Walk for life

Julie, Tabitha and I participated in this morning's Walk For Life sponsored by the Pregnancy Support Center of Stark County. The purpose of the walk was to raise funds to expand the Support Center's ministry.

We started by making a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts for 50 munchkin donut holes, coffee and milk. We needed some quick energy food. We met several other friends at McKinley Park where we registered, received our very brightly colored t-shirts and prayed together before beginning the walk.

Our family participated in the Walk for two reasons: We are pro-life and we value the ministry of the Pregnancy Support Center. Each year in the United States alone, nearly 1.2 million abortions are performed. The vast majority are termed "abortions of convenience." In other words, there is no known danger for the expectant mother to give birth to the infant.

It would have been easier for us to simply send a check. But there is something valuable about gathering to walk and show our support for life. It is also important to Julie and me to teach our daughter God's value of human life.

God made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! (Psalm 139:13-17)

God is pro-life in every way. So, if you are walking around with guilt about a decision you made (or were involved in) in the past. Please know that the moment you ask for forgiveness from God, HE FORGIVES YOU. The same as he does my personal myriad of sins.

We are called to live a life of freedom and to share that life with as many as possible.

The world may never know

Julie and I finished our foster/adoption classes this week. It was no small task. 36 hours of information. We finished by receiving our CPR certification. So, if I see you passed out on the street, theoretically, I should be able to revive you.

What all of this means is that we could have a new child(ren) in our home in as little as two weeks. Of course it could also be as long as six months. The wait begins.

I’ve been asked time and time again why we’re doing this? We already feel very complete as a family. Julie and I have adjusted our work schedules to give great care to our daughter Tabitha. We love to travel.

In a nutshell the reason is this . . . Some people bring a new child into their family to complete their family. With foster care/adoption we bring our family into a child’s life that needs the love of a family.

Right now, in the state of Ohio alone, there are 17,000 children in the foster care system. Children that really have no place to call home. Children that would love to be part of a forever family.

Did you know that of those being held in our penal systems throughout this country, 80% grew up in what we call “substitute” homes? The vast majority of that 80% are children who were bounced around in the foster care system. What would happen if Jesus followers would start loving these children and bring them into their families? Could it be that prisons would begin to close? Captives would be set free? Ummm, sounds like something Jesus came to do.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to discover that this whole Jesus thing really works? As my favorite Tootsie Pop owl used to say, “The world may never know.” But then again . . . maybe it will.

The church has left the building

This past weekend we cancelled all of our church services at all of our campuses. Instead of gathering together in a building we encouraged nearly three thousand people to leave the building and go be the church.

In Matthew 6 Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed by your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.” Most Christians pray that prayer in hopes that God’s kingdom will come some day in the sweet by and by when Jesus returns to take them to heaven. But that is only half of what Jesus was asking us to pray. Those of us who follow Jesus should be praying, “Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come (right now), your will be done (right now), on earth as it is in heaven. It’s our job to bring as much of God’s kingdom, as much of heaven, as we can to this earth, right now. Right now.

We have to ask the question, “If the church were to close its doors today, would anyone notice?” Would anyone on the outside of the church care? And that’s why we closed our church building doors for a weekend. We asked people not to “come” to church, but to go “be” the church. As a result, hundreds and hundreds of Jesus followers took to the streets to serve others.

Julie, Tabs and I began on Saturday. We purchased mums and baked pies to take to some of our neighbors. (We wanted a service activity in which Tabs, at age eight, could participate.) I went to the grocery store to collect the ingredients we needed for the pies. After about 45 minutes of shopping I made my way to the register to pay for the items. At the register I realized I had left my wallet at home. Nice. I drove home, picked up my wallet and returned to the store. At the store I discovered that a well trained grocery boy had returned all of my items to their appropriate locations on the shelves. Our family’s small act of service was turning into a time consuming project!

Later that afternoon when we delivered a flower and a pie to an older woman who lives near us, it was worth every bit of the effort.

On Sunday we joined some friends of ours and we journeyed down to the Christian Children’s Home of Ohio in Wooster. Our task was to landscape the cottages in which the boys and girls in the foster care system live. We prayed that God would bless these children through our efforts.

Some people picked up trash along the streets. Others rebuilt porches, scraped and painted houses, even were involved in the construction of homes with Habitat for Humanity. School playgrounds were repaired, homeless shelters were cleaned, pregnancy support centers were beautified.

Why? Because that is what we believe Jesus would do. And if Jesus would do it, then the church should be doing it.

Our prayer is that this won’t be a “one weekend” activity, but that it will become part of who we are. Embedded in our DNA. That in some small way, not just by the words we say, but by the way we live, we would become Jesus to the world.

To read about other iSERVE experiences, go to www.iserve.wordpress.com

What Is The What

Hope you're not getting tired of book reviews.

What Is The What by Dave Eggers is definitely one of the best books I've read this year. It's the story of a displaced Sudanese boy refugee who is brought for resettlement to the United States. It is a true story. Don't miss that single description: It is a true story.

The journey Achak Deng (the lead character) takes across Africa and then to the United States is heart-breaking, heart-warming and at all times gripping. For me personally, I continue to have my eyes opened to the reality of much of the rest of the world.

Perhaps we're all journeying to discover what is the what?

This Beautiful Mess

Rick McKinley's book, This Beautiful Mess, is a must read for every follower of Jesus who is committed to bringing God's Kingdom to earth right here and right now. It is simply the best book I've read about being individuals and churches that intentionally make a difference in the world in Jesus' name.

Rick is the Lead Pastor of Imago Dei Church in Portland, Oregon. The reason Rick's book is so insightful and compelling is because Rick, and the church he is part of, is living out the mission of Jesus on earth. Real life stuggles. Real life victories.

McKinley writes, "The Kingdom message is this: Where Christ entered, suffered, and died to bring life, you and I are invited to do the same for others in His name."

Pick this one up!

Somehow, I believe this to be true

Yesterday we baptized 36 people in a nearby lake. Though it was a beautiful sunny afternoon, the temperature only reached about 60 degrees. The water temperature made each immersion a memorable experience! Entire families were baptized--first the father and mother and then the parents would baptize their children. It was an amazing day.

I arrived home from the celebration and turned on the tv to see how the Cleveland Browns were fairing. 70,000 people had gathered to watch two teams play football. Less than 50 family members and friends gathered to watch the baptisms.

I began to wonder who was watching what in the spiritual realms? Could it be that 70,000 angels were having a party in heaven as the 36 committed their lives to following Jesus, while perhaps less than 50 angels attended to the football game? Somehow, I believe this to be true.

1-800-FLOWERS

Okay, I just read about the following . . .

A Texas man is suing 1-800-FLOWERS for one million dollars for revealing to his wife that he was having an affair. Mr. Greer claims that when he sent roses to his girlfriend he specifically asked the flower delivery service to keep the transaction private.

Shortly after, however, a note arrived at Mr. and Mrs. Greer's home thanking such a thoughtful hubby for his business. And now? Mr. Greer's wife is suing for divorce, demanding an extra $300,000 based on the evidence of her husband's adultery.

Not to be outdone, Mr. Greer is suing the florist for a cool million.

Ummm, Mr. Greer, sending flowers to the woman you committed your life to would have saved everyone a lot of money . . . and heartache.

Everywhere I go I see You

I just returned from Red Lake, Canada in Northern Ontario. It was quite a journey, but well worth the effort. To get there we drove to Cleveland Airport, flew to Minneapolis, changed planes and flew to Winnipeg, rented a truck, drove six hours north, boarded a chartered amphibious plane and flew another hour into the wilderness. The best fishing was when we left the big lake where our cabin (very rustic) was located, portaged another half hour and then cast our lines into Hidden Lake. One day, in the span of four hours, the two of us in our boat caught 53 fish! Big fish! (For those of us who are environmental enthusiasts, yes, we returned all but our dinner back to the lake.)

This trip was especially meaningful to me because I took my dad to celebrate his 70th birthday. I'd been talking about making a trip with him to Canada for a number of years and finally thought, "He's not getting any younger." Not that I am either. Why do we keep putting the really important stuff off?

A couple of trip highlights . . . We were able to see American Eagles in the wild. I mean huge Bald Eagles soaring out of the sky with claws extended to carry away fish for their families. And there were loons. When I listened to their despondent cry I wondered if God was lonely when He created them? I don't think I've ever heard a more beautiful yet singular sound. The surprise came one evening at sunset when I heard two loons, side by side on the lake, begin to laugh together. It was an amazing song.

Oh, and did I mention that we were unplugged? (Which is why I haven't written in awhile.) No cell phones. No Internet access. No newspapers. No touch with the outside world. Quiet is a wonderful restorative.

Each morning I would get up at six and walk down to our dock. Mist would be rising off the water. Pastels would be sprayed across the lake from the pallette of the rising sun. And virtual silence. I would sit alone with my Father--the One in Heaven. Song lyrics kept repeating themselves through my head and heart: Everywhere I go I see You. Everywhere I go I see You.

And now I'm home. Of course it's good to be back with Julie and Tabs. The challenge will be to keep the lyrics repeating: Everywhere I go I see You. Everywhere I go I see You.