardlynormal: A Homeless Fire Victim’s Last Day Alive http://bit.ly/7PGVgm // I don’t have words & I’m not sure I can watch the video
loswhit: Save Us From These Comforts – Danny’s Story // http://j.mp/n0IW4
OneDaysWages: ODW awards 1st grant to BMWEC (Thai/Burma) & their amzg work to bring education to kids w/ no access: http://bit.ly/5pUpqR
http://bit.ly/4r1rUWFrom elsewhere:
Using One Word to Fight Your Personal Spiritual Poverty in 2010
The decade in news photographs
Pastor harnesses online giving
Report says 225,000 Haiti children work as slaves
A special request …
Please pray along with me as college students, leaders, volunteers, speakers and musicians prepare for Passion Twenty-Ten.
And just for fun from Twitter:
