Light Shines in the Darkness

 

    A few Sundays ago we were preparing for one of my favorite Christmas traditions.  A Blue Christmas Remembrance service at the Des Moines Vineyard.  In the middle of all the hustle and bustle and shining lights, we make a place for folks to come who feel more darkness than lights.  We make a place for those who have loved and lost folks, to come and remember and share their life with others.  How can that be a favorite? I find hope there, yes hope. In the middle of the sorrow I see comfort, in the pain I see healing. I see the images of God in the stories shared about those who have gone on from this world. It's almost as if we are pushing against the glass and getting a glimpse of heaven on the other side.  It is a holy place as one by one people light a candle and share.  At the end of the service folks take their candle and flower with them as they go.  Suddenly the room fills with light and beauty, yes it is Holy.  

     It is a living picture of John 1:5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

     We also had an unexpected Sunday surprise.  Mike and I are transitioning from co-leading the Des Moines Vineyard. We have served the purposes of God in our generation and now we get to mentor and cheer on the next generation as they serve God's purposes in the world.  It will be a different song, with a different rhythm I am sure. I am equally sure it will be good, very good.  We were given this Bible in the picture, a journal Bible.  People were invited to write something to share with us beside a verse or passage.  It's a beautiful gift.  Not unlike the Remembrance Service, it has become a beautiful living story of peoples lives jumping off the pages and glorifying God.  It's been a privilege to be an 'accidental', 'unofficial' pastor with Mike all these years.  It seems like a farm girl from Illinois would end up being a shepherd one way or another. 

     May Christ's church continue to shine their light in the darkness, knowing that He will not let the darkness overcome it.  Emmanuel, God with us, yes he is indeed.  

Safe In His Hands

Today my sister Kathy went home to be with Jesus.  She would just laugh if she knew I was writing about her on a blog about Reluctant Heroes.  A couple years ago on Mother's day I was speaking at church.  I used the opportunity to honor Kathy.  Now with her passing I really can't think of a better way to honor her memory than by talking about her 'Mothering' though she never had children of her own.  

Kathy was the 6th of 11 children.  She was one tough cookie as I remember her growing up.  She wore mens Levi jeans and flannel shirts.  She wore that outfit way before it was cool to wear flannel shirts.  She smoked camel unfiltered cigarettes, and she also suffered abuse.  She was a survivor. 

When I found Jesus and came home with Mike to visit my family she was the worst to tease us. It was impossible to even be offended by the teasing because she was just so funny. Kathy had a way of winning you over.  One of the many trips home, late one night, she started asking lots of questions.  Does Jesus love people who do this?  What about people who do that?  And what makes you think God is good?  Question after question late into the night. Eventually that night she surrendered to Jesus love.  Her whole heart belonged to Jesus and oh my how he loved her and changed her. 

She eventually came to Pa. and lived with us on and off for years. She went to our inner city church where we reached out in the poorer neighborhoods.  She was so struck by the kids who just hung out in the streets with no where to go and no one to love them.  She knew she had to do something about it.  She started something called ‘Saturday Sunday School’.  Part of her shtick was Smiley the clown and Frowny the clown. 

She was Frowny, the bad cop clown, she played the part perfectly.  Hundreds of kids came to Saturday Sunday School.  She loved those kids and led so many of them to Jesus. Here she is as Frowny. She's the one with the blue wig.                                                                                                She did arts and crafts, gave them way too much candy, had them overnight for sleepovers, went to their school activities.  She was a Mother to hundreds of kids.  I am so proud to be her sister.  Somehow Kathy saw the value in children, and she invested most of her life in loving the least of these. 

These last years Kathy battled kidney cancer and spent her last years on kidney dialysis. Most days, when I would call she was still counting blessings and always thankful for even the smallest expressions of love.  No one could make you laugh like Kathy, from telling Cinderella backwards, to just finding the joy in the everyday bits of life, it was never dull when she was around.

I learned a lot from my big sister, but the greatest thing I learned was how to say yes to Jesus....no matter what.  We held in common a love for Catherine Booth and her work with and for children.  This quote from Catherine sums up how Kathy lived her life, the good, the bad, and the ugly bits of life.

"Whatever the particular call is, the particular sacrifice God asks you to make, the particular cross he wishes you to embrace, whatever the particular path He wants you to tread, will you rise up, and say in your heart, "Yes, Lord, I accept it; I submit, I yield, I pledge myself to walk in that path, and to follow that Voice, and to trust Thee with the consequences." Oh! but you say, "I don't know what He will want next." No, we none of us know that, but we know we shall be safe in His hands." ~Catherine Booth

I am so very glad to know that Kathy is now safe in His hands.  I pledge myself to walk that path, she left big foot prints to follow. 

He is awesome!

"He is awesome! He is perfectly made."  

Those were the words my sister said from her wheel chair.  My sweet, strong, weak, crusty and kind older sister Kathy is in the last stages of renal failure.  I am home to be with her and my other older siblings, 65, 79, and 82 as we move her from assisted living to skilled care.  

These are the rhythms and times of life, never easy, often trying and always holy.  

We had just finished Kathy's doctors appointment and she wanted to be wheeled outside to wait for transportation.  We set together, I held her hand, because words don't work like they used to.  Touch communicates what words fail to say.  She started pointing way out in the distance, she saw a child.  Whenever she sees a child her face lights up and her words come back.  She waved, kept saying "Hi, Hi".  As the Mom and child walked passed us Kathy's head dropped.  She suddenly looked up at me and in all clarity said "He is awesome! He is perfectly made."

Her words took my breath away and released a flood of healing tears. This 72 year old woman who had never been married, or had children of her own has worked most of her life with hundreds of children in churches, inner cities, teaching them, loving them, investing her life in what she knew were the treasures of this world.  Even in her limited mental state her mind, soul, and spirit can see what is most valuable in the world and call it out.  Kathy knew what Psalm 139:12,13 had formed in her over her life.

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

Children taught me today, a little boy walking past, and the child that is still inside my sister.  If you were around she would tell you, "You are awesome, you are perfectly and marvelously made."  

Five Loaves and Two Fish

      Last week we got a call in our office at church asking if we could help a local school for teacher appreciation week.  They didn't have an ongoing PTO that could do it and the librarian was going to try to do it all by herself.  When she decided the job was too big she thought "I wonder if the Vineyard will help?"  We said yes right away.  Not because we had an abundance, or because we thought it'd be easy.  Really, we said yes, because we made a pre-determined decision that we weren't going to say that five loaves and two fish weren't enough anymore.   You may remember the story from Matthew 14:16 - 18.  When people were hungry and Jesus said to feed them.  The disciples wanted to send them home.  Jesus had other ideas when he gave thanks and multiplied those loaves and fish.

     We thought it would be a big recruiting effort.  Then I had my small group the next day and just mentioned the opportunity to about 10 friends.  I casually said if they wanted to help in some way to let me know.  In the next 24 hours, the emails flew back and forth and I watched people give what they had and Jesus multiply it to a week of 'teacher appreciation'.  I love when folks take their everyday ordinary life, let Jesus transform them and they become reluctant heroes.  No one is a hero on their own, but through Jesus and with each other we get to be a part of our Father's great search and rescue mission.  No more saying no....no turning back.  Let's open our hands, give thanks, and watch Jesus do miracles.

It's me, it's me, it's me!

     Yesterday I was a 'fill in' volunteer.  Someone was sick and we needed someone to 'help' the teacher for our Kingdom Kids.  I was happy to jump in to such an important job.  First, I joined our team upstairs as we pray before the service and then spend a couple of minutes of silence to listen for what we think Jesus may want to do in folks lives that morning.  One of our team got an impression of a student, walking through school and asking Jesus to help them and that he wanted to touch their heart today.   There were a few other encouraging thoughts, we prayed for each other and went on our way.

     Our class of ten children came down, I listened to my group talk about their week at school, how they think they could show kindness to others, and we played a game to learn our verse.  It was craft time, and almost time for the service to end, and my substitute job would be over.  Then I remembered that picture of that student.  So, I started to share with the kids how we pray before the service and someone got a picture of a student that.......... I didn't get much further than that and a little 6 year old boys hand shot into the air, "It's me, it's me, it's me.  I feel like all I do is get yelled at in school.  I can't figure out what I do wrong, and how to change.  I need Jesus to help me."

The other kids gathered around and prayed for him, and encouraged him, and his face lit up with the biggest smile.

     You know, we always talk about appreciating volunteers, and I do.....I really do.  It's just that I can't get that boys face out of my mind, and I can't stop thinking about a God who loves a 6 year old enough to give a picture to a group of people who are praying, just to encourage that young boy.  Maybe volunteers need to hold an appreciation day for the churches, schools, hospitals, and other places we serve. They provide the opportunity for us to be a hero in someones life, even if just for a brief moment.   Maybe when we're asked to serve our hands should go up and say 'It's me, it's me, it's me'.

Jesus said it best in Matthew 18:3 - For an answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and said, "I'm telling you, once and for all, that unless you return to square one and start over like children, you're not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.  Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God's kingdom.  What's more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it's the same as receiving me."

Living uncomfortably for the sake of others

Justice. Social Justice. Words we hear at lot, don’t you agree?  They also seem to be really acceptable, honorable, even noble causes.  I think it would be safe to say they are things that people of many different faiths would come together in an effort for the ‘common good’.  

A few weeks ago, I observed some people who took this modern day cause from acceptable to extremely uncomfortable. A group from Inter Varsity at Drake campus hosted a Jesus, Justice, Poverty event.  Here’s a description of the week from the IV leader, Amy Schoepf:

  

“Jesus, Justice, and Poverty is an event that our group puts on every three years to highlight issues from all over the world that we think Jesus cares about and that are relevant to the whole of campus. This year, the issue being highlighted is human trafficking and more specifically, sex trafficking. Human trafficking is a 32 billion dollar industry in the world, humans are being bought and sold and used for labor, sex, and anything in-between. 1.8 million of these are children, and are involved specifically in sex slavery. These children (and adults) have not chosen to put themselves into the ownership and slavery of another human—they have been put there by someone else. Tricked. Lied to. Deceived. Parents have been told “your child deserves a better future—I will take them to the city and allow them to  work at my shop for great pay and will make sure they are well taken care of.”

The parent lets them go, believing that something wonderful awaits the future of their child and their family, and instead they arrive in their new home to discover the job they are working is having sex with whoever can afford them and their family, their innocence, and their freedom have completely vanished forever. It’s that simple. So we attempted to bring awareness to this particular piece of trafficking today on campus—answering the question, “how does it happen?” Just like that. Just like a flier advertising free burritos in the student union and upon arrival, there are no burritos, and instead you’re given a “SOLD” stamp and explained that you have just been “trafficked”.  Then, given information about what exactly human trafficking is and its impact on our world today. Encouraged to be aware, to be concerned, and to take some kind of action. 

There were many silent responses, people not even knowing how to wrap their minds around the facts just shared with them. Some wanted to know more. Others asked what they can do to help. And then there were the passionate ones who shouted angrily “This is bullshit!” [at the lack of burritos, not the facts about sex slavery], or ones who after hearing the facts about human trafficking, said “Wait, so there really are no burritos?” and stormed off. People angry and annoyed and passionate enough that they chalked on sidewalks “free burritos is a lie!”  

We knew today’s event would have some push back. But honestly, the hostility of some students was shocking.” ~Amy Schoepf, Drake InterVarsity Leader

As a pastor and leader, I’m inspired by these young men and women.  Inspired by their courage to ‘do something‘ to make the right people angry.  They make all of us go from ‘caring about an issue’ to being forced to ‘feel’ what it means to be oppressed.  To make us understand that if we care, we must act. I’m challenged to look around in my city, where are those being exploited, am I praying for them, is there a way that I can go to them and reach them with simple acts of Jesus kindness?  Am I willing to be uncomfortable, to go without, to be acquainted with their greif and suffering?  

We just celebrated Easter, and that is exactly what Jesus did for us.  He became acquainted with our grief, suffering, humanity.  He took on death and sin so we can be free.  Now it’s our turn to become reluctant hero’s, and spread the good news to others.  Even when we are ridiculed and made uncomfortable.  I believe this is just the beginning of a revolution of love.  I pray these young adults have not only changed some of lives at Drake, but also right here in our Vineyard in Des Moines.  So, let’s take the risk, and love the person in front of us.  What if social justice started with being the Good Samaritan?  Love your neighbor, change the world.....social justice in action.

“This is how we’ve come to understand and experiecne love:  Christ sacrificed his life for us.  This why we ought to live sacrifically for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves.”  I John 3:16

An ordinary life as an offering

I remember Stuart Briscoe, pastor and author, telling a story about a welcome meeting at his church. He was asking people to go around and tell their occupation and something about themselves. There was a young woman who sat squarely in front of him with a big smile. He called on her and she simply said, "I am a fully devoted follower of Jesus, inviting as many people as I can to follow him with me. I work at the factory to pay my way."

Well, I'm a pastor by passion and calling. I just clean houses and offices to pay my way. This year for Easter we are doing a 40 day faith adventure. We are studying the book of Acts together and asking Jesus for things for ourselves, six other people we know, and for our church and city. In the guide we put out, I shared with folks from our church what I was asking God for. Then, in the small group that meets in our home each week, we all shared again what and who we were praying for. We pray for and with each other every week. Because I wrote my requests in the guide, I noticed people at church coming up and asking me how it was going, and encouraging me. Well, I asked for five new clients for my cleaning business, as we had encouraged folks to ask for concrete things.

In the middle of the 40 days, I've found myself discouraged, and thinking why did I do that? Put my request out on a limb for everyone to see. I have to be honest, the encouragement, prayer and comments from people kept me going; yet challenged me. If this was really a faith adventure, I wanted to lead the way. So, this week I "did" Romans 12:1,2, "God helping me, I took my everyday, ordinary life, and gave it to God as an offering". I went door to door in the afternoons to businesses with my business cards. I told them my story, and asked what their needs were.

As I went, I found myself praying. Praying for the people I met, and praying  for the people in my church. Asking Jesus to encourage others that may be discouraged like I was. I asked Jesus to let my actions be a type of spiritual warfare, that he would provide financially for people. For people to have the courage to give out of their need and for God to pour out provision and blessing for them. I could imagine their faces, see friends with cancer and pray for their healing. God met me in between every stop in those prayers. I knew I wasn't alone, and that the best way I could lead my people was to pray and knock on doors.

Well, I do have a new customer from this week, and an appointment for a possible customer. I met a lot of new people to pray for along the way as well. I love following Jesus with others and for the sake of others. Who cares how I pay my way? As long as I give my everyday, ordinary life to God as an offering he will change me from the inside out, bring the best out of me and out of you. The best out of us is Jesus, and that's who we want people to follow. He is an extraordinary God transforming ordinary people, like me, into fully devoted followers of Jesus.