tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88384612468254719712024-02-20T12:23:25.338-06:00Written Not With InkAdriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-79503490602012098082021-05-09T21:00:00.000-05:002021-05-09T21:00:39.288-05:00The Mothering Wings of God<p>This morning I was praying over a particular situation and I asked God to let me see him in the midst of it. What God brought to mind was a bird completely encircling me and my family in its wings. I recalled the verse in the Gospels where Jesus says that he longed to cover the people of Jerusalem with his wings as a Mother hen covers her chicks.</p><p>We often think of God as our Father, but everything that a Mother is came directly from the nature of God too. </p><p>The love of a mother is intimate and tender. Mothers hold little humans when they sleep and when they are sick, and dry tears of pain and sadness. They wipe boogers and butts and clean everyone's underwear. They give the best snuggles and tickles and know just how to tuck in their kids like a burrito. </p><p>God loves us like that.</p><p>But the love of a mother is ferocious and tenacious too. They are some of the hardest working and most sacrificial people I've met. They protect and advocate and fight for the people they love. Mom's don't give up. Rightfully, there's a healthy fear and respect for the Mama Bear. </p><p>God loves us like that too.</p><p>Today, on Mother's Day, whether you have an amazing example of a mother's love or a difficult one, God longs to wrap you in his wings like a mother hen. He longs to cover you with tenderness and shelter you with the strength of his love. </p><p>Let him.</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem.... How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings..." Matthew 23:37</p><p>He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them aloft. Deuteronomy 32:10-11</p><p>How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7</p><p>He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you. Psalm 91:4</p></blockquote>Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-65173336037193234572020-11-16T08:50:00.000-06:002020-11-16T08:50:58.850-06:00Grandma<p>Some people have a gift for making you feel seen when you're in their presence. People who use this gift with the most power are the ones whose gentle strength makes you feel seen and safe. When you're with people like that, you can't help but feel like the best version of yourself. They make even the most insignificant of us feel important, as if seeing <span style="font-style: italic;">you </span> is the greatest gift of <span style="font-style: italic;">their</span> day. I imagine it's exactly what it would feel like to sit face to face with Jesus.</p><p></p><div>Grandma was one of those people</div><div><br /></div><div>It's no wonder that everyone loved her.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDo-1X0WZ-qRH7NAbONg5GVT1jr6hKPtbgvjUBIo6_YKatM0KD6AbrXouhjSJo1icrVypLk7oPF_HUrpBvyApF7opramxkd7FYuDklZ7qfm_BqHeoa-fIAqk3Xepx7KiEbSHnB0Tb23sr/s2468/PXL_20201116_143430387%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2172" data-original-width="2468" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKDo-1X0WZ-qRH7NAbONg5GVT1jr6hKPtbgvjUBIo6_YKatM0KD6AbrXouhjSJo1icrVypLk7oPF_HUrpBvyApF7opramxkd7FYuDklZ7qfm_BqHeoa-fIAqk3Xepx7KiEbSHnB0Tb23sr/w200-h176/PXL_20201116_143430387%257E2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>She was strong, but the gentle kind, and she was so sensible that when she told you that you all but hung the moon, you'd have no choice but to believe her. You knew she had your back and she could hold it down--while wearing pressed slacks and gold clip on earrings.</div><div><br /></div><div>Grandma was not known for her culinary prowess, so it's ironic that one of the things she was family-famous for was her pancakes. She made the biggest, fluffiest pancakes, with crisp, buttery edges--to be eaten with lots of syrup and a cold glass of whole milk. </div><div><br /></div><div>To this day I can't really name a breakfast I'd rather have. All of us have tried for years to replicate these magical pancakes made from an unassuming "Just Add Water" mix, but, we've all found out "they're not Grandma's pancakes!"</div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder though if the real magic ingredient was Grandma. Not, like, in the pancakes...that'd be gross. It was the time you got to sit in her kitchen with the bright yellow cabinets, just talking, while she poured out a pancake the size of your face, served up, just for you. A moment in time that felt utterly ordinary but actually was magical because of who you spent it with.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFVbTYo9aoCm_g40jmNawbvKRx7glP5c3v9ciYKkeMORqONZV7brYwn0D8arZ35cPxUUH-GXyCDbm1KqZnd5L08EC-iDWXSduGeWzZUjc-GeCu0PuYTg89PhxGBoqRnR6m4pJegPxePQU/s2624/IMG_20200528_162210%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2257" data-original-width="2624" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFVbTYo9aoCm_g40jmNawbvKRx7glP5c3v9ciYKkeMORqONZV7brYwn0D8arZ35cPxUUH-GXyCDbm1KqZnd5L08EC-iDWXSduGeWzZUjc-GeCu0PuYTg89PhxGBoqRnR6m4pJegPxePQU/w200-h172/IMG_20200528_162210%257E2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Grandma was so many things. She was the lined yellow pads where she faithfully wrote out her sermons. She was the notecard that carried her thoughts of you to your door. She was back rubs when you were falling asleep, a soft voice reading about a boy who grew duck feet. She was a bag full of Cheetos to share. She was the easy mark for your pranks. She was the checkbook ledger carefully balanced. She was walks to the park and dinner so, so, so slowly eaten. She was a wife, daughter, sister, mother, Grandma, and more. She is a child of God. </div><div><br /></div><div>She was someone who would have thought this was maybe just a little too much fuss being made about her. She'd rather be talking about the people she loved, praising our victories and praying for our challenges. I think it's fitting then, that the only suitable tribute to a woman like that is to honor her impact in our lives by truly loving the people we love.</div><div><br /></div><div>I may never have a pancake as good as Grandma's again, but perhaps, if I work at it, I can make one for someone I love, because, just maybe, the real trick wasn't the amount of butter she put in the pan or the consistency of the batter--believe me, I've tried! Maybe it was the steadiness in the hand that held the spatula, the love in the eyes that took time to <span style="font-style: italic;">see </span> you, the gentle strength of her voice taking interest in you. Those are things I aspire to be: steady, loving, gentle, strong.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wonder if that's the secret of everything we do here on earth. Every mundane thing can be made magical when bathed in the light of Christ-like love. Where you can make pancakes from a "Just Add Water" mix that people talk about for generations. Where the kind of strength and gentleness that can only come from the Holy Spirit leaves the people around you believing in the better versions of themselves. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's a secret that Grandma had learned and shared with everyone in her life. It's a secret we have the chance to share with everyone in <span style="font-style: italic;">our </span>lives. </div><div><br /></div><div>I miss her. I'm grateful that I will get to see her again, and in the meantime, I want to learn to be more like her.</div><div></div>Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-88741445317006029702020-05-30T14:23:00.000-05:002020-05-30T14:24:58.338-05:00Come to Gethsemane, My Friend<div>
On the night before his crucifixion Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to grieve and to pray. He brought his friends with him, but his friends, his brothers, didn't extend to him the love of bearing witness to his grief. </div>
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I get it. Grief makes me uncomfortable, especially to watch. It highlights all my insecurities about not being adequate. I don't know what to <span style="font-style: italic;">do.</span> Its weight feels like a burden of accusation or its emptiness a yawning depth I fear might swallow me too. <span style="font-style: italic;">Look away. Get away.</span> Honestly, those are my gut reactions when I see grief. </div>
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Maybe that's why it was easiest for Jesus' friends to close their eyes and escape into sleep, when he asked them to sit with him. It's not that they didn't care about Jesus, they just didn't really understand his pain, and anyone's pain, understood or not, is uncomfortable to witness.</div>
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Right now, my black brothers and sisters, I want to acknowledge, that you are in the Garden of Grief, asking God to let this cup pass from you and your children. Jesus knows your pain, he grieved and cried out to God, in fear for his life. </div>
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Come to Gethsemane, my friend. God sees you there. Jesus sits and grieves with you. But I want to sit and grieve with you too.</div>
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Right now, my white brothers and sisters, echoing through our nation is the gut reflex, <span style="font-style: italic;">look away, get away</span>. The questions feel frightening, maybe even threatening. <span style="font-style: italic;">Why does evil wear a face like mine? Am I part of the problem? What can I really do? </span>Our response may be to deflect, point fingers in other directions. Or maybe, it's just easier to close our eyes and sleep.</div>
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Come to Gethsemane, my friend. Our brothers and sisters are inviting us to bear witness to their grief, to cry out to God, together, to let this cup pass.</div>
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Some of us stay outside the garden and it is easy to deflect and to pass judgement on how others grieve. <span style="font-style: italic;">Did Jesus really need to cry to the point of sweating blood? Doesn't that seem a little extreme?</span></div>
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Some of us step into the garden but it all feels too big and too scary to face and so we anesthetize ourselves with sleep. We close our eyes on our sister's weeping, we turn our head from our brother's screams. </div>
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This is not love. This is not living as the family of God. There is a different way.</div>
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Come to Gethsemane, my friends. In the Garden of grief you don't have to come with the "right" way to grieve. You don't have to come with the "right" answers. But, you do need to come with your eyes and ears open. In the garden, only our Father has the answers. In the garden, we only cling to each other and cry out and wait for Jesus to show us the path out.</div>
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Gethsemane is a place of grieving but it is also a place of submission. The path out will not be easy, Jesus showed us it is a path of sacrifice, a path of humility. I don't know what cross our Father will specifically call each of us to carry, but I know he will ask us to carry one. Our beloved, Jesus, carried one for us too.</div>
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Our Father will speak to each of us in Gethsemane, words of comfort and words of challenge, whispering to us the specific things he is asking us to submit to him. But he won't ask us to carry our crosses alone. Because of Jesus, our Father will never forsake us. This gives us courage.</div>
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Come to Gethsemane, my friends. We need Jesus and we need each other here. It is where the journey begins. It is where an ask for and an answer of sacrificial love changes the world.</div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-38744764450670213732020-04-09T11:05:00.001-05:002020-04-09T11:07:36.127-05:00Good Friday - Meditations on the Last Seven Sayings of Jesus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Father, Forgive Them</span></span></b></h2>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.5pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Today we remember that it is our sin that brought
Jesus to the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it is only
through the blood of Jesus that we find forgiveness.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though you wash yourself with lye and
use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord
GOD (Jeremiah 2:22).<sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God (Romans 3:23) Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified
with blood, and<sup> </sup>without the shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore,
just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so
death spread to all men because all sinned—for sin indeed was in the world
before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even
over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type
of the one who was to come. <sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup>But
the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s
trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of
that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many (Romans 5:12-15). For the
wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord (Romans 6:23).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was written </i>surely he has borne our
griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by
God, and afflicted.<sup> </sup><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But he
was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we
are healed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All we like sheep have gone
astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on
him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:4-6). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And so </i>if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">forgive</span> us our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And</i>, he is able to save to the uttermost
those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make
intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But</span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> who can <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">forgive</span> sins but God alone (Mark 2:7)?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus declared</span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">, “This is my
blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins
(Matthew 26:28).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do."<sup> </sup>(Luke 23:34)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<strong><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-weight: normal;">Join me in a
time of humble and grateful adoration of the undeserved forgiveness we find in
the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.<o:p></o:p></span></i></strong></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You Will be in
Paradise</span></span></strong></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-weight: normal;">Not only do we find forgiveness in Jesus’ sacrifice, we are promised the
hope of a future and eternal relationship with God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></strong></div>
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<strong><i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-weight: normal;"> Jesus says
</span></i></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-weight: normal;">t</span></strong><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">ruly, truly, I
say to you, whoever believes has eternal
life (John 6:47).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> It is written</span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> that, as sin
reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21). And this is the
testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son (1 John
5:11). Therefore, since we have been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. <sup> </sup>Through him we have also obtained access
by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory
of God. (Romans 5:1-2)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, so must the Son of Man<sup> </sup>be lifted up, that whoever
believes<sup> </sup>in him<sup> </sup>may have eternal life.<sup> </sup> "For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal
life. <sup> </sup>For God did not send
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might
be saved through him (John 3:14-17). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<strong><i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-weight: normal;"> And Jesus
promises,</span></i></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt; font-weight: normal;"> t</span></strong><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">ruly, truly, I
say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to
life (John 5:24). Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great
in heaven (Matthew 5:12). <i>Anybody who receives this reward</i> shall
hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any
scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their
shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will
wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:16-17).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it
were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?<sup> </sup>(John
14:2).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"> </span><b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">"Truly,
I say to you, today you will be with me in<sup> </sup>Paradise." (Luke
23:43)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">Join me in prayer as we praise
God for the hope that we have based on God’s promise of eternal life for those
who believe.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Behold Your Son!
Behold Your Mother!</span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpw4oWnrpDNEiNHF_-HYDV2omfP6LfUXpCiepDvy0H7fwWkLBESM3uG_-3G9RgXzGYjoblf_nd2i7wXeqqRzJLGki8rXsECUr3IE8qUd3mfyKxZyosknyuBMHFi5rozPW7qQFKfTWImjy/s1600/bar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="73" data-original-width="1201" height="19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdpw4oWnrpDNEiNHF_-HYDV2omfP6LfUXpCiepDvy0H7fwWkLBESM3uG_-3G9RgXzGYjoblf_nd2i7wXeqqRzJLGki8rXsECUr3IE8qUd3mfyKxZyosknyuBMHFi5rozPW7qQFKfTWImjy/s320/bar.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">Even in His last hour, Jesus was
caring for His own. One of His primary
means of caring for and providing for His people is through the unity of the
church—His Body. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give
you the kingdom (Luke 12:32). <i>For </i>God has so composed the body…that
there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same
care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member
is honored, all rejoice together (1 Corinthians 12:24-26).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all<sup> </sup>the flock, in
which the Holy Spirit has made you<sup> </sup>overseers, to care for the church
of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure
fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock[…]. And now I
commend you to God and […] (Acts 20:28-32)[<sup> </sup>…] a new commandment I
give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are
to love one another. By this all people
will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (John
13:34-35).<sup> </sup><i>For</i> whoever
loves God must also love his brother (1 John 4:21).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple
whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your
son!" Then he said to the disciple,
"Behold, your mother!" (John 19:26-17).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">Join me in prayer as we thank God
for the provision of the Body of Christ, and solemnly consider how we can
better carry out His call on our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Why Have You Forsaken
Me?</span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNoUGBULmXvaSabqnaAqTPE-7LKBmNXZx7zM_47Epz90QDFuv_t45KxyQhHSzFN13b8x6sk9XipqRR1CEVsi6Y-L9OapqGCbP3lC9cMaRUl43ANK_aoTrIYHeoVA6ekKZaPKIdbwZzwsA/s1600/bar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="73" data-original-width="1201" height="19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFNoUGBULmXvaSabqnaAqTPE-7LKBmNXZx7zM_47Epz90QDFuv_t45KxyQhHSzFN13b8x6sk9XipqRR1CEVsi6Y-L9OapqGCbP3lC9cMaRUl43ANK_aoTrIYHeoVA6ekKZaPKIdbwZzwsA/s320/bar.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sin
means death and eternal separation from God.
Jesus paid the price and experienced the agony of separation from His
Father as He bore our sins.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we
might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).</span><b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Therefore I will divide him a portion with the
many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his
soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD (Proverbs 15:9).</span><b><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 8.0pt;">
</span></b><i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Yes, </span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">your
iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins
have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.<sup> </sup> For your hands are defiled with blood and
your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies (Isaiah 59:2-3).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace (Isaiah 53:5). <i>And He
cried, <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> "My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Join me
in prayer as we acknowledge the agony that Christ endured on our behalf, so
that we might be brought back to God.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I Thirst</span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTrsT3aU4xaiP798diR9ucqmfHRO-mSH6DJzfpyvp9D0wCdhK3u9ZXT8a2QgCB-mjHfE1nTdy-WjmQ3ARKiBDP9Q_7OOuxGFXrfTHNOISlGCskZ7TI6dkJERDBSBV2vCN_TA6s4K2B8vu/s1600/bar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="73" data-original-width="1201" height="19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTrsT3aU4xaiP798diR9ucqmfHRO-mSH6DJzfpyvp9D0wCdhK3u9ZXT8a2QgCB-mjHfE1nTdy-WjmQ3ARKiBDP9Q_7OOuxGFXrfTHNOISlGCskZ7TI6dkJERDBSBV2vCN_TA6s4K2B8vu/s320/bar.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">To be our perfect sacrifice
Christ was necessarily fully human, while still fully God. He endured the temptation, the pain, and the
suffering that came with that humiliation.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). When the fullness of time had come, God sent
forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4:4-5).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">He had to be made like his brothers in
every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in
the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people (Hebrews
2:17). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Humbled, as a human, He experienced
suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> He was </span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">a man
of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their
faces he was despised (Isaiah 53:3).<i> In
His suffering Jesus prayed, </i>"Father, if you are willing, remove this
cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will,
but yours, be done." <sup> </sup>And
there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more
earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the
ground (Luke 22:42-44).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
They spit in his face and struck him (Matthew 26:67).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> After <i>all
of </i>this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said…"I
thirst." (John 19:28).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">Join me in prayer as we meditate
on what Christ endured in His humanity, so that He might be our intercessor and
let us pray for strength and guidance to the one who identifies with all our
struggles.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It is Finished</span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUMtJZIXQ_HEYd6iPEHXmIiDVZ4YrqhRun1TqQ9YKaWXL9fefnXzI0xjEbXFi_c4tKdBbQtthJTWstUdMbW-4dqUdk6VKbX3eSU14o31E3DfpoSz9DpMUvsLY_Zp4F6411EYT3WZAQgRm/s1600/bar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="73" data-original-width="1201" height="19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUMtJZIXQ_HEYd6iPEHXmIiDVZ4YrqhRun1TqQ9YKaWXL9fefnXzI0xjEbXFi_c4tKdBbQtthJTWstUdMbW-4dqUdk6VKbX3eSU14o31E3DfpoSz9DpMUvsLY_Zp4F6411EYT3WZAQgRm/s320/bar.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">God’s Word promises a covenant
that would bring full victory over the power of Satan. Jesus’ death was the only sacrifice necessary
to atone for our sins once and for all.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jeremiah
31:31).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Just as</span></i><sup><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
</span></sup><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">the LORD God said to the serpent, I will
put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her
offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel
(Genesis 3:14). <sup> </sup><i>For</i>
the reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil (1
John 3:8).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Just as Jesus explained to His disciples,</span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
"Everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be
accomplished. <sup> </sup>For he will be
delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and
spit upon. <sup> </sup>And after flogging
him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise." (Luke
18:31-34).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> And</span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> we know that
Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has
dominion over him. <sup> </sup>For the
death he died he died to sin, once for all (Romans 6:9-11).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> But</span></i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> death is
swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is
your sting? The sting of death is sin,
and the power of sin is the law (1 Corinthians 15:54-56). For Christ also
suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring
us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit (1
Peter 3:18).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of
the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are
continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near […]. Consequently, when Christ came into the
world, he said, "Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a
body have you prepared for me;<sup> </sup>in burnt offerings and sin
offerings you have taken no pleasure.<sup> </sup> Then I said, 'Behold, I have come to do your
will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.'" When he said above, "You have neither
desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and
sin offerings" (these are offered according to the law), then he added,
"Behold, I have come to do your will." He does away with the first in
order to establish the second. <sup> </sup>And by that will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every
priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices,
which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a
single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from
that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. <sup> </sup>For by a single offering he has
perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:1-14).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:7).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Jesus said, </span></i></b><b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">"It is finished" (John 19:30).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Join me
in prayer as we stand in awe of the perfect and complete sacrifice, promised by
God, and given through Jesus’ death on the cross, and understand that there can
never again be a day that we are found guilty under the law.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Into
Your Hands I commit my spirit</span></span></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OdN9IeKJVLA7uVTQXErjbq9rvgcDbSRiSR4jhztgqs8o-tptOsVEEfAH9i2cZnhXFzOu2ma4xmt_CbJ9iJegieB8PvK9wsY8T3SFwAiv_rVP3uumYTCvwyogN-965S6ppkJt7TJ2dSJU/s1600/bar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="73" data-original-width="1201" height="19" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OdN9IeKJVLA7uVTQXErjbq9rvgcDbSRiSR4jhztgqs8o-tptOsVEEfAH9i2cZnhXFzOu2ma4xmt_CbJ9iJegieB8PvK9wsY8T3SFwAiv_rVP3uumYTCvwyogN-965S6ppkJt7TJ2dSJU/s320/bar.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt;">Jesus,
the very Son of God, submitted to the authority of God, His Father. Jesus knew that He could perfectly trust in
God’s will. And in His last words before His death He again affirmed that He
came to do the will of the One that sent Him.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I
may take it up again. No one takes it
from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up
again. This charge I have received from
my Father (John 10:17-18).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of
him who sent me (John 6:38).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">
"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.<sup> </sup> Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be
done." (Luke 22:42) “I have come to do your will” (Hebrews 10:9).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice,
said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said
this he breathed his last (Luke 23:46).<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;">In conclusion, join with me in
prayer as we too commit our lives and our purposes to the authority of God. We know that it is only through Jesus’
sacrifice that we can truly live. And we
can trust in and rest in His perfect will even in our struggles.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mWapeqlmCRV_A6Q6OM0zgm1M5VyMG1SE/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">DOWNLOAD AS A BOOKLET TO PRINT</a></div>
<strong><span style="font-family: "liste" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><u>
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<i><span style="font-family: "palatino linotype" , serif; font-size: 10.0pt;"></span></i>Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-32961103571787319622018-07-05T11:24:00.001-05:002018-07-05T11:24:50.886-05:00Dear Urban PastorWhat you do is so hard. It's necessary and amazing, but it is hard.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You never seem to have enough money, enough time, enough help, enough...anything. God is so faithful to you, but there are still days when the load feels heavy and the road seems lonely.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Sometimes you sit around the table with leaders whose successes look different than yours and it's hard to not question if you're doing it right. Maybe you have a second or third job to make ends meet, attendance is spotty, and leadership development is painfully slow. Other leaders ask about your five year plans and you are wondering if you'll even make it through the next week.<br />
<br />
Chances are that you ARE doing it right--you just might be doing something different. God never said your church had to look like anything but the Body of Christ.<br />
<br />
Sometimes people even question your call. Couldn't you use your gifts in another place? At another church? In another neighborhood? You could go anywhere!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And you could. You could go anywhere to serve the Lord, but instead you have chosen to plant your feet in the midst of chaos and declare the victory of Jesus. Christ has used the light of his Word, held in your faithful hands, to beckon people out of the darkness. You have dared to follow the example of the Good Shepherd, who left the 99 to search for the 1. You and your family climb into the dark and rocky places searching for the lost.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I just want you to know that you are my s/hero.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If today is a day where the burden is heavy and the way seems unclear, let me speak truth to you. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You are a beloved child of God. You have nothing to prove. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You are a faithful servant of the Almighty. There is nothing he cannot provide.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You are a warrior for the Victorious King. You can battle on, knowing the victory is sure.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You are the lamb of the Good Shepherd. There is rest and strength in his arms.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
You are called and commissioned by Jesus. Your neighbors are worth taking up your cross and following him for.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Some days you ask, "Why me?" But the real question is "Why not you?" God has proven time after time that he can accomplish unlikely things in unlikely places through unlikely people when they are faithful.<br />
<br />
Continue on, faithful one. The task is too big for you alone, so fall on Jesus and hold tight to the hands of others called into the breach.<br />
<br />
Won't it be sweet on that day when our Savior embraces you and says, "Well, done!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Ephesians 6.10</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
With Love,</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
An Urban Missionary</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Some want to live within the sound</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Of church or chapel bell;</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I want to run a rescue shop,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Within a yard of hell."</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- C. T. Studd</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-90080793779552366482016-07-05T16:23:00.000-05:002016-07-05T16:27:44.363-05:00Freedom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3oQKMd2xIen1P1_4_VAWbbjrme4HEtiVOM1cEFJLB_1ty7cC9zrV8wGl8mSqbHJJy-HwZT3AGE6MQ9BRKaPb_UFljXLrJZ-e38zWoNT-mBiN3XYI6L4HtasP7BYaRAdswpxiJV1GYSy-/s1600/fireworks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3oQKMd2xIen1P1_4_VAWbbjrme4HEtiVOM1cEFJLB_1ty7cC9zrV8wGl8mSqbHJJy-HwZT3AGE6MQ9BRKaPb_UFljXLrJZ-e38zWoNT-mBiN3XYI6L4HtasP7BYaRAdswpxiJV1GYSy-/s320/fireworks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
The fireworks were so close overhead it felt like we were almost inside of them. People were whooping and yelling in excitement and then, over the portable speaker played the song <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBmwwwiHrOk" target="_blank">"Good, Good Father."</a> Amid the crackling booms and sparkling flashes and excited squeals from children, a few arms raised, responding in worship to <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"You're a Good, Good Father<br />
It's who you are, it's who you are, it's who you are<br />
And I'm loved by you<br />
It's who I am, it's who I am, it's who I am." </blockquote>
I looked around at the families who had welcomed us into their celebration and was overwhelmed with what a good father the Lord is to His people. The men and women represented that evening came from all walks of life and experiences but they had come to know the goodness of their heavenly Father. There were men and women who had been bought back from the slavery of addiction, prisoners who had been released with purpose and calling, the lonely set firmly in the family of God, and broken families given new hope and healing. Some have been walking with the Lord for months, others years, all with their own stories of God's redemption on their lives and each playing a part in an urban movement here in Wichita, Kansas.<br />
<br />
Our family is blessed to see God's great work in their lives and be a small part in what the Lord is doing in our city through these mighty men and women of God. Our son ran through the crowds and played and rough-housed with men, who in another context or from an outsiders-eye might give pause, and I felt nothing but joy at what he can learn from their brave surrenders to Christ and unashamed pursuit of God's glory in this city. They are taking the Gospel into places and into lives that many others dare not go in the city and the Kingdom is advancing as a result.<br />
<br />
A few minutes later, the grand finale of fireworks burst forth in perfect timing with the next song on the playlist and the glorious sprays of color and light against the sky danced to<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;">
"You unravel me with a melody<br />
You surround me with a song<br />
of deliverance, from my enemies<br />
Till all my fears are gone<br />
<b>I am <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Azm4Q96IH1I">no longer a slave</a> to fear<br />I am a child of God</b>."</blockquote>
<br />
Celebration of freedom afforded us in this country is not insignificant, but it dwarfs in comparison to the freedom given to us in Christ. The knowledge and weight of this gift swirled through the group like the smoke from the fireworks, nearly as tangible.<br />
<br />
It was a moment I will not soon forget. Hearts who once knew what it felt like to be enslaved to sin were unfurled before God, their bodies so small in silhouette against the the finale of fireworks, even smaller before our great God, yet joyful and fearless children standing in the freedom of their Father's love. That kind of freedom is contagious.Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-27213730726149573412016-06-06T16:25:00.002-05:002016-06-06T16:37:56.892-05:00The Medlens on the Move<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
New things are again on the horizon for the Medlen family and they are leading us back to one of our favorite places...<b><i>St. Louis</i></b>!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGoa_QaFudueD6jkjvPy2Goo7P9JUqat1scz7fsXNzJh6p92bxP4JCeiqdxDl0dGfqHJHqLGqW8jE44ZwdokWiMn5e4mcVoz5xYwD2nozZPUuY7glbC7_eRGMUiDlpuF61a3Hn3B3aSnq/s1600/DSC06338-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvGoa_QaFudueD6jkjvPy2Goo7P9JUqat1scz7fsXNzJh6p92bxP4JCeiqdxDl0dGfqHJHqLGqW8jE44ZwdokWiMn5e4mcVoz5xYwD2nozZPUuY7glbC7_eRGMUiDlpuF61a3Hn3B3aSnq/s400/DSC06338-001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">God has
brought our family on such a journey these past few years! There have been so many
highs and lows and he has brought us through and into things we never
anticipated. We have had to learn to trust the Lord in new ways and follow him
to unexpected places and have been blessed to witness his Spirit move among the
urban poor in new and exciting ways. While
our family and roles and ministry locations within World Impact have changed a
lot over the past four years, our call and vision to empower urban leaders to
plant healthy churches in the city and see communities transformed by the
victory of Jesus has remained. And so, it is with excitement that our family is
looking to our next chapter with World Impact </span><b style="font-family: cambria, serif;"><i>back</i> in St. Louis, Missouri,</b><span style="font-family: "cambria" , serif;">
<b>in January 2017!</b></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12804877_10153866063790428_6993427596115149512_n.jpg?oh=99a03805c699ff7feffbda69a8805005&oe=57D9EA09" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">We will be serving as Co-Directors of the
St. Louis ministry efforts, working to deepen and expand our rich history of
ministry contacts and partnerships. While the mission of World Impact has never
wavered, we have charted new strategies and even larger visions for the
ministry of World Impact under the leadership of our new president Rev. Efrem
Smith. As our family returns to a place we so dearly love—a place with a long
history of ministry—we hope to advance the Kingdom in a way that builds on that
history and moves forward with the new opportunities and strategies our
ministry offers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Moving is never easy and our family will
be sad to leave our ministry team here in Wichita and the many friends and
co-laborers for the Kingdom that we have lived and served alongside these past
years. However, we are also excited and honored to be able to return to a city
that we love, and have never ceased having a burden for, and participate in
God’s plans for St. Louis. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "cambria" , "serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.5pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span>
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Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-12949089751072621292016-04-14T15:12:00.000-05:002016-04-14T15:12:03.665-05:00The Days WhenThe days when I feel victorious as a follower of Jesus, a missionary, a wife, and a mom are so few in number. The days when I feel overwhelmed, exhausted, inadequate, and like I'm just barely making it through are too many to count. There are days where pridefully I think, wow, I'm totally rocking this working and homeschooling and parenting thing, and then there are most days--heeeeeeelllllppp!!!<br />
<br />
Parenting and homeschooling have been particularly hard of late. We've traveled a lot and our Nut is getting old enough to really deal with some older kid attitudes and feelings. Wild Thing is the most exploring and obstinate child I know, which makes for lots of redirection and discipline all while trying to work and teach. School has been a grind this year. While chasing Wild Thing around the house, I've been doing my very best not to scream and run away crying (even while I explain to Nut that this is not an appropriate life response to school lessons) while we together try to navigate some of his particular challenges.<br />
<br />
Today has been so hard and it is only a little over half way over. It hasn't felt like a victory at all. Every spelling word and math problem felt like a battle that was technically a win, but experientially damaging. Every attitude of resistance and defiance draining sanity and feelings of competency and patience. I'm really tempted to write today (heck, this week) off as a loss, a monument of inadequacy, but I'm not going to.<br />
<br />
After lunch today Wild Thing was napping and Nut was in the backyard serving a debt of disrespect and I sat inside finding shelter in the silence. I felt so tired. I declared how hard today has been and acknowledged how many times I wanted to throw in the towel. My thoughts edged toward feelings of defeat but...<br />
<br />
I didn't throw in the towel. Victory. I only yelled a <i>little </i>bit. Victory. I often chose calm and teaching words. Victory. I did my best to practice life and parenting choices that we are being coached in. Victory. I chose (mostly) not to mentally be somewhere else and be present in the thick of it. Victory. I acknowledged that I wasn't going to get the things done today that I had hoped and experienced the frustration but (mostly) didn't let it overpower my approach to parenting and teaching. Victory. I fought for a <a href="http://theintjlife.blogspot.com/2016/03/work-smarter-with-heart-at-peace.html" target="_blank">heart of peace</a> today. Victory.<br />
<br />
When I went outside to release him from his duties, Nut Nut handed me a fistful of love in the language of little boys, an assortment of tiny, pretty things picked carefully from among the weeds. I filled my little vase, given from another boy-mom for just these occasions, took a moment to take it in, and then we sat back down at the table to finish school. <br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I am thankful for the days when the Lord lets me see victory more like a bouquet of pretty weeds and an unspoken commitment from the ones you love to imperfectly keep doing hard things together and less like an epic, conquering thrill. It makes more of life feel possible and Christ's grace on my everyday life so much sweeter.</div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-82952639086635984292016-03-06T21:17:00.000-06:002016-03-06T21:17:46.632-06:00Grandpa<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , serif;">Some
people leave legacies which stir nations. Others leave quieter legacies—but
every bit as important—which sway the limbs of a family tree. That’s my
Grandpa. It’s the little things that add up to be the measure of a man.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">Geodes and scientific explanations
and t-shirts printed with wildlife. Watches and spotless shoes and a garage all
in place. Western novels and handkerchiefs and knives for your pockets. Cheesy
jokes and Fudgesicles and meals always eaten on time. Expressive blue eyes and
flashing white smile and skin warmed with a tan. Genealogies and Japanese
swords and stories from the South. Anxious thoughts and tender worry and his
heart on the line. Tight hugs and little gifts and words whispered with love. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">Precise. Tender. Sarcastic.
Faithful. Strong. Anxious. Generous. Orderly. Quiet. Funny. Simple. Loving. Sincere.
<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">That’s my Grandpa. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">When I try to put my finger on the
core of who he was I settle on a man who lived out faithfulness to the Lord
through serving his family. My memories of him over the years are always
enveloped in the kind of unconditional love that gives you confidence, the kind
of love that is quiet and yet so pervasive that it squeezes in around
everything life brings and gives you a safe place to land. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">When
Grandpa slipped me another turquoise Swiss Army knife because green was my
favorite color, or listened so intently to me explain, at length, the 7 Colors of Gravity
(which totally made sense in my head when I was seven), or expressed his worry
over my safety, or shared with all his “girls” things dear to his heart (mostly
scientific in nature) he sowed so many seeds of love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">As a
young child I didn’t understand that not everyone was given this gift or that
living under its warmth and breathing in its life shapes you, like a tree
planted in fertile soil under the life-giving sun. However, with each generation
and new branch of our family stretching out I can see that legacy of love
unfolding. It’s a legacy that is far from perfect but one that is steeped in
commitment and generosity and more than a little humor. It’s the little things
that add up to be the measure of a man and ultimately a family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "californian fb" , "serif";">Grandpa’s
quiet love and little acts of service laid a firm and rich soil, in which our
family continues to grow. I am grateful to have been his granddaughter, and
daughter of his son, and mother of his great-grandsons and blessed to take part
in his legacy of faith and family and really corny jokes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-46904057842510305232016-03-01T13:02:00.000-06:002016-03-01T13:02:36.597-06:00Sweet Victory for the City<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One of the church planters stood at the front of the room </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;">rocking slightly back and forth</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> as he remembered the road that
brought him to a place of leadership. It was the closing service and testimony
time for Evangel School and with an incredulous smile on his face he saw
himself through the eyes of people who knew him before he followed Jesus and
said, “Everyone would say, ‘Not him! Not him.’”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Then his smile grew grateful, “But
God,” he declared.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLkE9h6x9OHrVi7OdWgR-DuWBG4s2vEwTq4hl-jngSccLm9pi10WaWMsukIASk-y5FdKv268HfkeqbmcUVzfM9rrkvFYVHP5fkGkKbCYzXenvdTFLGBoCF788VhT0Kv_s0JR1kAg1jxWT/s1600/evangel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCLkE9h6x9OHrVi7OdWgR-DuWBG4s2vEwTq4hl-jngSccLm9pi10WaWMsukIASk-y5FdKv268HfkeqbmcUVzfM9rrkvFYVHP5fkGkKbCYzXenvdTFLGBoCF788VhT0Kv_s0JR1kAg1jxWT/s320/evangel2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wichita’s first Evangel School of Urban Church Planting was
full of moments like this—acknowledgements of weakness and lack of worldly qualifications
but of a big God, who, as another woman attending claimed, “can use us beyond
what we think of ourselves.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So much work and prayer went into the three days these
church plant teams gathered and I think each of us, whether attendees or staff,
came away with another glimpse of God’s grand, redeeming vision for our cities.
It renewed in my own heart just how important something like Evangel is for urban
church planters, who are short on resources and support and encouragement, and
yet, they still put themselves on the front lines to win back the lost. What an
honor it is to serve and encourage and challenge and learn from these men and
women who lead, not because they feel qualified but because God called them.
And, what a blessing it is to be able to arm them with resources and training
that will help them fight the battle ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
God did unexpected things through our first Evangel School,
yet even in the unexpected, the expected happened. The Spirit was present and
leading and releasing individuals and teams from strongholds. Teams had the time to dream and clarify and recommit with and to one
another. Our Evangel Coaches were able to speak life and encouragement and
wisdom into leaders who so often give but rarely receive. Iron sharpened iron
as the church planters shared their struggles and vision. Big dreams were
spoken and courses of action were charted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIUA6GPpncuSRwfwoYx4l86odRrRUOFUcQbyjXJxOpZmowIo5U29gYDVHgMcUBjPH5vXBr6LGu_Vgm107IoToyxO8UyCYbuSxNj4MVDEey61MQ9O21-Qel5m2Ryup0EixI8AdvPCw57wC/s1600/evangel3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoIUA6GPpncuSRwfwoYx4l86odRrRUOFUcQbyjXJxOpZmowIo5U29gYDVHgMcUBjPH5vXBr6LGu_Vgm107IoToyxO8UyCYbuSxNj4MVDEey61MQ9O21-Qel5m2Ryup0EixI8AdvPCw57wC/s320/evangel3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While each team left in a different stage of planning and
execution, they all left with a taste of what another of the church planters
described as “sweet victory”—the kind of sweetness that only comes with victory in
Christ and makes you want to declare “<span style="background: #FDFEFF; color: #001320; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!” (Ps
34.8). And, really, in the center of all the best church plant strategies and philosophies
and in the heart of every good church planter is the acceptance of Christ’s
sweet victory and the burning passion to pass it on.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-51630776820459625832015-11-11T21:08:00.001-06:002015-11-11T21:08:47.408-06:00Brought Together to be Sent OutThis past weekend church planters from California, Colorado, Texas, and Kansas converged at our <a href="http://www.worldimpactmidwest.org/" target="_blank">World Impact ministry hub</a> in Wichita for our 2nd Annual Christ the Victor Conference. It was an honor to serve them through a weekend of training, encouragement, and vision-casting!<br />
<br />
During the conference, I looked around the room at this relatively small gathering of diverse men and women drawn together by the Holy Spirit and a common goal, and I felt an overwhelming conviction that we haven't even begun to see what the Lord will do through this movement of churches.<br />
<br />
They are a serious, fun-loving, brave, humble, competent, bold, and passionate group of men and women who are willing to pour themselves out as an offering in some of the most difficult communities around.<br />
<br />
<i>The most dangerous neighborhoods in their cities? They want them for Christ. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Brothers and sisters in prison? They plan to shepherd them.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Individuals in bondage to addiction, brokenness, and poverty? They share their life and Christ's love with them.</i><br />
<br />
During one of our sessions about the mission of the <a href="http://www.ctvchurch.org/" target="_blank">Christ the Victor Movement (CTV),</a> a staff member shared about the grandness of God's vision for the world's redemption. He said, "He wants it all, so we want it all!" I can't think of a better summary of the heart of these leaders and the desire of our missionary staff as we work to equip and empower urban church planting!<br />
<br />
This CTV family was brought together this weekend to be <i>sent out again,</i> renewed and empowered. Jesus Christ is the Victor. He is victorious over every form of darkness and bondage and barrier. Our cities need to hear this message of hope and this is precisely the message that these urban leaders speak to their churches and neighborhoods. May God's kingdom continue to advance in the city and to him be all the glory!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU819VxqQO-gPhGa_3MUjyYEUsXAwp5TicOO4XoDBanZ0FrsXT8ixdIJWzY6ToSvygKyN3XiNsIuKsGHFLTIqmOI6EXVkdCO3ps5R0mYLoZE1iQ5SwityG-hLS7XgUtaGQWCYuJRfByTwk/s1600/Group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU819VxqQO-gPhGa_3MUjyYEUsXAwp5TicOO4XoDBanZ0FrsXT8ixdIJWzY6ToSvygKyN3XiNsIuKsGHFLTIqmOI6EXVkdCO3ps5R0mYLoZE1iQ5SwityG-hLS7XgUtaGQWCYuJRfByTwk/s400/Group.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(World Impact staff and conference attendees)</div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-16709895521421112762015-08-13T22:23:00.001-05:002016-07-11T12:58:39.016-05:00Lives Matter<div class="MsoNormal">
Life has been at the epicenter of current events these days—who
gets to live and what the state of their life should be is bantered around on
social media like an abstract topic. I have struggled with how and when to
weigh in, feeling the burden of silence and responsibility of speaking out.
What do you say when all day it seems like people are saying everything and
nothing?<br />
<br />
Recently a friend and inner-city pastor said something that
inspired and challenged me. He said that we must continue to fight evil and
stand against the devil, but we must always position ourselves to be <i>for </i>people.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Those words have lodged in my heart and mind and I’ve been
processing how it would change the world if we truly operated from a place that
was <i>for</i> people—how it would change
our conversations if we took a stand against evil, but were <i>for </i>people.<br />
<br />
This is not an easy task. I hear the counter argument rising,
“But, people….” I hear that. I struggle with that too. There certainly are
people carrying out evil in the world. It’s hard not to watch the Planned
Parenthood exposé videos and not feel disgust towards people. It’s hard not to
read about a member of Isis murdering innocent lives and not feel hatred. It’s hard to see another African-American life
lost in a confrontation with the police and not want to wield blame like a
sledgehammer. But the Bible makes it clear that our battle is not to be against
people, our fight is against spiritual forces of evil.<br />
<br />
In all of Jesus’ and the apostles’ ministry it is made clear
that people matter to God. Lives matter to Christ and his followers. What would
it look like if we, as Christians, decided to be <i>for</i> people? What if we acknowledged them all as important—not by
lumping them all together and blithely saying “all lives matter,” but by looking
each person in the eye, listening to them, caring about them, sharing their
burden, and saying <i>you </i>matter. Isn’t
that what Jesus did? He didn’t just say “Everyone is important to me,” he looked
up in a tree and called Zacchaeus by name and went to his house. When you
acknowledge the worth of a person it’s hard to just walk away. It’s hard to
shush them, to judge them, to hate them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is challenging to be <i>for</i>
people. It gets messy and complicated and it requires a lot from us, but it’s
what Jesus modeled. It will require us to provide solutions for women seeking
abortions, to listen to our African-American brothers and sisters as they
express grief and anger and to work for justice where there is obvious
inequality. It will require that we serve and love people who live lifestyles
we don’t agree with. It will require us
to stand for truth in love. Being <i>for </i>people
means we pray <i>against</i> spiritual
forces and pray <i>for </i>those who are oppressed
and those who are in bondage because each of their lives matters to God.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Black lives matter. Police lives matter. Baby lives matter. Pregnant women’s
lives matter. LGBT lives matter. Impoverished lives matter. Orphan lives
matter. Felons’ lives matter. Muslim lives matter…. Your life matters.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Being <i>for </i>people
means we are willing to see people where they are, call them by name and declare
their specific worth. We have to be willing to go to their house and listen to
their stories and carry their burdens. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After all, it’s what Jesus did. Why
would we think we should do anything different?</div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-439646465021968992015-08-13T22:21:00.003-05:002015-08-13T22:21:51.850-05:00When God Calls Our Sons and Daughters<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> Most of us are willing to sacrifice for
the Lord, but asking our children to sacrifice can be a different story. When
my husband and I first answered God’s call to be urban missionaries we were not
even married yet. Fresh out of college the difficulties and unknowns of living
in the city seemed like a challenging adventure. I vividly remember seeing my
first drive-by shooting. No one was hurt, which made the experience surreal and
exciting in a macabre sort of way. After years in the city the frequent gunfire
heard on the block was aimed at people we know and love, or fired by people we
know and love, and the sobering reality set in. Still, when it is just you and
your husband that have to drop to the floor as someone shoots a shotgun in
front of your house it does not seem like God is asking too much of you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> Then we adopted our oldest son. I remember
the moment when I first really acknowledged what we were asking of him as a
missionary kid in the inner city. We were sitting on our front porch when a man
cut through our side yard from the alley. We noticed him carrying a large
handgun, its metal darkly reflecting the sun Time seemed to slow down.
Carefully, I pulled my son into my lap, not wanting to make any sudden moves,
as the man’s gaze was lazered in on our neighbor sitting across the street. My
husband stood up and calmly spoke to the man, his words echoing the deterring
motions of his hands. Suddenly the man realized he was not alone in our yard,
and the noise drew our neighbor’s attention. Things flooded back into real-time
motion and I took the opportunity to hurry my son inside the house. It was a
tense few moments as we all waited, in our own ways, to see what would happen
next. Thankfully the man turned and jogged back the way he came but it did not
change the fact that we had been a moment away from a very bad situation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> No parent wants their children in harm’s
way, just ask every mama and grandmamma on our block. While many people feel
trapped into life in the city, we chose to move here.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>I chose</i><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>to put my children in an environment
that is fraught with challenges. That can weigh heavily on a parent’s heart. It
is more than just physical danger. My son will have to make sacrifices living
in the city and the mother in me battles guilt over this. His neighborhood
friendships will look much different than other children his age. At six years
old he has heard the full gamut of “naughty” words and already wrestles with
the things he sees from day to day. My boys will be missionary kids in the
city, moving around and not having access to the same kinds of opportunities
and privileges as their suburban counterparts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> My family has been incredibly blessed by
our years in the city through deep friendships and warm community. It has been
a privilege to be immersed in a culture not our own and to be welcomed and
loved. My boys will be shaped by cross-cultural ministry and service to the
poor and neglected, which I pray will give them eyes that see God’s freeing
grace and unconditional love in ways they would not otherwise experience, but
it does not come without sacrifice. Following the path of the cross is exactly
where I want to be, but sometimes I struggle when it means bringing my kids
along.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> The question becomes then, how much is too
much to ask of our children in the name of Christ? I think the specific answer
is different for every family, but as parents who follow Christ we should look
to the examples of parents in the Bible like Abraham, Hannah, Mary and Joseph,
and even God the Father. Each had children who were placed in situations that
demanded sacrifice. Each had children they offered to God’s purposes without
reservation and, even in the hardest and darkest sacrifices, their children, as
well as the parents, were blessed for their faithfulness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> We have made safety and comfort and access
to all the best opportunities gods of our culture, particularly when it comes
to raising our children. My husband and I have certainly been questioned for
our decision to live and serve in the inner city. Even now, nine months after
our second son was born, I too sometimes question the life we have asked our
sons to live. Yet, even in the moments of doubt, one thing has
not wavered—the calling Jesus has laid on our hearts to live out the
love and victory of Jesus Christ in some of the most broken and hurting
neighborhoods in America. And so, I have to let go of my need to control and
acknowledge that my sons are part of God’s mission for our family.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><em><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">He</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>is calling them, not me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"> In spite of what our culture tells us,
Jesus has not asked our family to seek comfort and safety. There will be many
challenges raising boys in the city, most of which we have yet to encounter. I
know there will be days when I ask the Lord if he is really calling them, even
as very young men, to stand in the gap for the lost. Regardless of where our family’s
journey following Christ leads, I pray that I will be faithful to lead my
children in a life that takes up the cross for Jesus’ name, because, with God,
it was a boy who stood against Goliath and a young girl who gave birth to the
Messiah. When we answer God’s call on our lives and bring our children with us,
God can and will use our sons and daughters to advance his Kingdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-78988611193420606322015-07-05T11:09:00.002-05:002015-07-05T11:11:44.427-05:004th in the CitySince moving to the city almost 10 years ago (14 years for Andrew), the 4th of July has become one of our favorite holidays. It's not the fireworks or the barbeque or the patriotism that makes it special for our family, although, those are all nice things. Celebrating the 4th in the city, with all its excitement and community, has come to represent so much of what we love about our urban neighborhoods. <br />
<br />
It is one of the best days of the year to get to know people because everyone's family and friends mingle with everyone else's family and friends as the excitement spills from the front yards to the streets. The smell of barbeque intertwines with the smoke from firecrackers, a tantalizing hint of things to come as a parade of bouncing red, white, and blue beads on the end of little girls' braids begin the percussion of the night. <br />
<br />
Sharing sparklers and small talk with neighbors and exchanging names and barbeque makes the night fun as well as an important ministry experience. As night falls, the boom and crackle of fireworks fill the air and continue on until long after you want to be asleep. However, as we try to drift off to sleep, well after midnight, we will embrace the pops and flashes through our bedroom window for the inroads to new relationships and Kingdom opportunities.<br />
<br />
Sometimes difficult things also happen that remind us why the Lord is working to free and heal lives in the city. Excitement can turn volatile as parties go late into the night, but even in these moments there are opportunities to be part of our neighbors' lives in deeper ways. <br />
<br />
It is these things that make the 4th of July one of our favorite holidays. And now, Andrew and I love that we can celebrate these things as a family as we introduce our sons to the experience. I don't think I've missed a 4th in the city since moving to North St. Louis so many years ago and I hope that never changes.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDgN2KWal4TZW2t9XlsTKTiKzaKQgu16-LFCSnFST2T7Zru2dawczf-SuxONn5q4T8P0t8RYSoe4gcuH0RIaZ0Jsn4AT8Inzp-JdgpqsGT24OMLbsJXV1cP5wOmHIvkaPteIyra24cPtW/s1600/DSC05757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDgN2KWal4TZW2t9XlsTKTiKzaKQgu16-LFCSnFST2T7Zru2dawczf-SuxONn5q4T8P0t8RYSoe4gcuH0RIaZ0Jsn4AT8Inzp-JdgpqsGT24OMLbsJXV1cP5wOmHIvkaPteIyra24cPtW/s320/DSC05757.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-54359539950876186742015-05-12T23:10:00.002-05:002015-05-12T23:18:31.938-05:00Selma and Samwise: The Importance of Telling Each Other the TruthRecently we were finally able to watch the movie Selma. We've been waiting and waiting for it to be available on Amazon (since we have a baby, which means, we are basically socially and culturally reclusive). <br />
<br />
Although I might not place it in the "great" category, it was well worth the wait and as with most movies addressing deep and thought provoking topics, it put me in a contemplative mood. One thing I kept contemplating throughout the movie, oddly enough, was how much it reminded me of Frodo and Samwise from The Lord of the Rings. <br />
<br />
This didn't happen to anyone else? No? OK, well, let me explain. <br />
<br />
One of the beautiful things about the movie Selma was how it brought into focus the many strong and faithful people who stood with Dr. King. These men and women, his closest friends and co-laborers, walked with him in the face of impossible things and spoke truth to him in the darkest hours. Dr. King had incredible personal resolve and vision, but this movie peeled back the outer layer and showed him being lifted up by faithful brothers and sisters around him speaking the truth of Scripture and character when situations were most bleak, encouraging him to keep moving forward, even if only inch by inch. It was in this that I saw the characters of Frodo and Samwise on their impossible journey. Frodo was chosen as the ring bearer, but he never would have completed his mission if it had not been for the faithful, encouraging, and truth-speaking Samwise. <br />
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Selma made me remember all over again how important it is to tell each other the truth. The world can be dark and discouraging. The devil makes use of the seclusion of our thoughts to bring doubt and defeat to our hearts and minds, but the Lord has given us the Body of Christ to combat this. There is power when we speak truth to each other. Somehow the hope seems real when Samwise tells an exhausted and defeated Frodo that things aren't really so bad. Even when you're walking into an onslaught, when you are walking shoulder to shoulder with someone fear seems smaller and hope greater. <br />
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While watching Selma I was in awe of the strength of people, the nobility of enduring, and the courage of sacrifice made possible when people tell each other the truth and stand firm together. It made me think carefully about the voices I listen to when faced with challenges and forced me to contemplate the words that I speak to myself and to others. <br />
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Because, the journey is not over yet. There is so much to be done in the world. Be someone's Samwise. Listen to your own Samwise. It may just be the thing that God uses to beat back the darkness and reveal His victory in the world.<br />
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Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-52967368613635235312015-05-10T21:23:00.000-05:002015-05-10T21:24:46.747-05:00Medlen Family Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
God is on the move! The Lord is bringing opportunity after opportunity to our ministry team to partner with passionate urban leaders in the Midwest region. Through <a href="http://tumi.org/index.php" target="_blank">The Urban Ministry Institute</a>, <a href="http://www.tumi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1239&Itemid=894" target="_blank">SIAFU</a>, <a href="http://www.ctvchurch.org/" target="_blank">Christ the Victor Church</a> planting and other initiatives we are expanding our reach into new cities.</div>
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Our family has recently been presented with the opportunity to work more intensively with our new World Impact location in Topeka, Kansas (Andrew's going back to his roots!). Over the next six to twelve months we are being deployed to Topeka, and several other cities with potential for ministry expansion.</div>
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Since this deployment will not be long-term and with Topeka only being two hours away, Wichita will remain our home base but we will be living in Topeka part time in the coming months. This is a new experience for us and even though trying to figure out all the details is a little overwhelming, we are very excited to set out on this adventure in expanding God's Kingdom.</div>
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Once we are able to secure temporary housing in Topeka we will be able to begin our deployment in earnest. Part of our assignment will be to assist our new World Impact location in setting up the administrative systems needed to be well supported and resourced. They already have an amazing network there and God is doing wonderful things through the leaders in their community. We will be assisting in strategic projects and events as well. </div>
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This is going to be a great opportunity to learn from everything the Lord has been building through leaders in Topeka and lend a hand of assistance where it is needed. These lessons and strategies will be important for future deployments and work that we will also be doing in Kansas City in the coming months.</div>
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In addition to continuing SIAFU and prison work, we are excited to be partnering with two men in Topeka who want to plant CTV churches! We will be coming along side them and helping to equip them and support them as they begin their endeavors. </div>
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We will also be continuing some of our roles here in Wichita, so the next few months will be an experiment in figuring out all the details of living and working in two places!!</div>
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We ask for your prayers for our family as we launch into this new assignment. There are still a lot of details to work out, particularly housing. Pray that the Lord would give us wisdom in ministry and with our family. Pray with us that our time in Topeka (and beyond) is fruitful and that God would use us to serve and bless these leaders. We pray that the Lord would continue to advance His kingdom in our region and we are humbled and blessed to be a small part of it.</div>
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<b>Topeka, Kansas</b></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-60385105283920954362015-05-04T21:25:00.002-05:002015-05-04T21:25:51.854-05:00Christ, The True Vine<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.85pt; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week's lectionary text is <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+15%3A1-8&version=ESV">John 15:1-8</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I Am
the True Vine, Jesus says. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vines
are plants that have a growth habit of trailing or climbing stems.
While remaining rooted in the ground by the vine, the stems/branches are able
to grow and expand over large areas very quickly. The vine itself is anchored
in the roots, these serve as the conduit for nutrients to flow through the
plant. The vine is also a storage reserve of energy for the branches as it
grows and spreads. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus
is the vine, the life-giving center. We are the branches. Only the branches
that are connected to the vine are healthy and growing and have the
chance to bear fruit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus
also says that his father is the vinedresser. God the Father sees those
who are not bearing fruit and takes them away. Have you ever tried to clean up
vines on any of your property? The stems and branches grow
intertwined and different vines grow together. If you try to tear them out you
end up with what seems like a never-ending tangle. It gets worse if you're actually trying to save some of the vines and clear out the rest! Where does one end and the other begin? Sometimes a branch on a vine
can even be severed from the vine but it is caught in the other branches and
looks like it is still attached until time goes by and you notice that it isn't
flowering like the other branches and it's dying. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Often
times people's lives can be like this. They can intertwine their
lives with things that look like Christ. From a cursory glance they look to be
planted on the vine. But it becomes obvious when the rest of the vine is
beginning to show fruit that these other ones aren't
connected to the life-source. Jesus says that the Father sees this and he takes
these branches away and they are destroyed. There will be a time when they
cannot hide in the appearance of being a Christ-follower and they
will be removed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">You'd
think that's maybe the end of the work for the vinedresser. He's removed the
dead branches, his work must be done! But it's not. The branches without fruit
aren't the only ones that require attention. Jesus says that branches that
bear fruit are pruned, so that they can bear even more fruit. In this way,
pruning isn't an act of discipline (as sometimes we are tempted to see it), so
much as an act of cultivation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Grapevines
</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">usually
only produce fruit on shoots that came from buds that were developed during the
previous growing season. So, one of the principles behind pruning the previous
years growth includes shoots that have turned hard and woody during the winter.
These branches will be pruned either into a cane which will support 8 to 15
buds or to a smaller spur which holds 2 to 3 buds.</span><span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Just
like the grapevine, we can't rely on past growth. We may look like we're
growing to an untrained passerby but the Father, just like a trained gardener
with a vine, sees what areas are unable to keep producing fruit and prunes it
off. We all have things in our lives that hinder our growth, things that
God wants to prune. Sometimes it's outright sin. Sometimes it's just circumstances
that might be clouding our vision or weighing us down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I think
sometimes there are seasons where the Lord prunes us down to a smaller spur
(holding 2-3 buds). Maybe there is a whole lot in our lives than needs to go.
I've had these seasons. It can feel like your whole world is coming apart,
that you are losing things you didn't know you could possibly live without. You
might even be tempted to question what in the world God was thinking allowing
so much pain and loss. But it makes you cling to the True Vine and with all of
the life-giving nutrients flooding into the concentrated area, soon new buds
are forming.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Or
maybe you're in a season where smaller and more precise cuts are needed and you
are pruned into a cane (supporting 8-15 buds). But, even in seasons where the
pruning is more limited and precise, it can be painful. It is the act of
putting things to death in our lives that don't bear Christ-like fruit, which often can be as fun as it sounds! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But we
are reminded over and over in Scripture that death brings life for those
abiding in Christ. The good news is that even though this is hard, we are
assured that while death for the branches that aren't connected to the vine is
final, death for the branches that are part of the vine is an opportunity to
display our resurrected life. Death for the resurrected isn't really death! And
something I find encouraging from this image of the vine and branches is that
when pruning is done correctly (as we know God always does) it actually has the
ability to multiply the growth of that branch. It’s not that we just lose
something and gain something in its place. Anything God prunes from our life
will allow opportunity for even more fruit to grow than we were capable of
before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Being
pruned is a necessary part of growth, but if we aren't<i> also</i> receiving life from the vine at all times, the potential for
growth is lost. And so Jesus reminds us to abide in him...the True Vine...the
life source. In fact Jesus makes a point about abiding in him 5 times in this
very short passage. Almost to the point where I'm like, OK already, quit
repeating yourself! Anyone who knows me knows that one of my pet peeves is the
inefficiency of repetition--having to say it or hear it! But, Jesus doesn't
repeat himself because he is inefficient. I think he repeats himself because he
knows this is a concept that we have a hard time holding on to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Intellectually
it's not difficult to understand but it's so easy for us to lose sight of the
bigger picture when life happens. And all of a sudden we aren't abiding in
Christ—the vine— we're abiding in our own little branch. In times of
pruning our fleshly reaction is to focus on the loss. It's easy to think,
but, God, I had great plans to grow over in that direction, or, just give me a
little more time, I planned to take care of that later. We focus on ourselves,
defining ourselves by what we have or don't have and finding our self-worth in
the way our branch used to be or the way we think it should be. When we SHOULD
be focusing our energy on the vine, the place where our health and purpose
flows from. When we focus on receiving Christ's life and energy and renewal in
the things he has placed before us, exponential growth can happen. But this is
something that doesn't come naturally to us, so we need to remind ourselves,
sometimes every minute, to abide in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I know
this is true for me. This is something I struggle with, even in this season of
motherhood, and all the wonderful things that it brings, I still find myself
focusing on the things God has pruned instead of the things that remain. I get
caught up in the direction I thought I should have been growing. You know, the
things I want to do in ministry or the way I want to be seen. Instead of
looking to Christ in these times, I’m so guilty of focusing on my own little
limb and the pruning shears that just lopped off something that was a little
too dear to me and wailing WHHHYYYYYY???? When I find myself in these moments I
need to remind myself AGAIN--abide in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
we are so inconsistent in living this out, Jesus is consistent on his end. He
reminds us that when we abide in him, he abides in us. There is no question. We
never have to worry that he won't provide everything we need to live fruitful
lives with what remains. We only need to concern ourselves with remembering our
place in the whole picture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus
said I Am the True Vine. He is the source and life and purpose. We are the
branches. When we draw our being from the Vine, we produce fruit in kind with
the Vine. In all of the difficulties, challenges and complexities of life—it
really is that simple. He is the vine. We are the branches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham; font-size: 12.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">When we
abide in Him He <i>will</i> abide in us. And
Jesus says we can be assured of two things when this happens: We will be known
as his disciples and the Father will receive all the glory. And that’s really
all my life should be about, reflecting Christ and bringing Glory to God.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-72851664209229393842015-04-19T15:29:00.001-05:002015-04-19T15:29:19.615-05:00Did You Ever Imagine?Navigating our way through a sea of strollers after a long two days at the homeschool convention I looked at Andrew and said, "Did you ever imagine that one day you would be at a homeschool convention?" <br />
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I laughed when he said, "No way," because I felt the same way. I always loved having been homeschooled, but never thought I would pursue it with my own family. In my opinion, it just didn't suit my personality (most days, I am still of that opinion!), but a little over a year ago God started putting quiet and very obnoxious thoughts in my head that we should consider homeschooling. NOOOOOOO! <br />
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After a lot of prayer and discussion we decided to jump in and I was glad that I was jumping into the shallow end of the pool with Kindergarten since we were about to be parenting a newborn! We almost have a year under our belt and there have been a lot of overwhelming days. I still haven't figured out how to take care of an infant, do school, keep up with the laundry, and still be part of ministry without nearly losing my mind, but I suppose that's just life and motherhood, no matter what circumstances there are. <br />
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Yet, even with the hard days, there have been a lot of great things about homeschooling, things I was reminded of at the convention this weekend. It isn't a path for everyone and sometimes it can get a little lonely when you aren't surrounded with other people walking the same journey. It was great to be reminded of the reasons we have chosen to homeschool and be encouraged that we aren't alone in it! Here are a few reasons I was reminded of this weekend:<br />
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Homeschooling is a great way to practice discipleship with your kids. It certainly isn't the only way to do this but it does make it a little bit easier to be present for all the teachable moments in a day (even if sometimes the rate at which teachable moments come can make you want to lose your mind). The speakers and workshop leaders reminded us of this a lot this weekend. I really do love that we have the freedom to incorporate spiritual training, life experiences and ministry into our school day in ways that we wouldn't otherwise be able to. It's easy to lose sight of this when school is stuffed between loads of laundry and infant feedings, but it's there.<br />
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And then there is the fact that the homeschool community is family oriented. It isn't just family-friendly, it is shaped by and around families! There were kids everywhere at the conference. Babies were strapped on, slung on, and stuffed in carriers everywhere you turned. As a mom of an infant, who often is excluded from things because I have a baby in tow, it felt so nice to be a<strong> <em>full</em></strong> member of the community. I've always loved that homeschooling is a diverse age environment, socialization isn't limited to peers.<br />
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Because of this, I love that <em>everyone</em> is a full member of the community in homeschooling. Youth were given important and visible roles in running the convention. Judah participated in the kid's program during the two days of the convention and the program was run almost entirely by 13-18 year olds (with 11 and 12 year-old helpers)! Youth also helped with conference registration and logistics, and introduced each workshop. The convention reminded me that children are capable of so much when we empower them along the way and walk along side them. <br />
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At the end of the conference, the kid's program did a presentation for the parents of the things they had been learning and doing. I was amazed at the how many verses and songs they had learned. Of course, <em>my child</em> was only singing and signing when he wasn't being distracted by the waving arms of his neighbors or when his mouth didn't need to be a beat box or when he wasn't practicing his disdain for personal space with the other children's faces, so who knows what <em>he</em> learned, but still.<br />
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As I watched the presentation and all these things were running through my mind I was so grateful for the opportunity to do this. Who knows what the future will hold or where and how the Lord will lead our family, but I tried to let go of the feelings of being overwhelmed and embrace gratefulness. Because, even though my wiggly, beat-boxing, six year old makes me want to tear my hair out, and finding just the right curriculum and figuring out lessons plans makes me crazy, it really is a blessing to be able to do what we are doing. <br />
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For however long this season is for our family, I am grateful that life doesn't always (if ever) turn out like you expect it to. For example, you might find yourself exhaustedly wading through a sea of strollers, laden down with babies and books at a homeschool convention...crazier things have happened.<br />
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Judah was so excited to meet Mr. Demme, the creator and instructor of Math U See (Judah's math curriculum).</div>
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This kid was a champ for two days straight...he needed to join some of the other babies and stretch out from time in his carrier!</div>
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Terrible quality photo, but we actually caught him doing some of the hand motions to the songs!</div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-64232613465114962052015-02-21T15:57:00.004-06:002015-02-21T15:57:51.519-06:00What the City is Teaching Me about LentLent gives us an opportunity to refocus our lives as followers of Christ. It beckons us to once again be intentional about walking with Christ and to continually sacrifice ourselves and our earthly belongings on the alter before Him so that we may know even greater victory through His life. <br />
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Traditionally, for many of us, this includes the discipline of being without. We give up something that takes up a lot of our time and our passion, or something that offers us particular comfort. We fast from meat, or chocolate, or Facebook, or television and pour the time and passion gained from going without these things more intentionally into Christ. These can be beneficial sacrifices, and the Spirit can work mightily through these disciplines, but, too often, in our lives of excess and plenty, we relegate these lessons of dependence on and lowliness before Christ to this one season.<br />
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Lent isn't just a season, it is an attitude of frailty before our all-powerful King. It is the anticipation of His love and mercy to bring victory to our brokenness. Believers in the city, who know what it means to be be without, understand this in a deep way.<br />
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In a Lenten devotional called <i>Journey to the Cross</i> it says that during Lent "We want to shake up our lives significantly enough that when we reach out for our usual comforts and grasp a fistful of air, we are forced to cling to Christ." This describes life in the city for believers. It isn't something they have to do intentionally in the forty days before Easter, it is lived every day.<br />
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Life is chaotic in the city. Lives are shaken and comforts stripped away. Yet, it is here that I have seen some of the bravest examples of hands, that would otherwise be "grasping a fistful of air," clinging to beloved Jesus.<br />
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Have you ever thanked God just for waking you up? Over and over I have heard believers in the city utter this prayer and it humbles me every time. It comes from a heart of gratitude, humility, and trust. I have watched men and women trust God to make up the difference in their bank account when bills are due and understand deeply that they will surely turn back to alcohol or drugs or broken relationships if not for the saving power of their Messiah.<br />
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A Lenten heart realizes it was not awoken by its own power or for its own purposes. It recognizes its own frailty and, yet, boldly and prophetically declares the victory of Christ in all seasons, especially in times of want and need and brokenness. My experiences and friendships in the city these nine years have taught me so much about what it means to have a Lenten heart.<br />
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I have seen these Lenten hearts at work in the city -- grandmas raising their precious grandbabies on little energy and less money, friends wrapping loving arms around the mother of a child lost to violence, neighbors sharing a sparse pantry with a person in need, brothers declaring victory over addiction to a new believer -- they are emptied of self and worldly comforts, but full of trust in and anticipation for our victorious King.<br />
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May all of our hearts this season be awakened to this truth.Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-91781236552694659182015-01-19T10:30:00.003-06:002015-01-20T10:20:46.830-06:00Reborn to Fight for FreedomToday I am grateful for the unique way that the Body of Christ has fought, and continues to fight, for freedom. I am thankful for the men and women of God throughout the years who have stood on the knowledge that we are all imprisoned in our humanness until Jesus set us free, and let that knowledge embolden them to do courageous things for Christ.<br />
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Today I want to take a moment to be thankful for those who have fought against oppression and prejudice, and to be challenged by their bravery.<br />
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Because men and women stood with Christ in the gap of injustice, my family was made possible. <br />
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Because men and women spoke out against mockery. slurs, and character assassination because of the color of someone' skin, my sons can be assured of their worth to one another, to our family, and to Christ.<br />
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Because men and women climbed on buses and endured brutal beatings to stand for equality, my family can grow in the comfort of our love for one another.<br />
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Because men and women chose non-violence as a way to embody the sacrificial love of Christ for ALL people, my sons will walk through life, hand-in-hand, as brothers.<br />
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Because men and women, like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., lived out the truth that "greater love has no one than this, <sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-ESV-26701B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-ESV-26701B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>that someone lay down his life for his friends (Jn. 15:13)," my family lives securely.<br />
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Because of the imperfect but bold faith of men and women like Dr. King, my sons know that they don't have to be perfect in order for Jesus to use them mightily for His Kingdom.<br />
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I am grateful for the victories won over injustice, but <a href="http://themedlens.blogspot.com/2014/08/i-have-two-sons.html"><span style="color: #660000;">the fight must continue</span></a><span style="color: #660000;">. </span><span style="color: black;">As the Body of Christ, we must continue to stand in the gap for those who still feel the sting of prejudice and the oppression of injustice and poverty. There is not a gender, race, or socio-economic class that is outside the loving reach of Christ's victory and freedom...this is why we preach the Gospel to all people (and most importantly to ourselves). This is what we must live out, even on the hard days, even when the fight asks everything of us. </span><br />
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As people of Christ we were reborn to fight for freedom, serving the One who has all the victory. Jesus laid down his life so that we may be reconciled to God and set free from the oppression of our sin. <br />
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Church, let us stand with Christ and the men and women who make up our rich heritage, and boldly declare through our words and actions that we are a people of liberty and of life. Run to those who are suffering and perishing with the open arms of Christ. Live as living sacrifices, as those who have sacrificed before us, so that all people can know the freedom and security that we know through our Savior.Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-72451916559651366052014-11-15T22:45:00.000-06:002014-11-15T22:45:47.568-06:00A Month of JosiahOne month ago from now I was puking my guts out from all the anesthesia I'd had on an empty stomach and I was completely over the phrase "You'll just feel some pressure." Ironically, the only person who wasn't lying when they said that phrase was the lady who put the giant epidural needle in my spine...but I digress.<br />
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A few hours before that, and 22 hours after the whole saga began, we finally got to meet our brand new and not at all tiny son, Josiah. Twelve days past his due date, Josiah (then still fondly referred to as "Tater Tot") was in no hurry to make an entrance. Hours of really fun and very unproductive procedures had only gotten me 4 cm dilated. Then, at about four o'clock I was dosing in and out while we were waiting on the doctor to discuss our options when nurses suddenly came running through the door. The baby's heart rate had dropped for the second time and a few frantic minutes later they were rushing me down the hall for an emergency c-section, leaving Andrew alone in our room.<br />
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Those few minutes were terrifying and confusing as I lay paralyzed on an operating table with medical staff running all around me. But, our hurried prayers were answered when they got the baby's heart monitor hooked back up and his heart rate was normal again and the medical staff were able to slow down and wait for my doctor to arrive. Andrew was broughtinto the room then and we decided to proceed with the c-section anyway.<br />
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Andrew said it looked like they were trying to wrestle a hog pulling him out. Then we heard, "He's huge!," "Big boy!," "Is that a toddler?" They pulled down the sterile sheet so that I could see my doctor holding up our son. There he was, a giant red baby with arms and legs hanging like long monkey limbs and the hands and feet of a two-year-old. I saw him and thought, "That weird looking kid is mine. How strange." Then they put him on the scale, 11.03 blinked and held, and I thanked the Lord for c-sections! They handed him to Andrew and we stared at his chunky face that looked just like my baby pictures and it still felt surreal. There he was, baby Josiah.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtLOdrAVLY0jG-xdpcnZ7_YwM1I7vRh0yJjvvnMt9-17Jn9PbFgd4sGTXr4wWYDQS7jsoR4RH4pnR48OmLqSktulzcrBujNXn0dGIyKKi83SGW11ovxJNSiA_pZVhMIAu3BvnnEInaX_W/s1600/DSC02130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtLOdrAVLY0jG-xdpcnZ7_YwM1I7vRh0yJjvvnMt9-17Jn9PbFgd4sGTXr4wWYDQS7jsoR4RH4pnR48OmLqSktulzcrBujNXn0dGIyKKi83SGW11ovxJNSiA_pZVhMIAu3BvnnEInaX_W/s1600/DSC02130.JPG" height="200" width="133" /></a>A few hours later Andrew brought Judah into the hospital room, he had a bouquet of flowers, some pictures he had drawn, and wore a sweet, excited, almost embarrassed, smile as he met his little brother for the first time. We told him his new brother's name was Josiah Malaki, which means "The Lord helps," and "My Messenger." This was the little brother Judah had waited months for and it was love at first sight.<br />
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Life's been a blur ever since. It seems like it's been forever since our family went from three to four and yet it went by in a flash. Life is slowly beginning to stop its reeling. Today I forged through two giant piles of revolving laundry that have been permanent fixtures for the last few weeks. Some days we're getting a rhythm back to our school days. We're starting to get the hang of scheduling everything around feedings and learning to plan an extra hour to get out of the house on account of the blowouts and peeing all over the couch and the outfit changes.<br />
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As someone who tends to focus on the future and try to get through difficult seasons by relentlessly attacking problems with possible solutions, I'm trying to learn to live in the moment. I've been forced to slow down on life that does not involve breastfeeding and diaper changing and teaching a Kindergartner math. I'm trying to remind myself that these moments will go by quickly and neither of my boys will be little and needy forever.<br />
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A month of Josiah has brought a lot less sleep and an appalling amount of money spent on diapers. It has also brought laughs and fat baby cheek snuggles and sweet big brother kisses. It has brought tears (the good and the bad kind) and joy. Tonight Judah prayed for Josiah to grow up to be a great man of God, to love him and serve him, and I echoed his sweet and tender prayer for both our amazing boys.<br /><br />
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Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-30482702740588273722014-08-18T13:01:00.001-05:002014-08-18T13:01:55.208-05:00I Have Two SonsI have two sons. One son was brought into our family through adoption, the other will join our family by birth in a few weeks.<br />
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These boys will share so many things: a crazy family that loves them, a room, an identity as missionary kids, inside jokes, vacations, but one thing they will never share is the color of their skin and the things they encounter in the world because of it. I pray they will understand one another and stand by each other in the face of these experiences, but particularly when it comes to being a person of color in our society, one will experience it by proxy and the other will experience it personally.<br />
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As a mother of a black son I dread this truth. Several years ago we visited a civil rights museum and I stood in front of a blown-up image of an African-American student in Little Rock, Arkansas, walking to school after desegregation. Behind her is an angry mass of white faces and I stood transfixed with horror at one woman's face, her mouth open wide, expelling hateful words, brows furrowed with determined fury. In my mind, suddenly the young black girl she was screaming at was my son and I had to hold back the tears as I thought about someone spewing such hatred all over him, merely because of the color of his skin. I thought, for the first time, what it is like to be the mother of a black child. The helpless feelings of sorrow and anger at the injustices, and even dangers, your children face. I felt them too as I stared at that photo.<br />
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Today it is unlikely my son will be followed down the street being hatefully screamed at, but he will experience many subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) acts of racism, people and systems that consistently make him question his value as a young black man. In the face of current events my heart is heavy with the pain and anger and confusion that still makes up the issue of racial injustice in our cities. <br />
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Whether some people want to admit it or not, the reality is that if both my sons decide not to walk with the Lord and make terrible moral and legal choices in life, one will most likely be given the benefit of the doubt and every opportunity to change, and the other will likely be labeled and dismissed. One might get community service and the other prison time. One might be pepper-sprayed and the other shot. It is so much less personal to think about this truth in light of differing communities, but having that divide present under my own roof makes it a more intimate pain. <br />
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As I have watched the events of Ferguson, Missouri, unfold and witnessed the frenzy of angry and unloving words unleashed in the world of social media, I find myself deeply troubled...both as a mother of a black son and as a Christian. The incident that touched off the eruption is not 100% clear, the diluted messages coming from within the community makes it difficult to hear the truths being spoken, and the aggressive and uncompassionate backlash from those watching widens the chasm between people.<br />
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Facts and law are not unimportant to the Lord, but if that was all He looked at we would all find ourselves condemned. The facts and laws involved in these current events are important but they do not tell the whole story. We, as the Church, have the opportunity to reclaim the story that is unfolding for the Kingdom. Redemption and transformation won't come from the law or from being <em>right</em>; it will come from the power of grace changing hearts. And, no matter how impossible a task this seems to be at the moment, Christ makes all things possible in Him. Standing hand-in-hand with brothers and sisters in Christ from different backgrounds and with different opinions is made possible because we are one family in Him. <br />
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Many Christians seem to be abdicating their role to stand for justice because they see a lack of clear and "practical" steps to be taken. I certainly do not have all the answers about what has to be done, but I know Someone who does. And, I know a good place to start is in humility. Jesus Christ stood silent in the face of his opponents, an extra act of sacrifice as He went to the cross for them. Can we, as His Body, not find it in ourselves to listen more than we speak, to be slow to anger, and quick to love? Can we lay down our literal and metaphorical weapons and reach for someone's hand instead? Perhaps it will be in these moments of self-sacrificing humility and in a quiet affirmation of people's value to the Kingdom that God will make the next steps clear.<br />
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I have two sons and God breathed life equally into each. They will stand hand-in-hand because they know they are of the same family...even when the tough times come because that is what brothers do. I pray that we may do the same as the family of God. Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-24756857817484796852014-07-16T16:57:00.000-05:002014-07-16T16:57:07.678-05:00Time is a Gigantic Freight Train<em>Time.</em> How can something that passes objectively at the same, steady pace be experienced so subjectively? In some seasons time seems to elongate. It stretches and sags in the middle like salt water taffy on a pulling machine. And then in other seasons time seems to barrel toward you like an ominous and gigantic freight train. <br />
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I have to admit that as I get older I have more of the latter experiences than the first, but right now I am most definitely finding myself playing chicken with the freight train of time. And, it is sort of freaking me out.<br />
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Our family is awaiting some major life changes in the next few months, ones that require a great deal of physical, emotional, and mental preparation. They are exciting changes but, as with any major transitions, they require a lot of work...and if you are a worrying planner like myself, they also consume a great deal of soul-energy.<br />
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<em>Homeschooling.</em> Some days I just wonder what I am thinking! School starts sooner than I would like to admit and with everything else that has been going on this summer, I am just now getting the details nailed down. I'm buying curriculum and trying to figure out a good planning method and I can't seem to think clearly with the light of a freight train flooding my eyes! I know that God led us to this decision, for at least this season in our lives, but God's leadings tend to take us straight outside of our comfort zones.<br />
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<em>Baby.</em> AHHH! We're having a baby in two and a half months. It still seems sort of surreal, except that we have a crib and I have a little human kung fooing around in my uterus. But, two and a half months? We don't have a name picked out yet! That might not bother some people (ahem, Andrew!), but I like to feel like I have a little cushion of time before deadlines and there isn't one blasted name on our list of potentials that I feel at home with yet. And, it feels like such a very big deal to name a human!! We've got classes to take and stuff to buy and life as we know it to kiss goodbye...in only two and a half months.<br />
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<em>Judah.</em> My crazy nut of an only child. It's just two and a half months until our family isn't a family of three but of four! I'm not an overly emotional person but for some reason it's hitting me really hard (we'll blame it on the pregnancy hormones). It's just been the three of us for nearly three years now and it's hard to imagine life where Judah isn't Daddy's only buddy and Mama's only favorite boy. Intellectually you know that it all just works itself out, that somehow God arranges it so you think two (or three, or four, or five, if you are so inclined) little humans are the most amazing people on the face of the earth, but your heart has trouble believing it before it happens. The dreaded and mostly irrational Mom-guilt has started to set in as I know more of my time will be directed away from Judah and I frantically want to somehow slow down the rushing of time to cherish these last months with only him. The two-year anniversary of our forever day with him is coming up and the topic of adoption makes my Mom-guilt all the more acute as we prepare to toss another major life-transition onto a five-year-old who has already seen too many. I trust that this change will bless beyond all of our expectations, but I also know that it will add to the list of things he will have to wrestle through as he processes adoption as part of his story.<br />
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If I wasn't already exhausted from growing a little human inside of me 24 hours a day, all the soul-energy I've been expending on these things has left me totally worn out. I've found myself succumbing to a paralyzed fear as I stare down the tracks of time and see the inevitability of change. When I do try to figure out the details a sense of dread sweeps over me, mostly eclipsing the joy that is awaiting us on this journey. It's time to change that because, no matter what awaits us, God is good and He has filled our lives with blessings. (I wouldn't mind if time would ease up a bit though!!)Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-15114090031286273702014-04-16T14:39:00.000-05:002014-04-16T14:39:08.561-05:00Regular Mama"I have three mamas!" Judah exclaimed. "M. and C. are my foster mama [his two dear previous foster mamas are one to him]. J. is my birth mama. And, you are my <i>regular mama.</i>"<div>
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It never felt so good to be a "regular mama" as I looked at his sweet and eager face, grateful that God had written these important women into my son's story but that I was blessed to have him forever.</div>
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With the anticipation of a new baby in the house this year, conversations like these have tripled in frequency. Birth parents and adoption and skin color and the meaning of family are discussed and mulled over and questioned at somewhat of a dizzying pace these days. </div>
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Thinking about the baby, the other day Judah said with a big smile, "We'll see...if the baby is going to be black or white, a boy or a girl!"</div>
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I laughed because he was so genuine about his excitement but it hurt me to have to explain <i>again</i> that the baby's skin color would match mine and Andrew's and not his. I could see on his face that he was disappointed as he tried to process. We talked about his birth mama and how he grew inside her tummy and how his skin color matched her's but that God made family to be so much more than matching skin tones. </div>
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Adoption is a blessing and joy, but moments like these remind me that there is also deep sorrow and loss involved in adoption. Judah often talks about his birth mama and how he misses her. He tries to process being the only brown boy in our family, and in the last year and a half, in most of our general acquaintances. He mulls over the new name he received at adoption, sometimes with happiness and other times with sadness. </div>
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My kid is fiercely loved by so many people and is one of the most genuinely happy and loving kids I've met. He has a spiritual openness and awareness that makes prayer time with him sweet and awe inspiring. We encourage a relationship with his birth mama and are open to relationships with other's from his birth family as God opens the doors. All of these things infuse confidence in him and give him a foundation to stand on, but it is natural for him to struggle to make sense of the losses as well as the blessings and to wrestle with his identity. </div>
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As I am soon to add birth mama to my resume, the adoptive mama in me has been struggling with the implications for our family, particularly for my son. I know that as much as I love him and as much as I celebrate his life, I cannot shield him from suffering the loss and confusion that come with adoption. The fierceness of my love can give him a softer place to land when he falters, but it cannot eradicate entirely the sadness and doubt he will encounter. This regular mama's heart breaks when I think about that.</div>
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But, I also know that the Lord has fitted our family together perfectly and that His love for my son swallows mine whole. As the days dwindle where I get to be mama to only one amazing child I think with both trepidation and joy what a birth child will add to our family. In the end, for all the changes it will bring, I can come back to the fact that although technically I will be an adoptive mama to one child and a birth mama to another, God orchestrated it so that I'll really just be a regular mama to both. </div>
Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8838461246825471971.post-63462318232705702712014-04-06T20:29:00.000-05:002014-04-06T20:36:15.199-05:00Lent: The Bitter and Sweet of SufferingEach year as I follow the rhythms of the Church Year something new and fresh is revealed. I experience the seasons differently every year and with more depth. This year I have found my inner and outer life embodying the themes of key seasons, as if I'm physically walking through the changing seasons, bringing it alive for me.<br />
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In Advent I found myself in<a href="http://themedlens.blogspot.com/2013/12/waiting-and-working-through-advent.html"> a <b>season of restlessness and waiting</b></a><b>,</b> weary and feeling ministry was a little more laborious and the long-awaited results were still just too far out of reach. I felt the discontent and lament that can be associated with waiting and found that I needed to remind myself of what I believed in and the vision the Lord had set before us. I felt, in my own way, the weariness of a broken world waiting on the hope of Christ.<br />
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And now, in Lent, a bittersweet season acknowledging the grace and mercy we receive as a result of the suffering of our Savior, I've found myself walking a journey of my own suffering and in need of God's mercy and grace. In this season I found myself pregnant, which is both terrifying and exciting, and embarking on a journey I had not known would be so emotionally and physically taxing.<br />
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The discovery that I was pregnant came alongside a series of symptoms that were difficult and concerning, making us <a href="http://themedlens.blogspot.com/2013/07/you-give-and-take-away.html"><b>fear the loss of of another pregnancy.</b></a> With each symptom we worried and called the doctor and went in for tests that reassured us, only to turn around and start the process again. After weeks of the emotional yo-yoing we were exhausted. Some days I didn't know if I could take one more worrisome symptom. I thought, if things are going to go badly, I'd rather it just happen already and end the constant ups and downs. In and around the worry and tears I spent most of the day in bed or throwing up.<br />
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Just when we thought we couldn't take another scare, the troubling symptoms subsided and left in their wake only my continued and unrelenting nausea. The morning sickness would wave over me every morning, knocking me off my feet for hours, subside briefly midday, only to regain momentum and crash over me every single night. All the normal anti-nausea medications were not working...one even sending me to the ER with uncontrollable tongue, jaw, and facial spasms. That was fun...and attractive.<br />
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I was so thankful for a flexible ministry schedule, as I was rendered useless for several months. I was also thankful for a husband and son who joyfully picked up all of my slack, but it didn't make the physical suffering much easier. Most days I was a zombie and most nights I closed out the day throwing up and crying pitifully in a ball of misery in my bed.<br />
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When you're in the middle of suffering, whether physical or emotional, whether life altering or just a long and challenging season, it seems to swallow you whole and it's hard not to let it define your entire being. A dear sister in Christ shared something with me during this season that gave me both hope and perspective. She said that in her own difficult journey she had found that God never wastes our suffering. She wrote it to me in a text message but the profoundness of its truth kept me coming back to that text over and over again during these months.<br />
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The question we ask while deep in suffering tends to be <i>why?</i>, which makes it seem like God is far away and spiteful. But this perspective made God seem close and compassionate...which is, of course, the nature of God.<br />
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Our world is broken and dying and we suffer the consequences of that daily, sometimes more intensely than others. God doesn't always take away our suffering, but He always intervenes on our behalf. He walks with us through the suffering if we will welcome Him. He looks intimately at us and our circumstances, working and redeeming every moment for His glory and our spiritual benefit, letting no suffering go without purpose if we turn to Him. He cherishes it all, holding it close to Himself, as He did the suffering of His own Son.<br />
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It is only because Christ walked the journey of purposeful suffering before us that we can also suffer with purpose, experiencing both the bitter and sweet that comes with suffering. The bitterness in our suffering is easy to pick out, but to find the sweetness we have to look to Jesus, knowing He sees each moment of our suffering, and ask Him to show us where He is working for His glory in us and those around us.<br />
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I wish I was better at this approach to suffering. I wish, even in these last months, I had applied these truths more thoroughly, but I do know that each time I have experienced suffering in my life, when I turn to Christ in its midst, even imperfectly, I experience new truths about who He is and in that there is such sweetness.Adriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886179887174044616noreply@blogger.com0