Hello from South Carolina!
These past few weeks have been a true blessing from the Lord. Because my current theme in life is "Follow You Into the World" it's important that I travel. Well, I went to Jamaica and Grand Cayman two weeks ago and now I am in South Carolina. I have to admit I feel kind of bad because I know there are people who deserve these trips and need them far more than I do, but at the same time I'm so happy to be able to travel and get to see far away places. I feel the Lord leading me further and further out of my comfort zone. Every day I feel a little bit more excited to go out into the world. I still have to write a post about Jamaica and I will, but for now I have to leave it at this because, let's face it, I've been slacking off when it comes to updating this blog.
Thanks for reading!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Real family guy.
This is not a reference to the cartoon. No, I'm going to tell you about a really cool guy named Yudi.
I just spent the last 5 days on a luxurious cruise ship - the Carnival Destiny. It was a graduation gift from my beautiful grandmother. The ship set sail from Miami and stopped in Jamaica and Grand Cayman. I will post more about the trip on another day, but right now I have to tell you about Yudi. The loving and loyal heart he has for his family and the story he shared inspired me. Would you join with me in praying for him? :)
I took this picture on the last night of the cruise. My younger cousin (middle) poses with our two nightly waiters. Yudi is on the right. Don't be fooled by the picture - he really is friendly. Both waitors come from Indonesia, and I'm lead to believe that they have similar stories, but Yudi opened up and shared his. Yudi is married, and by the way he spoke of her, I could tell that he really adores his wife. They have two children; a 3-year-old and a baby who was born only a few months ago. By the grace of God, Yudi was able to go home to Indonesia when the baby was born, but is now practically trapped on the cruise ship. His job requires him to work for 6 months straight at a time, then he is able to go home and be with his growing family for 3 short months. After that it's back to the cruise ship. Once Yudi had finished describing his job to us we asked if he had any pictures of his children. He said he has one picture of each child and has them taped above his cabin bed. He said that every night he lays down, stares at the pictures, and prays. He then told us that sometimes when he dozes off he'll shake himself out of it in fear of not being able to see the pictures of his kids.
The man is afraid to sleep at night because he doesn't want to miss a moment looking at the pictures of his children. Imagine how terribly his heart must ache to see them. I can't even begin to fathom it. Poor guy. His demeanor changed as he told us about his nightly ritual. It was easy to see that the separation from his family takes a toll.
Many of my friends have suffered through divorces and other family issues. After watching them go through their tough times it was strangely encouraging to see someone care and love their family so deeply. If you are reading this please keep Yudi and his family in your prayers.
I just spent the last 5 days on a luxurious cruise ship - the Carnival Destiny. It was a graduation gift from my beautiful grandmother. The ship set sail from Miami and stopped in Jamaica and Grand Cayman. I will post more about the trip on another day, but right now I have to tell you about Yudi. The loving and loyal heart he has for his family and the story he shared inspired me. Would you join with me in praying for him? :)
I took this picture on the last night of the cruise. My younger cousin (middle) poses with our two nightly waiters. Yudi is on the right. Don't be fooled by the picture - he really is friendly. Both waitors come from Indonesia, and I'm lead to believe that they have similar stories, but Yudi opened up and shared his. Yudi is married, and by the way he spoke of her, I could tell that he really adores his wife. They have two children; a 3-year-old and a baby who was born only a few months ago. By the grace of God, Yudi was able to go home to Indonesia when the baby was born, but is now practically trapped on the cruise ship. His job requires him to work for 6 months straight at a time, then he is able to go home and be with his growing family for 3 short months. After that it's back to the cruise ship. Once Yudi had finished describing his job to us we asked if he had any pictures of his children. He said he has one picture of each child and has them taped above his cabin bed. He said that every night he lays down, stares at the pictures, and prays. He then told us that sometimes when he dozes off he'll shake himself out of it in fear of not being able to see the pictures of his kids.
The man is afraid to sleep at night because he doesn't want to miss a moment looking at the pictures of his children. Imagine how terribly his heart must ache to see them. I can't even begin to fathom it. Poor guy. His demeanor changed as he told us about his nightly ritual. It was easy to see that the separation from his family takes a toll.
Many of my friends have suffered through divorces and other family issues. After watching them go through their tough times it was strangely encouraging to see someone care and love their family so deeply. If you are reading this please keep Yudi and his family in your prayers.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Community is incomplete.
Disabled. This word can be used to describe a car that has broken down on the side of the road. But can the word really be used to describe a person? I think not.
Day 4 of SOS just ended, but I will keep the memories and experiences it brought close to my heart for as long as I possibly can. Today, my team was sent to the home of a woman named Judy and her daughter Susan. Our original plan was to do some yard work for them for a half hour, forty-five minutes tops, and then move on to another location. But the Lord told us to stay, so we did. Our tasks were simple - weeding flowerbeds, cutting down barren tree branches, and so on. We managed to turn some of these into fun and creative adventures. For example, to reach some of the higher branches, I was hoisted onto my friends' shoulders. It was good teamwork for sure. The Lord took us above and beyond our original plans. We even painted some of her garden decorations and picked up the dog poo from her yard. But the best part was getting to talk with Judy, hearing about her life, and seeing how blessed she was by our simple actions. We were so drawn to her that a couple girls from the team went out and bought her some flowers. She cried as she held them in her hands. Actually, she cried several times while we were there. Judy has not had an easy life. Among other things, she lost one of her children to brain cancer and is now wheelchair-bound, unable to walk or even stand up on her own. The latter would be considered a disability, right? Well, I don't think so. I'll explain further into this post. First, take a look at this video:
Last year at SOS the 800+ students were rushed into the host church auditorium on Thursday afternoon directly after returning from outreach. Without warning, the lights dimmed and this video ran. Quite a few students were in tears by time it was over but who could blame them? Harmony (the beautiful young woman from the video) walked onto the stage and explained the event a little more, then asked if we (the students) would like to do something similar sometime. The crowd erupted in applause. Then Harmony asked, "How about right now?" The room fell silent and immediately filled with tension. In the coolest way possible, Harmony announced that 600 or so special needs guests were on their way to the church building for a luau. This luau went so well that they brought it back for an encore tonight. I had a couple of options open to me. My team was selected as escorts for the guests, so I could have either gone out and been an escort or stayed in the production room to help with a game. I strongly considered the second option because I was feeling tired and knew it would give me some time to rest up. But the Holy Spirit was quick to speak to my heart and talk me out of it. I went outside to be paired up with a guest. Quite honestly, I was a little aggravated because of how tired I was. I was about to turn back, but then I saw a familiar face. Her name is Sarah. Sarah was my guest at the SOS Luau last year and is a wonderful friend of mine. Her beautiful eyes widened as she screamed with joy [very] loudly. She ran to me and threw her arms around me, nearly choking me in the process. But I didn't mind. Sarah then took my hand and said, "Let's go!" then led me into the party. I felt a good energy return to my body and mind, so as I held Sarah's hand I silently prayed to the Lord and said, "Okay, You win."
We had over 1,000 guests tonight. What's amazing about this group of people is that they know how to have a great time. One of the bigger rooms of the building is always turned into a giant dance party, and man oh man did we dance. I could barely keep up! There was so much joy and energy in that room. I can still feel it in my heart when I think back. All 1,000+ guests are considered "disabled" in some way by society just like Judy is. But I think the Lord allowed me to take a look through His eyes today. While Judy's legs may not work very well, God has enabled her to live through her many hardships with the strength and grace that many Christians pray for every day. Sarah, my dear friend, may have trouble saying some words and she may not think the same way that I do, but God has enabled her to be a woman of beauty and power. She influences me to be a better person every single time I see her. And while society only sees the wheelchairs and the health troubles, God has enabled these people to live through it all and still have the joy and passion to sing, dance, laugh, and cheer despite the challenges that rise up against them every day. God allowed me to see His sons and daughters, His chosen princes and princesses who He loves dearly, and the missing pieces of the picture of community we try so hard to complete on a daily basis. I want these sons and daughters of the King to be lifted up in the world, because it really is social injustice the way they are treated and left behind. This has to stop. Without these wonderful people, community itself is disabled.
Day 4 of SOS just ended, but I will keep the memories and experiences it brought close to my heart for as long as I possibly can. Today, my team was sent to the home of a woman named Judy and her daughter Susan. Our original plan was to do some yard work for them for a half hour, forty-five minutes tops, and then move on to another location. But the Lord told us to stay, so we did. Our tasks were simple - weeding flowerbeds, cutting down barren tree branches, and so on. We managed to turn some of these into fun and creative adventures. For example, to reach some of the higher branches, I was hoisted onto my friends' shoulders. It was good teamwork for sure. The Lord took us above and beyond our original plans. We even painted some of her garden decorations and picked up the dog poo from her yard. But the best part was getting to talk with Judy, hearing about her life, and seeing how blessed she was by our simple actions. We were so drawn to her that a couple girls from the team went out and bought her some flowers. She cried as she held them in her hands. Actually, she cried several times while we were there. Judy has not had an easy life. Among other things, she lost one of her children to brain cancer and is now wheelchair-bound, unable to walk or even stand up on her own. The latter would be considered a disability, right? Well, I don't think so. I'll explain further into this post. First, take a look at this video:
Last year at SOS the 800+ students were rushed into the host church auditorium on Thursday afternoon directly after returning from outreach. Without warning, the lights dimmed and this video ran. Quite a few students were in tears by time it was over but who could blame them? Harmony (the beautiful young woman from the video) walked onto the stage and explained the event a little more, then asked if we (the students) would like to do something similar sometime. The crowd erupted in applause. Then Harmony asked, "How about right now?" The room fell silent and immediately filled with tension. In the coolest way possible, Harmony announced that 600 or so special needs guests were on their way to the church building for a luau. This luau went so well that they brought it back for an encore tonight. I had a couple of options open to me. My team was selected as escorts for the guests, so I could have either gone out and been an escort or stayed in the production room to help with a game. I strongly considered the second option because I was feeling tired and knew it would give me some time to rest up. But the Holy Spirit was quick to speak to my heart and talk me out of it. I went outside to be paired up with a guest. Quite honestly, I was a little aggravated because of how tired I was. I was about to turn back, but then I saw a familiar face. Her name is Sarah. Sarah was my guest at the SOS Luau last year and is a wonderful friend of mine. Her beautiful eyes widened as she screamed with joy [very] loudly. She ran to me and threw her arms around me, nearly choking me in the process. But I didn't mind. Sarah then took my hand and said, "Let's go!" then led me into the party. I felt a good energy return to my body and mind, so as I held Sarah's hand I silently prayed to the Lord and said, "Okay, You win."
We had over 1,000 guests tonight. What's amazing about this group of people is that they know how to have a great time. One of the bigger rooms of the building is always turned into a giant dance party, and man oh man did we dance. I could barely keep up! There was so much joy and energy in that room. I can still feel it in my heart when I think back. All 1,000+ guests are considered "disabled" in some way by society just like Judy is. But I think the Lord allowed me to take a look through His eyes today. While Judy's legs may not work very well, God has enabled her to live through her many hardships with the strength and grace that many Christians pray for every day. Sarah, my dear friend, may have trouble saying some words and she may not think the same way that I do, but God has enabled her to be a woman of beauty and power. She influences me to be a better person every single time I see her. And while society only sees the wheelchairs and the health troubles, God has enabled these people to live through it all and still have the joy and passion to sing, dance, laugh, and cheer despite the challenges that rise up against them every day. God allowed me to see His sons and daughters, His chosen princes and princesses who He loves dearly, and the missing pieces of the picture of community we try so hard to complete on a daily basis. I want these sons and daughters of the King to be lifted up in the world, because it really is social injustice the way they are treated and left behind. This has to stop. Without these wonderful people, community itself is disabled.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
My heart shattered for a man...
... his name is Cedric.
Before I tell the story, let me back up just a little. I'm attending an annual youth conference hosted by my home church called Summer Of Service, better known as SOS. SOS is a 5-day event where middle school and high school students engage in powerful worship, hear inspirational (and often life-changing) messages, and then take the love of Jesus to the streets, serving the people of Cincinnati Ohio with outreaches like free car washes, bottled water giveaways, and business toilet cleaning to name a few. Two years ago a new form of outreach was introduced. It's called E2. The outreach begins with a few simple exercises that help the participants to listen to the Holy Spirit. Then teams spend some time praying listening. After doing this they share any thoughts, ideas, words, or images they feel the Holy Spirit shared with them. They then go out into the city in search for the things they felt or saw. My team was up for E2 today. At lunch we shared what we thought we all had received from the Holy Spirit. Most of us felt the need to go to a park, and many of us saw an image of an African American man with a mustache sitting on a stone wall. Many of us also saw the color blue. After we shared and filled up on Wendy's we headed out, hoping that we were truly following the Holy Spirit's directions rather than our own random thoughts.
We went to a park and got to talk to some of the people that were there. They were really nice and a lot of fun to talk to. We bought two cases of ice cold bottled water to give out at the park. It was 91 degrees today. I don't think anyone refused the water. I had one more bottle in my hand, so I raised it over my head and asked if anyone wanted it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw another hand go up in the air. I turned and looked and saw an African American man. He was sitting on a stone wall, and yes, he had a mustache. I walked over to him and handed him the water, then, without warning, he busted out in tears and sobs. I sat down beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder for comfort. Even before I asked why he was crying he started explaining his situation. Oh, if you haven't caught on already, this is the Cedric I mentioned earlier.
Cedric is married and has two children. A little boy named Isaiah and a newborn. But his family is far away and he does not have enough money to get back to them. He misses them all terribly. It quickly became obvious to me that this was a man who really cared for his family. He's been looking for a job, but because he does not have his birth certificate he is unable to find work. I don't think he has a home. He didn't even have any money to take a bus anywhere, and he was hungry. I found seven dollars in my wallet and gave it to him, then gave him a pack of sandwich crackers I had tucked away in my bag. Cedric then allowed me and my team leader to pray for him. He cried the entire time. After the prayer and a little more conversation we got up to leave, but not before promising to return to the park on Saturday to help him get a new birth certificate made. I bid him goodbye and turned to leave but he called for me and extended his arms for a hug. He was still crying.
On the ride back to the church building I couldn't help but let a few tears fall from my own eyes. My heart felt heavier than it has in a long, long time. It's been nearly 12 hours since our encounter at the park, but Cedric has not been far from my thoughts. If you're reading this PLEASE keep Cedric in your prayers. He is very dear to me, and I know in my heart that the Lord has great plans for him. He just needs the strength to make it through to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel he's in.
Before I tell the story, let me back up just a little. I'm attending an annual youth conference hosted by my home church called Summer Of Service, better known as SOS. SOS is a 5-day event where middle school and high school students engage in powerful worship, hear inspirational (and often life-changing) messages, and then take the love of Jesus to the streets, serving the people of Cincinnati Ohio with outreaches like free car washes, bottled water giveaways, and business toilet cleaning to name a few. Two years ago a new form of outreach was introduced. It's called E2. The outreach begins with a few simple exercises that help the participants to listen to the Holy Spirit. Then teams spend some time praying listening. After doing this they share any thoughts, ideas, words, or images they feel the Holy Spirit shared with them. They then go out into the city in search for the things they felt or saw. My team was up for E2 today. At lunch we shared what we thought we all had received from the Holy Spirit. Most of us felt the need to go to a park, and many of us saw an image of an African American man with a mustache sitting on a stone wall. Many of us also saw the color blue. After we shared and filled up on Wendy's we headed out, hoping that we were truly following the Holy Spirit's directions rather than our own random thoughts.
We went to a park and got to talk to some of the people that were there. They were really nice and a lot of fun to talk to. We bought two cases of ice cold bottled water to give out at the park. It was 91 degrees today. I don't think anyone refused the water. I had one more bottle in my hand, so I raised it over my head and asked if anyone wanted it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw another hand go up in the air. I turned and looked and saw an African American man. He was sitting on a stone wall, and yes, he had a mustache. I walked over to him and handed him the water, then, without warning, he busted out in tears and sobs. I sat down beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder for comfort. Even before I asked why he was crying he started explaining his situation. Oh, if you haven't caught on already, this is the Cedric I mentioned earlier.
Cedric is married and has two children. A little boy named Isaiah and a newborn. But his family is far away and he does not have enough money to get back to them. He misses them all terribly. It quickly became obvious to me that this was a man who really cared for his family. He's been looking for a job, but because he does not have his birth certificate he is unable to find work. I don't think he has a home. He didn't even have any money to take a bus anywhere, and he was hungry. I found seven dollars in my wallet and gave it to him, then gave him a pack of sandwich crackers I had tucked away in my bag. Cedric then allowed me and my team leader to pray for him. He cried the entire time. After the prayer and a little more conversation we got up to leave, but not before promising to return to the park on Saturday to help him get a new birth certificate made. I bid him goodbye and turned to leave but he called for me and extended his arms for a hug. He was still crying.
On the ride back to the church building I couldn't help but let a few tears fall from my own eyes. My heart felt heavier than it has in a long, long time. It's been nearly 12 hours since our encounter at the park, but Cedric has not been far from my thoughts. If you're reading this PLEASE keep Cedric in your prayers. He is very dear to me, and I know in my heart that the Lord has great plans for him. He just needs the strength to make it through to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel he's in.
Friday, June 18, 2010
The song behind the blog.
I don't think a song has ever spoken to my heart as loudly or as clearly as "Follow You" by Leeland (featuring Brandon Heath) has. It's the inspiration behind this blog. Whenever I hear it, I feel this conviction in my heart to go and share the love of Christ with the entire world. I also feel encouraged, like I'm receiving a burst of courage and desire from above. Every time I catch this song on the radio an ear-to-ear grin comes across my face, my heart starts racing, and sometimes I will even get goosebumps. God is speaking to me through the lyrics of this song. I just know it. The video is also very moving. Take a look:
"You live among the least of these; the weary and the weak
And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away
On my knees You have supplied - when I was dead You gave me life
How could I not give it away so freely?
I'll follow You into the homes of the broken; follow You into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
I'll follow You into the world
Use my hands and use my feet to make Your kingdom come
To the corners of the earth until Your work is done
'Cause faith without works is dead, and on the cross Your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?
And I'll, I'll follow You into the homes of the broken; follow You into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
I'll follow You into the world
And I'll, I'll follow You into the homes of the broken; follow You into the world
Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God
I'll follow You into the world
I give all myself, I give all myself
I give all myself to You
And I give all myself, yes I give all myself
And I give all myself to You and I'll...
I'll follow You into the homes of the broken, I'll follow You into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needs, God
I'll follow You into the world
I'll follow You into the homes of the broken, I'll follow you into the world
I'll meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God."
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