Gang Member or Church Member

In Forgotten God, Francis Chan talks about a former gang member who was coming to his church. He had a relationship with Jesus but had stopped attending services. When asked why, here was his response….

“When I joined the church, I thought it was going to be like joining a gang. You see, in the gangs we weren’t just nice to each other once a week—we were family.”

Ouch.

This made me think of the current state of the American church and really, this mans comments are correct.

How is it that someone can go through cancer, a miscarriage, a divorce and not feel supported by their church family?

How is it that a family has no food in their cupboard and they feel ashamed to ask for help from their church family?

Why are we not rejoicing together, suffering together, grieving together?

After reading this section of Forgotten God, hearing recent stories from friends, and having felt alienated from the church myself, my eyes are opened to what my role as a “family” member is. To love one another deeply, to carry each others burdens, to be willing to get involved in messy situations, to step out of my comfort zone and into His.

Lord, Give me eyes to see the needs of those around me. Show me the steps I need to take to me your hands and feet to them. Help me reflect you into the lives of those around me.

A little Jesus…

Out of Forgotten God…

Our churches are filled with “people who have added Jesus to their lives. People who have ask Him to join them on their journey, to follow them wherever they feel they should go, rather than following Him as we are commanded. Jesus did not die in order to follow us. He died and rose again so that we could forget everything else and follow Him. If all you want is a little Jesus to spiritualize your life, a little extra God to keep you out of hell, you are missing out on the fullness of life you were created for.”

Amen Francis! So many of us walk around dragging “a little Jesus” around life with us. I’m preaching to myself here too. I live for Jesus and do as He leads me yet some days I don’t make time for Him and clearly tell Him He does not have the number one place in my life. Which makes me wonder how often I am missing hearing His voice and direction.

“When Jesus calls us to take up our cross, He is doing much more than calling us to endure the daily, circumstantial troubles of life. It’s a call to radical faith. Jesus is calling us to be willing to suffer anything and forsake everything for the sake of the gospel.”

At the risk of repeating myself, I so want this radical faith kinda life. I want my back turned to the desires of this world where my eyes are only focused on Jesus and the gospel. My life as a mom in this season is so about the daily grind and to some extent that is ok. My daily grind is teaching the gospel to my children but so often it really is about dishes, laundry, and the next meal on the table.

Lord Jesus, you love me so much that you endured the cross. You know my Martha nature, fix my eyes upon you so that the things of this world will grow dim and my focus is on you and your people.

The Spirit of God

Fracis Chan has some seriously good stuff to say. After reading Crazy Love and agreeing with much of what he had to say, I tackled Forgotten God. I haven't read two books back to back so fast in a long time!

Forgotten God talks about how we have ignored the Holy Spirit. I don't think many believers would argue belief in the Spirit or the fact that as believers we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Yet, do we really walk around as though the Spirt of the living God is literally living inside of us? Francis says, "imagine what it would be like to have Christ standing beside you in the flesh, functioning as your personal Counselor. Imagine the peace that would come from knowing you would always receive perfect truth and flawless direction from Him. Why do we assume that this would be any better than the literal presence of the Holy Spirit?" Now there is food for thought. Though I know I believe in the Spirits dwelling in me and have evidenced the Spirit at work in my life, I have not internalized the idea that Christ is literally in me.

From there Francis talked about quenching the Spirit; a topic I have discussed before with many people. Seeing I have issues with what other people think about me, Francis put it into perspective for me..."We think about making our friends mad or not being accepted or being thought of as different or strange. But rarely do we consider whether our actions or lifestyle are grievous to the Spirit of the living God." I had never seen my care for others opinions as trumping my care of God's opinion but in this text, I see how off base I am in my ways.

So, though I never would have considered myself a Spirit quencher, I am. Are you?

Spirit of the living God, I long to live a life that is fully yours. Do your work in me so that I may be a temple of your Spirit that brings you glory and honor. Empty me of all of me so that I can be filled with you.

Crazy Love & the church

I just finished reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. My church gave out copies for everyone to read...of course I had bought a copy a few weeks before the great give away but that is how it goes.

Different parts of this book struck a cord with me. I've posted before about conformity and my issues with looking like the world. When I read this from Francis, I was saddened.... "...the American church is a difficult place to fit in if you want to live out New Testament Christianity. The goals of American Christianity are often a nice marriage, children who don't swear, and good church attendance. Taking the words of Christ literally and seriously are rarely considered." I was saddened because I couldn't have agreed more. The one group of people who should strive for the best often settle for much less. I think we as believers are going to be suprised with how far off the mark we are living. I long to hear the words, "well done my good and faithful servant" but I'm not sure that by the way I live now, I will hear that. I live a morally upright life compared to many but God is not comparing our lives to one anothers....He is judging if we lived as He has called us to live.

The Church

So many people turn to the church to "learn" how to be a Chrisitian...I'm not saying that is how it should be but I believe that it is a reality. The church at large is not equipping people to be sold out followers of Christ. From my perspective, the church is teaching people to be lukewarm. The model of accept Christ, come to church on Sunday, worship with half of your heart, put on your Sunday happy face and act like you have it all together because Christians have a great life with Jesus model is not only not working but a disgrace to God.

God wants all of us. Every part. He wants us to worship Him with all that we have and are. He wants us to give joyfully. Love sacrificially. Put others before ourselves.

In the book, Francis talks about what people who are obsessed with Jesus look like. I'm dying to see this lived out before me! I want to be that person who can live a totally obsessed for Jesus sold out life and not care what friends and family think. I'm working on not caring but it goes against my humanity...but that's the point right?

So, today I choose to live a sold out life. Striving to press on without caring what everyone around me thinks. Without having to justify myself and my actions.

Where are you at? Are you sold out? Do you look like a follower of Jesus or do you look like the world? What is one area of your life that the Lord is asking you to surrender so that He can make it pure? Let it go....He knows what is best for you.

Parental Rights Issue

I get emails from our homeschool legal defense association that effect homeschooling and other parental issues. Here is a snippet from an email....

S4779, a bill going before a committee of the New York Senate on Tuesday, threatens your parental rights. The bill, "[a]n act ... providing medical care to minors for sexually transmitted diseases without a parent's or guardian's consent," would allow any health care practitioner to administer an STD vaccine to your child "without the consent or knowledge of his or her parents or guardians, provided such person [your child] ... consents."

HSLDA believes that minors are best protected from unwanted consequences of any medical decision if they can have the benefit of their parents' counsel. We oppose this legislation because it removes parents from involvement in a minor child's medical care. This bill will apply to your children whether you home school them or send them to public or private school.

ACTION NEEDED:

Please call your state senator and ask him or her to oppose this bill. To obtain your New York senator's Albany office phone number, visit www.nysenate.gov/senators Tell them you believe children have a right to the counsel and support of their parents when faced with medical decisions like vaccinations.

While you are at it, consider contacting your U.S. Congressman's office and urging your Representative to cosponsor H.J. Res. 42 proposing a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Tell them you are aware of bills like New York's S4779 that crop up each year to erode parental rights, and that you want to see your rights protected permanently. To find the contact information for your U.S. Congressman, visit http://capwiz.com

I encourage you to take action. You can also email your Senator through the link provided above. I did it, will you?

Racism..Alive & Well

I needed a safe place to process so many thoughts today. Our social worker for the adoption was here Saturday and after we finished the "official" part we just talked. She wanted, as a biracial women herself, to make sure we were not naive to some of the struggles we will face as a multi-racial family. She didn't want to scare us but arm us so that we were not surprised. I know there will be some struggles but I have not even given this thought as it doesn't matter to us.

Since the earthquake in Haiti, I have heard first hand that racism is alive and well. We were at the pool the other day and men in the locker room were talking about how you can "train monkey's better than a Haitian." I have seen posts today online that literally make me sick. People who think that Haitians should "pay America back by serving in the middle east so that they die and not Americans". People who say that "adopting a child past the age of 5 from Haiti should not be allowed as they are already diseased". As these people are making comments, they are ranking races and in their eyes, Haitians fall below African Americans.

As I read these words I am reminded of the world we live in. How can we rank people based on the color of their skin? How can we compare people to animals simply because of where they live? How can we not be willing to take in children who need a new start? I am so very sad that people, God's creation, can be devalued because of skin color.

I guess I am naive. I thought that in 2010 we were a little further along in the fight against racism. After reading comments like I read today, I am not proud to be an American...I know that is anti-American to say but if being an American means that I am associated with racism, hatred, liberalism, entitlement, and all the other "stuff" going on in America today then I do not desire to associate myself with that label.

It's days like today that I am so glad that Earth is not my home. As the days grow eviler, it is clear that I am an alien and stranger in this land. Now I just wish there were more aliens & strangers!

Nickelodeon

I subscribe to emails from this awesome group called, The Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC). There main focus is to stop the marketing to children. If you pay attention, our children are being marketed to every second. If corporate America can get our kids hooked at a young age then they have them as consumers. Fast food chains, toy brands, tv shows, they all fight for our kids attention.

In our house, we do not have cable. We have basic cable, you know, 2, 4, 7 kinda stuff. We don't allow commercial tv to be watched either. That was a decision we made based on what is out there for our daughters eyes to see.

So, CCFC sent me the latest update and these so gets me. Nickelodeon on it's websites are linked up to another site, addictinggames.com. Now, when one site, geared towards kids, is linked to another site, in my book that means they are promoting that site, supporting that site, recommending that site, and it SHOULD be safe for kids. Many of the games on this site are violent. The sad part is that didn't shock me. The shock came in when I saw games called "Whack your Ex", "Candy the Naughty Cheerleader", and Perry the Sneak series which is all about being a peeping Tom and trying to catch glimpses of naked women.

So, if my 6 year old wants to play on Nickjr.com they can easily in one click be on a site with "Candy the Naughty Cheerleader." Seriously? This is what we as parents are up against. Of course, I am adding the link so that you can send Nick an email asking them to pull the link. A New Low for Nickelodeon: Take Action Now But really as parents, I can't encourage you enough to watch what your children are watching. If they play online to have a filter...we have one but all these games get by the filter. Be diligent. We are called to set our minds on things that are pure and let me tell you, there isn't much that is pure on tv these days.

Frosty??

I don't have time to chime in but a friend sent this to me...probably knowing I would put it right here. Read for yourself and take action!

CBS airs perverted 'Frosty the Snowman'

CBS has combined the raunchy television show "How I Met Your Mother" with the children's holiday classics "Frosty the Snowman" and "Frosty Returns" in an ad on CBS's website.

The disgusting result was the video "Frosty the Inappropriate Snowman," in which Neil Patrick Harris's voice (in character from the sitcom "How I Met Your Mother") was dubbed over Frosty footage.

Harris' Frosty said things like, "We've got to have a bros' night at a strip club" because it's "healthy" and "harmless." He also discussed his "porn collection" and "the Dominator 8000 - the best bull whip on the market."

Well-known scenes of the classic Frosty delighting children by coming to life were perverted by the ad which included Frosty saying, "I have been with a lot of women. Blondes. Brunettes. Redheads. Big boobs. Small boobs. Medium boobs. Some boobs that were big but kind of in a bad way."

The new, crude snowman also encouraged the white rabbit in the movie to have sexual fantasies: "You should have hit that. Dude, your pants were already off. You had a classroom full of people to cheer you on. And you can't knock her up because it's a dream."

The voiceovers also included lines showing "Frosty's" willingness to punch anyone - "I'll punch a baby. I don't care." - and his delight in "scoring front row seats to a lethal injection."

TAKE ACTION

Please send CBS an email letter urging the network to pull this disturbing "Frosty" ad immediately.

One Million Moms.com - Issue details

It's A.....

MATCH!!!!

(follow www.dulakfamilyadoption.com for updates)

Today, we found out we will be parents. Yep, parents. Once again, things unfolded fast. Friday we expressed interest in a situation, Monday we talked to our lawyer and a lawyer in Arkansas where the mom is, today we spoke to the birth mom herself. After all of that, we got a call this afternoon that she would like us to parent her child. It is still so surreal to me. The baby is due in March so we have some time to wait. We do not know the gender of the baby at this time but will find out before Christmas.

God is so awesome. Every step of the way since Friday I have seen God work. Every concern I had was answered with affirmation to move forward. This has really stretched me to trust.

Thanksgiving is my all time favorite holiday. What a Thanksgiving gift. This year, I am thankful to serve a God who works in wonderous ways, who hears the hearts cry of his children, who blesses beyond measure. I am thankful that the Lord has found us worthy to raise another child for His kingdom.

So, what can you do? You can pray.

*You can pray for the birth mom (Pinky). She is in a rough situation and we hope to share Christ with her over the months we have to get to know her before the baby is born. Pray that she stays committed to her adoption plan as it truly is what is best for this child.

*You can pray for this baby. To grow strong and safe in the womb.

*You can pray for us. I don't wait well! That we would step out in faith, share Christ, and be a witness to those watching our story unfold.

*You can pray for the Lord's provision. We are walking in faith that the Lord will provide. We are $10,000 short to complete this adoption and desire to not go into debt to do so. The Lord has always been faithful to us as we have been faithful to Him so we step out in trust here.

My friends, you rock. Thank you for your prayers and support. We love you guys.

Father, you are so good to us. We are so undeserving and yet you bless us and love us so much. Thank you for Pinky and her decision to choose life for this child. Help her to find strength and support as she walks this road. May we have the opportunity to bond with her for the purpose of being you to her. Prepare our homes and hearts for another child to raise solely for your kingdom. For you alone will receive all the glory.

All I need....

After a long week of wondering what the Lord is calling us to do in the arena of adoption...to sit and wait? to actively move? to find an agency? One thing keeps standing out. While it doesn't answer any of my practical questions it gives me comfort and hope. God is God and I am not. His ways are higher than my ways. His plans are perfect. He is ALL that I need. I was reminded this weekend during a marriage conference that I so often get stuck in the small story of my life and my hearts desire. Truly, I want to be in the larger story with kingdom purposes, even if that means my heart desires not being fulfilled.

I love this sound byte...I came across it when I started studying the names of God. It excites me and energizes me when I listen to it. Just to ponder the God we serve. He is ALL that I need.

Hope it speaks to you...and you too realize He is all you need because He is everything.