Here's an update on what's been going on in the ministry for the past few weeks. Before Christmas break, we had probably four or five adults helping out at the after-school program every day, including me and two other staff there every day. Since coming back, we got five more committed volunteers to help out on a particular day of the week. The first day that three guys volunteered (a pastor and his two sons), the kids were so excited and wanted to have them be around them, helping them. Honestly, that first day, even I was super excited, fed off their energy and anticipation to love on the kids. There have been times at the after-school program where each kid had their own volunteer to help them with homework. This was huge because it eliminated many distractions and allowed for more intentional relationships with the kids. It's awesome, most days, spending the whole day working with just one kid, getting to know what their stengths and weaknesses are. They are getting individualized learning plans this week in order to better record their learning, so we can challenge them to increase their knowledge rather than just being content with where they are. All in all, the kids are doing great, we're learning more about their families and some of their situations more, which can be tough news to swallow sometimes. I won't include details but just know that some kids have tough life situations occuring in their families. Please pray for them.
If I got the chance to share with you the binder I made this past summer support-raising, you might remember the new building 2nd Mile was attempting to use for the after-school program. We don't own the building and haven't made renovations yet but the goal is to have it be usable by this coming fall. I got the chance to walk inside the building and it was beautiful, however, not in the sense you may imagine. There was dust everywhere, many parts of the ceiling fell down, the bathrooms/showers looked like something out of a horror film (dark, dirty, creepy), there was a locked closet in the bathroom where we imagined is where bodies are kept, windows broken.......beautiful. Why beautiful? As we toured each room in this two-story abandonment, a staff member was in high spirits. "This is where we'll have the main classroom. And this is where we'll keep the lawn tools and equipment. Here's a room where an office or two could go. This wall is going to be knocked out." As he brought the building to life, visions of a church/after-school program filled my head. The kids could learn about music here, dance there, writing skills over here. This empty and old frame of a building was being filled with ideas, dreams, and vision. If God allows the ministry to obtain and renovate the building, let it be for His glory in the name of Jesus. One thing I've definitely appreciated and admired about the ministry and its workers is their desire to do as God calls, to be used as humble servants for God's kingdom and what He may want in Brentwood.
Also in the coming months, we will be hosting two or three short-term missions groups from around the country so they can learn and experience a poverty neighborhood. They will also be helping with some street-cleanup, building cleanup, school-volunteering, and possibly with our two:fiftytwo after-school program. Please pray that they come willing to serve and be open to direction from us. Apparently many groups come in with their own agenda and want to run things their way despite their lack of experience with inner-city stuff.
The question has been asked me many times what I plan to do after the internship. The internship ends June 11th. My plans for now are to go back to Wisconsin for the summer but its been on my mind and heart more and more to come back here. If you could, keep me in your prayers also with proper decision-making. Not my will/thoughts/ways, but God's.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
The Look
Before you read this, take a minute or two and just acknowledge that God is there at your house, in your office, in that cubicle at work with you, wanting you to give your heart to him day by day, moment by moment.
No, for real. Did you do the above? It will hopefully help you gain more understanding in the rest of the blog. God is real. God is the only One that can faithfully love you perfectly, passionately, and justly. Quiet your mind........shhhhhhhh. He is loudest in my life when I am silent. Turn off the music. His whispers shake my life, haunt my understanding of the world. It's this intense mystery of the Lord that I would like to share with you. One passage of scripture that I came across that added to this mysteriousness of God's love for me came in Luke 22.
It's a story I'm sure you are all familiar with. Peter, one of Jesus's closest followers, says that he would follow Jesus to his death then Jesus foretells Peter's denials thrice before the rooster crows. Jesus gets arrested and Peter, with such passion, cuts off a guard's ear, Jesus heals the ear, Jesus goes to trial, Peter follows at a distance, three different people including a servant girl accuse Peter of being associated with Jesus, he denies knowing Jesus each time, the rooster crows, and then it happened, the thing that caused Peter to run out weeping bitterly. Read verse 61 (Luke 22:61). "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter." If you've seen Passion of the Christ, this moment is captured pretty well in the movie. The look of Christ did not say "I told you so," or say, "You fool," but rather showed Peter his love and concern for his heart. What would it have been like to walk among the son of God and be one of his closest friends? You follow him, see miracles and things you've never seen before, you trust him and confess that he is the Christ (Matthew 16:16), your heart believes so strongly in this that you'd be willing to die for Jesus, then, a servant girl thinks you look familiar and, to save your skin, deny ever knowing Him. Your actions are not in line with your heart.
So often, I will be pumped to follow the Lord and give him my life but as soon as I place it in his hands, I take it back and can't part with it. I deny him and my trust in him waivers. Does God wrestle it back and slap my hand? Does he say "You fool"? John 3:17 says "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Can you imagine the look of Christ after you sin? Could you look him in the eye? What would find in his stare? I often lack integrity. My words, thoughts, and deeds are different when I'm "alone" but the fact is, I'm not alone ever. God sees me when I sin against him, regardless if I acknowledge his presence.
The Bible doesn't clarify where Jesus was in relation to Peter when he was disowned by his friend, but I can say confidently that he didn't need to be within earshot of Peter's words, only within eyeshot of Peter's face. Eye contact is a powerful thing, especially with people that you are close to. A relationship with God is nothing compared to any other relationship you will ever have. The love and the forgiveness that came to Peter in John 21 is something I hope you find in your life. If you haven't already put your trust in Jesus, now is a pretty good time. You don't need to "clean up" before you talk to him (Romans 5:8 says that Jesus died for us while we were sinners), just ask him to help you with whatever you need. He'll be there for you, even if you've ignored his presence your entire life, he is there waiting for you to come to him. His death on the cross not only can remove the punishment for your sins (eternity in hell) but can remove the power of sin over your life as well (Romans 6:11). If you have time, read Luke 22:31-62 and John 21. You have time. Spending time with the Lord (not just reading the Bible, but sitting in His very presence) is more valuable than that newspaper article, that TV show, that computer game, and (dare I say) that NFC Championship game.
I will hopefully have more of an actual update of what's going on with the ministry next week. Thank you for being patient with me and for reading. Things are going well here and I'm learning alot. More details to come.
Please pray:
-For the spiritual lives of the kids. Their names-Rayshantia, Challah, Chassidy, Charity, Alex, Diallo, and Emery.
-That if we get three new kids soon that we could give them as much attention and love as we've been able to give to the first seven.
-That God would give me the courage and trust to follow Him and do things that are of His mysterious will, regardless of what people may think. I want to follow God, not people. (I struggle with this)
Much love, and go Pack!
No, for real. Did you do the above? It will hopefully help you gain more understanding in the rest of the blog. God is real. God is the only One that can faithfully love you perfectly, passionately, and justly. Quiet your mind........shhhhhhhh. He is loudest in my life when I am silent. Turn off the music. His whispers shake my life, haunt my understanding of the world. It's this intense mystery of the Lord that I would like to share with you. One passage of scripture that I came across that added to this mysteriousness of God's love for me came in Luke 22.
It's a story I'm sure you are all familiar with. Peter, one of Jesus's closest followers, says that he would follow Jesus to his death then Jesus foretells Peter's denials thrice before the rooster crows. Jesus gets arrested and Peter, with such passion, cuts off a guard's ear, Jesus heals the ear, Jesus goes to trial, Peter follows at a distance, three different people including a servant girl accuse Peter of being associated with Jesus, he denies knowing Jesus each time, the rooster crows, and then it happened, the thing that caused Peter to run out weeping bitterly. Read verse 61 (Luke 22:61). "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter." If you've seen Passion of the Christ, this moment is captured pretty well in the movie. The look of Christ did not say "I told you so," or say, "You fool," but rather showed Peter his love and concern for his heart. What would it have been like to walk among the son of God and be one of his closest friends? You follow him, see miracles and things you've never seen before, you trust him and confess that he is the Christ (Matthew 16:16), your heart believes so strongly in this that you'd be willing to die for Jesus, then, a servant girl thinks you look familiar and, to save your skin, deny ever knowing Him. Your actions are not in line with your heart.
So often, I will be pumped to follow the Lord and give him my life but as soon as I place it in his hands, I take it back and can't part with it. I deny him and my trust in him waivers. Does God wrestle it back and slap my hand? Does he say "You fool"? John 3:17 says "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." Can you imagine the look of Christ after you sin? Could you look him in the eye? What would find in his stare? I often lack integrity. My words, thoughts, and deeds are different when I'm "alone" but the fact is, I'm not alone ever. God sees me when I sin against him, regardless if I acknowledge his presence.
The Bible doesn't clarify where Jesus was in relation to Peter when he was disowned by his friend, but I can say confidently that he didn't need to be within earshot of Peter's words, only within eyeshot of Peter's face. Eye contact is a powerful thing, especially with people that you are close to. A relationship with God is nothing compared to any other relationship you will ever have. The love and the forgiveness that came to Peter in John 21 is something I hope you find in your life. If you haven't already put your trust in Jesus, now is a pretty good time. You don't need to "clean up" before you talk to him (Romans 5:8 says that Jesus died for us while we were sinners), just ask him to help you with whatever you need. He'll be there for you, even if you've ignored his presence your entire life, he is there waiting for you to come to him. His death on the cross not only can remove the punishment for your sins (eternity in hell) but can remove the power of sin over your life as well (Romans 6:11). If you have time, read Luke 22:31-62 and John 21. You have time. Spending time with the Lord (not just reading the Bible, but sitting in His very presence) is more valuable than that newspaper article, that TV show, that computer game, and (dare I say) that NFC Championship game.
I will hopefully have more of an actual update of what's going on with the ministry next week. Thank you for being patient with me and for reading. Things are going well here and I'm learning alot. More details to come.
Please pray:
-For the spiritual lives of the kids. Their names-Rayshantia, Challah, Chassidy, Charity, Alex, Diallo, and Emery.
-That if we get three new kids soon that we could give them as much attention and love as we've been able to give to the first seven.
-That God would give me the courage and trust to follow Him and do things that are of His mysterious will, regardless of what people may think. I want to follow God, not people. (I struggle with this)
Much love, and go Pack!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Racist
(From a book called "Divided By Faith")
"My highly educated colleague James, an African American who recently moved to a new state, was driving from work, which is in a nearly all-white, well-to-do suburb, to his home in another nearly all-white, well-to-do suburb. About a mile after he left work, a police car began to follow him. It followed him all the way to his suburb. "Why are they following me?" James thought, and as they continued to trail him, "Why don't they pull me over?" The police continued to follow him to his street, and even to his home. When James had pulled into his driveway, the police blocked the driveway entrance to the street, turned on the police car lights, and ordered him, over the loudspeaker, to get out of his car with his hands away from his body. Neighbors peered out their windows, and those outside stopped their activities to observe their new neighbor and the unfolding scene. Although frustrated, angry, and very embarrassed, he did as he was told. The white police officers got out to search and question him. After a few minutes they told him they were sorry for the inconvenience and he was free to go. It turned out it was merely a case of mistaken identity; they thought he was someone else wanted for a serious crime. James asked why they had to follow him all the way to his home, resulting in embarrassing him in from of his neighbors and likely reinforcing stereotypes about black men. He never did get a clear answer."
If I asked you if racism is prevalent today, you may say, "It's a pretty subdued issue. There might be a few radical racists out there but don't represent the majority." During the late 1930's and early 1940's, there was a Swedish guy named Gunnar Myrdal who wanted to study race relations in the United States. In interviewing many honest, good-natured people told him that though the U.S. once had a race problem back during slavery times (pre-Civil War), it no longer did. As if to say, "There's no racism now because we no longer have slavery and don't consider black people to be less than human anymore, despite the fact that there are lynchings and 'white only' bathrooms, schools, parks, benches." If I asked you if racism is prevalent today, you, an honest and good-natured person may say, "Though the U.S. once had a race problem back in the 50's and 60's, it no longer does."
Have you ever played baseball? Imagine that you are playing a game that lasts one million innings. For years of playing the game, the other team gets to use bats and gloves. You, however, get neither. You become frustrated when the opponent racks up the score because there's really nothing you can do. They also get paid more for their performance (that's not how baseball works but just go with me). You may even hurl out some choice words and feelings towards them for being given stuff that, in your eyes, you are just as deserving of. In your eyes, your opponents have no right to be proud of something they didn't earn. Then, the "Baseball Rights Act" is enacted and now everyone gets equipment except your bats are old and used, and the mitts are too small. Yeah, everything's fair now! Sure, but your team is behind in the game by an impossible margin. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 eventually worked to get rid of discrimination and forced segregation, we are far from the end of racism.
In Divided By Faith, Michael O. Emerson writes that highly educated whites, compared to less well-educated whites, are much less likely to say they are uncomfortable with black neighbors, less likely to say that they would move if African Americans moved to their neighborhood, and more likely to say that they would consider moving to neighborhoods where African Americans live. The implication is clear. Based on what the well educated say, they should be less segregated from blacks than are other white Americans. But when we looked at where whites actually lived by educational level, even after controlling for many other factors, such as income, college-educated whites are actually more segregated from black Americans then are whites with less education. Reread this paragraph again if you don't quite get it. I had to when I read it since it was worded kind of weird. Anyway, this is important to know. Do your actions match what your head and heart are saying? This next sentence from the book shocked me, but then again was no surprise. "Although many Americans believe residentail segregation by force of law is wrong (the Jim Crow method), they accept residential segregation by choice (the post-Civil Rights method)." It's wrong to force segregational residence, I'll just choose to segregate myself and live over here away from them thank you. That's weird to me. Why does being a middle-class white person/family living apart from a black community, although with good intentions of opportunity, safety, and comfort, do more damage than good? When white people with money leave, so do businesses, grocery stores, jobs. Now the question becomes, why do we draw near to those most like us and hide from those different from us? 100% of the people that Jesus lived among, ate with, healed, and taught were not like him; they were sinners. Maybe black people are a bit too slang or too loud or too blunt or too poor for you. I don't mean to come across as judgmental so if I do I apologize, but I just want you to think about and try to imagine looking at life through the eyes of a black person in a poor community and how they may feel towards white middle-class people who are given everything from opportunities to jobs to cars to food to expensive electronics to money for wasting.
Having nice bats and gloves is not bad, but looking down on a team that is losing the game by a landslide due to unfair rules years before is bad. Please thank God for what you have and ask Him if there are better ways to spend the money he has given you. These poor and predominantly black neighborhoods don't need your money, they need your presence. They need to know you exist, that you understand the injustice that prevents reconciliation from occuring between black and white. Relocating to a more diverse/poor neighborhood may seem irresponsible in the eyes of the world, but I believe is one of the most responsible things a middle-class Christian white person/family can do in order to shed those fears and prejudices and stereotypes and begin building bridges and relationships with the least of these (Matthew 25:40). I've signed with the Jacksonville team and I look at my new perfectly fitted leather glove and my long and strong wooden bat, only beginning to undertstand the game I'm playing in.
"My highly educated colleague James, an African American who recently moved to a new state, was driving from work, which is in a nearly all-white, well-to-do suburb, to his home in another nearly all-white, well-to-do suburb. About a mile after he left work, a police car began to follow him. It followed him all the way to his suburb. "Why are they following me?" James thought, and as they continued to trail him, "Why don't they pull me over?" The police continued to follow him to his street, and even to his home. When James had pulled into his driveway, the police blocked the driveway entrance to the street, turned on the police car lights, and ordered him, over the loudspeaker, to get out of his car with his hands away from his body. Neighbors peered out their windows, and those outside stopped their activities to observe their new neighbor and the unfolding scene. Although frustrated, angry, and very embarrassed, he did as he was told. The white police officers got out to search and question him. After a few minutes they told him they were sorry for the inconvenience and he was free to go. It turned out it was merely a case of mistaken identity; they thought he was someone else wanted for a serious crime. James asked why they had to follow him all the way to his home, resulting in embarrassing him in from of his neighbors and likely reinforcing stereotypes about black men. He never did get a clear answer."
If I asked you if racism is prevalent today, you may say, "It's a pretty subdued issue. There might be a few radical racists out there but don't represent the majority." During the late 1930's and early 1940's, there was a Swedish guy named Gunnar Myrdal who wanted to study race relations in the United States. In interviewing many honest, good-natured people told him that though the U.S. once had a race problem back during slavery times (pre-Civil War), it no longer did. As if to say, "There's no racism now because we no longer have slavery and don't consider black people to be less than human anymore, despite the fact that there are lynchings and 'white only' bathrooms, schools, parks, benches." If I asked you if racism is prevalent today, you, an honest and good-natured person may say, "Though the U.S. once had a race problem back in the 50's and 60's, it no longer does."
Have you ever played baseball? Imagine that you are playing a game that lasts one million innings. For years of playing the game, the other team gets to use bats and gloves. You, however, get neither. You become frustrated when the opponent racks up the score because there's really nothing you can do. They also get paid more for their performance (that's not how baseball works but just go with me). You may even hurl out some choice words and feelings towards them for being given stuff that, in your eyes, you are just as deserving of. In your eyes, your opponents have no right to be proud of something they didn't earn. Then, the "Baseball Rights Act" is enacted and now everyone gets equipment except your bats are old and used, and the mitts are too small. Yeah, everything's fair now! Sure, but your team is behind in the game by an impossible margin. Although the Civil Rights Act of 1964 eventually worked to get rid of discrimination and forced segregation, we are far from the end of racism.
In Divided By Faith, Michael O. Emerson writes that highly educated whites, compared to less well-educated whites, are much less likely to say they are uncomfortable with black neighbors, less likely to say that they would move if African Americans moved to their neighborhood, and more likely to say that they would consider moving to neighborhoods where African Americans live. The implication is clear. Based on what the well educated say, they should be less segregated from blacks than are other white Americans. But when we looked at where whites actually lived by educational level, even after controlling for many other factors, such as income, college-educated whites are actually more segregated from black Americans then are whites with less education. Reread this paragraph again if you don't quite get it. I had to when I read it since it was worded kind of weird. Anyway, this is important to know. Do your actions match what your head and heart are saying? This next sentence from the book shocked me, but then again was no surprise. "Although many Americans believe residentail segregation by force of law is wrong (the Jim Crow method), they accept residential segregation by choice (the post-Civil Rights method)." It's wrong to force segregational residence, I'll just choose to segregate myself and live over here away from them thank you. That's weird to me. Why does being a middle-class white person/family living apart from a black community, although with good intentions of opportunity, safety, and comfort, do more damage than good? When white people with money leave, so do businesses, grocery stores, jobs. Now the question becomes, why do we draw near to those most like us and hide from those different from us? 100% of the people that Jesus lived among, ate with, healed, and taught were not like him; they were sinners. Maybe black people are a bit too slang or too loud or too blunt or too poor for you. I don't mean to come across as judgmental so if I do I apologize, but I just want you to think about and try to imagine looking at life through the eyes of a black person in a poor community and how they may feel towards white middle-class people who are given everything from opportunities to jobs to cars to food to expensive electronics to money for wasting.
Having nice bats and gloves is not bad, but looking down on a team that is losing the game by a landslide due to unfair rules years before is bad. Please thank God for what you have and ask Him if there are better ways to spend the money he has given you. These poor and predominantly black neighborhoods don't need your money, they need your presence. They need to know you exist, that you understand the injustice that prevents reconciliation from occuring between black and white. Relocating to a more diverse/poor neighborhood may seem irresponsible in the eyes of the world, but I believe is one of the most responsible things a middle-class Christian white person/family can do in order to shed those fears and prejudices and stereotypes and begin building bridges and relationships with the least of these (Matthew 25:40). I've signed with the Jacksonville team and I look at my new perfectly fitted leather glove and my long and strong wooden bat, only beginning to undertstand the game I'm playing in.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)