My Trip to Haiti-- The Women of Haiti

While on my trip in Haiti, I encountered many women.  Nicole was one of those women.  Nicole is strong, and confident.  Nicole has  a great future ahead of her.  But she is the exception.

As we rode or walked through the villages, I saw woman after woman working so hard.  Most were squatting over buckets or streams washing clothes by hand.  Some were combing children's hair.  I'm sure many were cooking, though I didn't see anyone cooking.  All seemed forgotten.  As teams of Americans flood the villages, children run out of their homes to play with the Americans.  The women stay back to work.

The women of Haiti are forgotten, oppressed, and invisible. 

Here an example of how Haitian women are treated, even within the church.  Michaela shared with me that when one woman was asked how they could pray for her, she asked for her husband.  She  said that she couldn't join the church until she was married.

My heart was so burdened for the women of Haiti.  It still is.  My desire while there was to lift some of those women up.  To let them know how beautiful and valuable they are.  To let them know that they are not forgotten by God.

If You're Waiting

If you're waiting for a blessing from God, be the blessing someone else is waiting for. 
If you're waiting for healing, be an instrument of healing someone else for someone.
If you're waiting for provision, be the provision someone else is waiting for.
If you're waiting for a big breakthrough, be apart of someone else's breakthrough.
If you're waiting for an answer to prayer, be the answer to someone else's prayer
If you're waiting to hear from God, speak the words of God to someone who needs to hear from Him.
If you want to be forgiven, give the blessing of forgiveness to someone.
If you want others to be gracious and patient with you, be gracious and patient with others.
If you really truly want to be loved and accepted  unconditionally, love and accept others unconditionally.

Don't delay. Do it today.

2012, It's Time!

Can you hear the cries?

Cries for mercy
cries for deliverance
cries for healing
cries for hope...

Can you see the hopelessness in the eyes
                                                   of Mother who can't feed her children?
                                                   of  prisoners of abuse, addiction, fear...

Can you feel the beating heart of the forgotten?
                                        Those persecuted for their belief in Jesus?
                                        Children whose parents have died of aids?
                                        Widows who've had their property taken away?
                                         Little girls in hidden places forced to do things
                                                                                  that a little girl should never know?


Can you hear their prayers for help?

What if you are the answer to their prayers?  What if you are the one who a person or a people group is waiting for in order to hear the message of freedom?  of healing? of hope?

Will you accept this mission?

What if you are the one God has chosen to heal the sick, feed the hungry, set the captives free...

What if...

All of your life you've been being prepared for this moment.  Even as you were formed in the womb.  Every incident, accident, and planned event was carefully orchestrated by Elohim to bring you to this place.


Will you forgo your own agenda for the rest of your life, laying it down at the feet of our Supreme Commander?  He has a special mission for you!

Will you say yes?

Don't worry, He has thoroughly equipped you for EVERY good work and He promises to empower you and be near you every step of the way.  As you work along side of the King of the Universe, you will be satisfied with His precious presence and be allowed to know Him intimately.  How generous our God is to give us the honor and privilege of joining Him in His most sacred and beautiful work--rescuing and redeeming all mankind.

So what are you waiting for?

YOUR HEART LONGS FOR MORE. 

YOU WERE MADE FOR  MORE.

It's 2012!  It's time!

May your year be full of the presence of Yahweh and may you live your life for His perfect purposes.

I still have a heart

 This is a story written by a friend of mine.  She recently sent me this e-mail about an encounter she had with a  homeless lady in downtown Austin.  She gave me permission to post her story.

I met a lady at the store down the road. We ran for paper plates, etc. She is homeless & filthy; literally covered in dirt. She appeared fearful to speak to anyone but couldn't resist saying "hi" to [my son], who ran up to her & tried to grab her hand. She told me I was "blessed to have him". I could tell by her tone that she had had children at one time. She told me she was hungry & asked if I had $1. I told her I don't normally carry cash but I had some drinks in my car. I told her I'd look to see what I had. By the time we were buckled in, she had walked away. I looked around & saw her getting yelled at by a mom (with the mom's daughter) on the other side of the parking lot. I drove up to the homeless woman as she walked away & I could see urine on her shorts & more dirt. She flinched when I drove up. I told her "it's ok" & showed her the $4 I had found in my wallet. She hesitantly came to my window. I asked her for her name. She was truly surprised. She whispered, "Sandy". Then in a tearful voice she said, "I am homeless but I still have a heart." I introduced myself & asked permission to pray for her. She started crying. I handed her the money & said, "I wish I could do more...Jesus loves you." Through tears she looked quickly skyward & said "I know". She said, "I know now that all I need is food in my stomach, some shade & to be able to pray." She looked at me with genuine gratitude, still crying. She said, "You have no idea how far this will go. I can get some food to eat." Then she became embarrassed about crying in front of a stranger. She quickly turned & walked away. Her voice was hoarse from dehydration. I could tell her body was overcome with the blazing Texas heat. But she walked off thanking Jesus for my piddly gift & because someone cared enough to ask her name. It was so hard not to run after her & beg her to go to an emergency room. I know she probably won't be alive much longer. I may have just paid for her last meal. What amazes me is that this woman is a mother, a daughter, a sister-in-Christ. And no one even wanted to know her name.

What have we done to "the least" ? part 3

In my own meager attempts to serve "the least", I've been so quick to "fix" their problems, or what I thought was their problem, that I have unknowingly undervalued them.  I've communicated in my actions and attitude that my education, experience, money and even my country, made me an "expert" on solving their problem.  I am thankful for God's grace in these situations, for he knows I was acting out of ignorance.  Yet, now that I know, I repent of my foolish pride.

I pray that I will embrace this truth in my inner most parts--to depths of my being:  Everyone has some ability, and skill that we can learn from.  Everyone.  We often have to help "the least" to see their value and worth.  We have to help them to see that they have gifts, abilities and skills that the world needs--that our church body needs.  We value others when we recognize what they have to give to us and others, when we consider their ideas, and their analysis of a situation.  They have something unique and wonderful to bring to the discussion. We are able to see a fuller picture of what's really going on, and how to solve a problem.   It's not that we have nothing to give them.  It's just that we rarely give "the least" the opportunity to give to us.

We begin by listening, and asking lots of questions.  Questions enable us to understand the challenges that "the least" face.  It enables us to discover their skills and abilities.  It enables us to know them. Don't be afraid of questions.

We must use every opportunity to build up "the least".  We must give them positions of significance that allow them to use the skills they have.  Provide lots of encouragement and support.  Walk beside them every step of the way, reassuring them that they can do it!  They need to know we believe in them. They need patience and lots of grace.  If they fail, they need our reassurance that it's ok.  We all fail.  This is how Jesus recruited His followers.   He didn't choose the qualified.  He qualified those whom He chose.  They didn't choose Jesus.  He chose them.  He walked beside them every step of the way, preparing them for a great mission.  He trusted them to fulfill this mission by the power of the Holy Spirit. We too can trust "the least" with great responsibilities.  They too can fulfill these great things by the power of the Holy Spirit.


And we can't wait for "the least" to come to us.  Like Jesus, we must go to "the least".  We must tell them, "I see something wonderful in you."  "I believe in you."  "Now come and lead this ministry". "Come and teach class."  "Come and join me on this mission."  "You can do this." 

We must be intentional  about affirming their God-given worth, value and purpose. We must ask God to give us eyes to see them as He sees them.  Then we must help them to see the truth about who they really are.  Remember, "the least" are constantly being bombarded with messages that tell them all the reasons they can't do anything of significance. 

Allow "the least" to serve you.  It's puts you in a position of humility.  When I receive from someone, I am communicating that I have a need that must be met.  The person who gives is always in a position of power.  Receiving puts us in a  place of weakness.  In order to receive, I must admit that I am deficient in some way.    Remember, the God of the Universe, who lacks nothing, receives from us.  He delights in receiving from us, though He needs nothing.  Receiving is a way of blessing another.  It acknowledges that they have something of worth to give.

When we lift up others, we too are lifted to greater heights.

What Have we done to "the least"? Part 1

James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

 

The true test of the church is how we serve "the least" among us.  "The Least" is defined as the poor, minorities, disabled, children without fathers(or mothers), the widow (including the divorced), mentally-ill, refugees, homeless--anyone that doesn't fit the majority profile.  Anyone who finds him or herself among the disadvantaged in a culture.  These people struggle to survive in communities.  They are often invisible to the majority.   They are invisible in part because "the least" try to blend in with the majority.  They are invisible in part because the majority can choose not to interact with them.  Honestly, "the least" in a society make us uncomfortable.  It's much easier to encourage or even force those who are different from us to conform.  "Become one of us, then we can love you."  It's  hard to love people who are "different".

How can we as the church serve "the least" in our communities, in our cities and the world, when we don't serve" the least" in our on church body--those sitting beside us on the pews?  How can we convince the world that God loves them and that we genuinely care for them, when we can't love and accept those whom we call brother or sister?  I'm thinking that this isn't a new issue in the body of Christ for James talks about this issue in his letter.

JAS 2:1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. [2] Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. [3] If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," [4] have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

james 2:8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. [9] But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.

I know what you're thinking.  "I would NEVER do that!"  Well--we do it in our churches ALL of the time.  We're just unaware of what we're doing.  When we choose the style of music that we worship to based on the majority of our member's preferences, we choose to show favoritism toward the majority culture. The preferences of  "the least" in our church are ignored.  "The least" is forced to conform, or leave. No wonder churches are so segregated.  (When I say majority culture, I refer here to the majority culture of the particular local church and its surrounding community.)  When we focus all of our efforts on reaching the majority, "the least" among us are devalued.  Take note that even James recognizes that the poor man is welcomed into the meeting, but he is pointing out how the poor man is treated when he gets there.  

How do we treat "the least" in our worship services?

Aiming the bulk of our resources towards the majority works great in a business, but not in God's economy.  God is a God who leaves the 99 (the majority) to rescue one (the least).  God Himself rejoices over one who receives the gift of salvation.  This is because every person is valuable to God.

MT 25:40 "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

 Interesting that Jesus calls "the least" His brothers.  It's also interesting that he didn't say, whatever you did for "some" of the least, or "most" of the least,  but "one" of the least.  Jesus seems to be emphasizing that every single person matters to God.  Overlooking one person grieves the heart of God.

 MT 25:45 "He will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

 How are we treating Jesus in our churches?