What I've been taught

This morning as I went through my bible study which was on the topic of what we strive for in life - achievements, living up to our potential, always wanting to be great and not just good. Beth Moore said that "to live for the greatness of God (not myself) is to live the great life. I came across Mark 10:43-45, "Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Questions flooded into my mind... How often do I go through my life and my day just expecting everyone else to serve ME? I want things done in my way, when I want it, how I want it. What about in my relationships with other people? with my friends? How often do I determine the value of a friendship simply based off what the other person brings to me?

It's all about me it seems.

Then I get defensive. After all, I'm American - that's just what I've been taught. I can't help it right? Or it's not bad or wrong right?

For the past several months, I've been contemplating what being an American has taught me about the world - or more appropriately - what being American has told me I deserve in this world.

Is it even POSSIBLE that what we Americans chalk up as just "how it is" or "normal" or "what I deserve because I earned it" and how we go about living our affluent lives is POSSIBLY contrary to God's biblical framework for how we should live and what standard of living we consider we "need" to be content? Just a question - it is possible that we American Christ followers are confused?

I came across this video yesterday online. Click on it, watch it, and tell me what you think. I'm interested.

My first comment on this video: Interesting that I need to watch the censored version of this. I can't even handle to see a picture of someone else's daily reality.

A Spiritual Anniversary

Today I flew into Monterrey in much the same way that I did a little over 4 years ago on my first mission trip with Back2Back. I was looking out the window today, deep in thought, when I saw the same mountains that had surprised me 4 years ago. Before I went on that trip, I had NO idea what I'd be doing for a week or where we were going. I followed my college bible study leader to a foreign country and assumed she knew the game plan and it'd all be okay.

The mountains out the airplane window shocked me years ago and as we flew over them because I was expecting maybe a desert and some sombreros or something? Emotions of fear and feelings of confusion came over me. What was I doing? Why was I on that plane? I had a moment of life altering prayer that I will never forget. It was over those same mountains from a plane that I told God I'd listen to whatever He had to say. Initially, I gave God about a 6 day window in which to speak... silly me - putting time limits of the creator of the universe.

But God is always speaking. He always has been speaking. I just finally decided to quit turning a deaf ear to him. Up until that point, I was intellectual about Jesus. I was super "plugged into" the Christian community - weekly bible study, church, campus ministries, retreats, etc. I absorbed a lot but Jesus was not the Lord of my life.

Those same mountains today made me laugh and smile remembering all the obvious steps God directed me through to get me to exactly where I am tonight - living in Monterrey. (no this is still NOT normal to me)

The faces of the sweet children we serve are all over my fridge and the walls of my apartment - and I live here! How insane is that? I almost drove over to see my boys tonight except they would have already been in bed. I'll have to wait till they wake up tomorrow.

"The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy; I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full." --- Jesus

It only seems appropriate to give a huge shout out to the person who brought me here, never gave up on me, always supported me, and never once said any of my questions were stupid - I love you Alex Bryant!

alex in 2006, reigning Taco's Fede Champ

What am I doing?

I've been reading a lot lately - I can't put this book down --> Just Courage - God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian by Gary Haugen who is the founder of the International Justice Mission. I've found myself reading chapters twice just so I can chew on it some more.

Early on in this book the author talks about what kinds of things and careers and pursuits we as "Christ followers" allow to consume our entire time on planet earth. The following is an excerpt from the book:

"The Source of Abundant Life

How do we find that abundant, heroic life for which we were made? How do we enter in to God's kingdom now and experience the authentic power and presence of God?

I can take my gifts and passions and training and strengths beyond the places of safety and control, and in to the sphere of the kingdom where I actually need God.

Perhaps the first indicator that I am approaching such a place will be seen in my prayer life. Mother Teresa said that she couldn't imagine doing her work for more than thirty minutes without prayer. Do you and I have work that we can't imagine doing for thirty minutes without prayer?

If not, perhaps we need a new life's work. Or perhaps we need to do an old life's work in a new way.

I won't need to be in prayer every thirty minutes in my work if I don't really need God's power to get it done, or if it's work that God doesn't really need done because it has nothing to do with his kingdom."

So I've been chewing on this one for days - how much of what I do is just going through the motions or doing things that "need to get done" and seem critical that day in my mind but perhaps have nothing to do with God's kingdom and what He'd prefer I spend myself day and day and hour and hour doing?

Isaiah 58 talks about what we should be spending ourselves and our lives doing: fighting on behalf of the hungry, satisfying the needs of the oppressed, the trafficked, the enslaved, the captives, loosing the chains of injustice in our world. Isaiah 58 says that when I do these things, that is when God will listen to my prayers and answer me. I've been thinking a ton on prayer lately and how in Matthew 6 Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray and he said they should pray like this, "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." I should be praying for God's justice and mercy and grace and holy spirit to just fill planet earth, right here, right now because that is in line with his will and know that He will answer it. Our world is disgusting and full of horrors for far too many little children and people who are just begging for anyone to help them. Being a "Christ follower" means that I'd follow Christ and what he's about and what he's doing on earth right now. I'm confident Jesus is on mission to save the lost, and rescue the little kid in a brothel and free the slave that made my hershey's chocolate bar in africa or the forced labor slave in your home town.

Psalm 27:13, "But I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living."