Welcome to God's Living Room

Our #CrazyLoveChicago team met at my house early on a Wednesday morning. We piled our suitcases, blankets, and pillows into the back of Jeannie's SUV then buckled ourselves in and drove off towards Chicago. The six-hour drive was peppered with excited conversation, flowing from personal questions to anecdotal stories to wondering what the next few days would look like. Even I, the veteran missionary who lived and served with YWAM Chicago for 2 years, didn't quite know what our team was to expect during our short 4 day trip. But I answered the questions as best I could, telling stories of my own time there years ago.

Windmills in Layfatte, Indiana

As we drew closer to Chicago, I wondered for the thousandth time what God was going to do in and through our team. I knew our schedule was going to be jam-packed, filled with one ministry opportunity after the other. I had a sense of what we were going to experience, the people we were going to meet, the excitement of doing new things and stepping out of our comfort zones. But I didn't know exactly what was going to happen!

This is actually a view of the city as we're leaving

As we drove into the city, my heart was overwhelmed. The day had finally come. This day that I'd prayed for, longed for, and planned for 10 long years. 

When I left Chicago 10 years ago, I knew God wanted me to come home to Ohio. To work with the local church and get people excited about missions, both within the local community and overseas. Not to mention cities. (I believe God has an amazing plan for cities, but that's for another post!) I also knew that He wanted me to return to Chicago, bringing with me teams of people who had a heart for showing crazy love. 

It may seem silly, but for me, this #CrazyLoveChicago team was a dream come true. An answer to prayer.

The YWAM Chicago staff knows how to show hospitality!

We arrived at YWAM Chicago just in time for dinner followed by an orientation led by Jesse and some of the other staff. Jesse shared a powerful message on the parable of the sower that personally struck a chord and set the tone for the entire outreach. 

The next morning, our small team joined another team that was in the city and we all set out for our first ministry opportunity: prayer at Daly Plaza. Daly Plaza is home to a courthouse and numerous business offices. In the summer, the plaza hosts a farmers market along with daily entertainment during the lunch hour. We meandered around the farmers market for a bit, gazing at the Amish cheeses and the fresh produce. We talked about how we were going to approach people and how weird it was going to be. Armed with only a business card and what little bit of courage we could muster up, we split into teams and set out to pray for people.

Approaching anyone and asking them if they'd like prayer is intimidating in and of itself. Especially if you're an introvert and asking anyone for anything is out of your comfort zone. But try doing that in a bustling city plaza during lunch hour and it's so much worse. Yet this time, I felt no fear. I was out of my comfort zone, sure, but it was oddly easy for me. Maybe my past 2 years of experience was what made it easier. Or perhaps it was the realization that I would likely never see these people again. I don't know. What I do know is this: God had gone before us and prepared the hearts of those He wanted us to pray for that day.

Our first divine appointment!

Overall, our team ended up praying for over 100 people during the one-hour lunch break at Daly Plaza! Even though it was weird and awkward and we struggled to connect with people at times, God put people in our paths that day that needed prayer. Myself and Tabby prayed with several people from various walks of life. We prayed for a police officer, a street musician, a homeless man, a couple going through financial troubles, a grandmother, and a retired long-distance cyclist. Folks with real needs, physical and spiritual. 

Picture for a moment a king sitting on his throne, robed in fine linens and adorned in precious jewels. Those who seek to enter the throne room cannot do so without an invitation. Even then, they must bow low to the ground to show respect and honor, indicating that they are lower than the king. Now imagine being a child of the king. The child needs no invitation to see the king, his father. Instead of bowing low, he runs with wild abandon to the throne, jumping in his father's lap!

The Bible says that as children of God, we can boldly approach His throne. (Hebrews 4:16) Because of Jesus, we can come to Him with confidence. When we pray, we are simply talking to God, our Father. We are approaching Him with confidence and talking to Him about our day, thanking Him for the gifts He's given, asking Him to meet our needs and those of our family and friends. It's like we're sitting in His living room having a conversation. 

Here's the cool thing -- when we prayed with someone, it was like we welcomed them into God's living room!

For some of the people we prayed for, it was their first encounter with God. Maybe it was the second, third, fourth, or hundredth. Wherever they are on the God-spectrum, He knows. But on that day, as we prayed, He welcomed them into His living room. Whether they were far from Him or one of His close friends, in that moment, He was there.

Praying in a busy plaza may not be the everyday norm for most people. I know it's not for me. Yet I was reminded that God wants to meet with us. He welcomes all of us into His living room. To make ourselves comfortable. And to invite friends.

Maybe asking people if they need prayer isn't your thing. That's OK. But be open to it. Allow God to nudge you to pray for a co-worker or friend or stranger in the line at Walmart. You never know, they might just allow you to pray with them, thus ushering them into God's living room.

Together We Can End It

End It Movement

27 million people.

161 countries.

32 billion dollars.

27 million people - men, women, and children - in 161 countries across the world are enslaved. Slavery is a $32 billion industry.

The statistics are staggering.

But the statistics aren't just numbers. Each number represents a person. Men, women, and children - people just like you and me.

Katya is an educated Russian woman who returned home after graduating from college only to find there were no jobs available. She responded to an ad for a waitressing position in Greece only to be forced into striping and having sex night after night along with 30 other girls.

Rajesh is a 50 year old Indian man who was forced to work for 30 years for a loan he took out from his landlord to help with family medical bills. His loan was equivalent to $35. No matter how hard or how long he worked, his debt was never able to be paid in full.

Guillermo is a 24 year old who was offered a chance to come to the US for a well-paid job but was sold as a contract laborer for $1100 once he arrived in Florida. Forced to work in tomato fields with little pay, Guillermo was beaten when he tried to escape.

Amanda was sold into sex slavery as an 8 year old living on the streets of Cambodia. For 9 years she endured hell on earth, being abused, raped, and used daily.

The stories are heartbreaking.

Yet there is hope.

There are people - just like you and me - who have joined forces and are speaking out against slavery. Others have created organizations - like Love 146, Not for Sale, International Justice Mission, Exodus Road, Stella's Voice, Rahab's Hideaway - that are actively involved in rescuing and restoring those enslaved worldwide. There are grassroots movements, politicians, celebrities, and everyday people that are taking a stand and raising our voice to shine a light on slavery.

You might be asking, what can I do to help? Good question.

Watch this video.

Visit the End It Movement website.

Check out the organizations above and consider giving a financial donation.

Tell your family, your friends, your co-workers about modern day slavery.

Consider hosting an event to raise awareness.

Share this post.

Above all, pray.

Will you join the movement to shine a light on slavery? Together we can end it.

Kindred Spirits

Monday has come & is almost gone.  It was somewhat of a typical day in the insanity department.  But that is to be expected seeing as how it's Monday.

On the bright side, today was busy and fairly productive at work.  I learned some new things and am super proud of myself.  It seems I'm becoming a bit more confident in a few areas.

The best part of my day, by far, was actually a meeting.  What?!  I know.  You're probably as shocked as I am.

Truthfully, this meeting was one of kindred spirits.  These two wonderful ladies & I share a similar passion - outreach.  Our heart is to serve the poor, the homeless, the orphaned, the broken, the forgotten, the lonely. When we get together we dream & plan & organize various opportunities for our church.  Tonight we focused on our fall outreaches & specifically our Christmas ideas.  We are looking forward to what is to come!

These two ladies are amazing & I am blessed to know them.  Meeting with both of them was truly the highlight of my day.

How was your Monday?  Who are the kindred spirits in your life?

putting feet to our prayers

This year I had the honor & privilege of working alongside 30 other individuals from my community during the National Day of Prayer's annual community Care & Clean Day this past Saturday.  We split into different groups and tackled several different projects.  My group walked the grounds of Tiffin Elementary School picking up trash, then joined another group picking up trash alongside the train tracks between Eastern Ave. and Main St.  Once that job was complete, I joined the biggest group who had the daunting task of restoring a mural that was badly chipped and had been painted over by graffiti.

This is the mural before....

...and this is the restored mural!

(photos courtesy of Jeannette VanBuskirk)

I've been involved in the Care & Clean day for the past several years.  In fact, I wrote this post about my involvement a couple years ago.  Each year I learn something new, and this year was no exception.  Here are a couple of things that I learned:

Many hands make light work!  My friend who led the crazy crew of painters this past weekend wasn't quite sure that four hours would be enough time to finish the mural restoration project.  But, with as many people who showed up to help, four hours was plenty of time to finish the project.  Not only was it enough time, but the finished project looks amazing!

Believers long for unity!  The group of 30 individuals that worked together this past weekend represented about 4-5 different churches from the community.  These churches have different denominational backgrounds, different styles of worship, and different ways of doing things.  But one thing is clear - believers in this community long for unity.  There is a strong desire to be THE church working together, not a bunch of churches doing their own thing.

There is a big need for the church to put feet to our prayers!  The church loves to pray about things, which is very much needed.  Sometimes, though, we can simply skip prayer and DO SOMETHING.  One just has to open there eyes to see the needs of the people and of the community around us.  There will always be a neighborhood or two where trash constantly needs picked up, or where people need fed or clothed, or whatever.  It's time we put feet to our prayers and just BE JESUS to our community!

One belief of mine that hasn't changed through all the years of helping with the Care & Clean day is this: "small things done with great love can change the world."  Mother Teresa was a wise woman who put feet to her prayers daily.  And she changed the world, one person at a time.

Tell me, how have you been putting feet to your prayers lately?

Soup Kitchen: An Ongoing Outreach

As a missionary in Chicago, I was involved in a variety of outreaches.  One of my favorite outreaches was working with the homeless and serving at a soup kitchen.  When God called me back home, one of the things I missed was serving at the soup kitchen.  I began looking for opportunities around my hometown to serve.  I searched the newspapers for ministries or churches that were already helping the poor.  During my search, I found a group of Methodist churches that fed the hungry on a regular basis.  So I called around and asked if I could volunteer.  One of the churches agreed to let me help, and eventually agreed to let my church coordinate  and serve at the soup kitchen regularly.

There are so many reasons why I absolutely LOVE serving at the soup kitchen.  One reason is because it's a simple way to meet a practical need.  But the real reason is because it gives me the opportunity to get to know some pretty amazing people!!  It's taken a while, but real relationships are being built between the folks who serve and those who eat at the soup kitchen.  In the past couple of months, I've gotten to know two sisters - Jane & Edna.*  These two women have hard lives, but they have incredible, humbling faith.  Despite the heartache that Edna is facing in her marriage & with her youngest son, she holds onto Jesus with a child-like faith.  She trusts that He answers prayer.  And He does answer her prayers.

This past month was my husband's first time serving at the soup kitchen.  Together, we had a chance to get to know Shawn.*  Shawn shared with my husband & I that he is homeless.  He lives, most days, behind a grocery store downtown.  On cold nights, he drinks to stay warm.  Sometimes, like this past Halloween, he gets drunk enough to get arrested so he has a roof over his head at night.  Shawn believes in God, and even calls himself "apostle."  He's friendly with many pastors around town.  Whether or not Shawn knows God, I have no idea.  But I know that God knows Shawn.

Sometimes I like to think that I'm making a difference in the lives of the folks that come to the soup kitchen.  The truth is, they're changing me.  Jane, Edna, and Shawn remind me of God's love and faithfulness.  They remind me to hold on to Jesus during my tough times, because He loves me and will hold my hand through it all.

Have you ever helped out at a soup kitchen?  What was your experience like as you interacted with the folks who attended?

*names changed to protect identity

blessed

This past weekend I was honored to be a part of my church's mission trip to West Virginia.  Our team went to McDowell County, WV - one of the poorest in the nation - to help clean, weatherize, and sort clothes at a small Methodist church.  While there, we also put on a mini "Crazy Love Family Day" for the community (a free event where we passed out free food & clothes, as well as did face painting, caricatures, and temporary tattoos.)

Beyond serving the church and community, our goal was to really get to know the folks of McDowell County.  To spend time listening to their stories and to invest what little bit of time we had into their lives.  To extend grace & love to the "least of these."

My assignment on the trip was to help clean the church, but in reality, I spent much of that time sharing conversation with some members of the church community that came to help our team.  I listened to them share about their families, their health, their livelihood, their passions.  My heart broke as I heard story after story of tragedy, heartache, and devastation.  Life in McDowell County is anything but easy for these folks.

Yet, even through all the hardships that each person I spoke to faced, there was no hint of the "woe is me" attitude that would have been understandable.  Instead, they said they were "blessed."  Blessed is not the word I would have chosen had I been in their situation.  The church has taught for so long that being blessed has something to do with material possessions, having a good job, the right set of circumstances.  And, if I'm being honest, for the most part, I've bought into that lie.  If I don't have enough money, or things aren't going right in my life, I wouldn't say I'm blessed.  I'd question God and wonder "why?" 

I posted a YouTube video on my Facebook page yesterday called "Blessings" by Laura Story.  I have a love-hate relationship with the song because it irks me.  It goes against what I've been taught.  If you've never heard the song, take a few minutes and listen to it.  Let it sink it.  Really sink in.  Meditate on these lyrics....

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?


What if my greatest disappointments,
Or the aching of this life,
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy.
What if trials of this life,
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise?
 
There's so much more I could share about the WV outreach.  But this eye-opening moment was perhaps one of the most profound for me.  It's something that has popped up again and again this past week, whether through Facebook statuses, blog posts, songs, or conversations with friends.  My hope is that this profound realization will not be fleeting, but will become a life-changing moment.
 
What do you think it means to be blessed?  Would you consider yourself blessed?
 

care & clean

This morning myself and several others participated in a community outreach event called Care & Clean.  The purpose behind this outreach was to join together as the church to help the city of Chillicothe with a few projects it couldn't afford to complete on its own.  For example, painting benches throughout the downtown area and in the parks, picking up debris and trash in the alleyways, and painting over graffiti throughout the city.

In the three short hours that our small group spent in the city, I realized a couple of things.  First, small things done with great love really can change the world.  Ok, we might not have changed the world, but we changed our small part of the world.  Our group cleaned the alleys, removed debris from University Drive, and painted over some graffiti on a family's garage.  Our efforts made an impact, and the people we came into contact with today noticed. 

Second, it's easier to "talk the talk" than "walk the walk."  For myself, it was hard to get out of bed this morning.  I've been battling health issues and really didn't feel like getting up this morning.  Despite my selfish desires to stay in bed, I got out of bed and went to work.  You're probably thinking to yourself, "you love doing this kinda stuff....I'm sure it wasn't that hard for you."  But really it was.  I waited til the very last possible minute to get out of bed to go.  In the end, however, I'm SO glad that my selfish nature didn't win the battle because it was so much fun working together to clean the city! 

Finally, our job as the church isn't finished in this community.  There's a lot of work yet to do in Chillicothe, physically and otherwise.  My hope that this summer the church of Chillicothe will rise up and work together to make a change in our city!

What small things are you doing with great love to change your world?