Movement of Life

It's funny how things change. We swear we'll never do something then find ourselves smack in the middle of doing it and having fun, or not. After finishing my Master of Divinity, I remember saying that I wasn't going back to school. Yet here I am pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree and loving it. I'm surprised by my energy. I haven't enjoyed school this much since elementary school. Funny how God moves us through life, orchestrated a fine piece of music. If we let Him. I have fought with God on so many issues. I have argued my point, I thought with the finesse of an attorney. I have resisted change and growth almost at every turn. Yet God has continued to move me through life. Bestowing upon me Her Grace. And I haven't been happier. Sure I'm challenged by some things. Of course I don't move as fast as I used to, but I'm so peaceful. I'm eager to work for God now. I look forward to it each day. Let's have fun with the movement of life.

Affecting Your Movement

It never ceases to amaze me how my movement affects others. I've begun this quest toward Christ's Peace and it's affecting others in strange ways. Some have gotten downright angry while others have begun their own journey or clarified their route. What is it about setting out toward your destiny that others are threatened? If my movement towards peace is affecting your movement, are you willing to admit that we are connected to one another in ways that that challenge us? Why can't my movement affect your movement in a positive way?

Does Marching Work Anymore?

12 Jun 07 I celebrated my birthday in a uniquely different way. I joined a march on Chicago's Southside to protest the violence perpetrated against children. The march particularly focused on the 32 children who died as a result of some sort of violence this past school year. The march was organized by St Sabina's pastor Fr. Michael Pfleger. We marched from the church to 79th and Racine where we proceed west to Halsted, south to 76th, west back to Racine where we ended in King Park. We walked behind 31 caskets (the 32nd child had just been killed the night before) made by teenagers. I walked with mixed emotions as some people in the community just stared at us while others shouted out support and thanks. I kept thinking, what could this possibly mean to the people in this community -- especially since they are just staring at us: from porches, windows, bus stops, parked cars. Then I realized that perhaps we gave them hope. Perhaps we gave them the strength to press on. As we moved through the community, we stopped everything. People who had been interrupted from whatever they were doing, trying to get home, trying to get to work, etc. were stopped by us for just a moment and something beautiful happened. People applauded and others joined us. Children stopped playing to watch us and I wondered, "What does this mean to them?" One child even came up and asked, "When did all these children die?" Does marching work anymore? I know that I was changed. My participation in the march solidified for me the fact that together we can effect change.

God Does ANSWER

We pray and we pray and we pray. We ask God for this and that. We want Him to get us out of trouble. We want a miracle. And when He does we aren't satisfied. So often we are so focused on what we want that we fail to realize that God answered. The problem? He doesn't always give us what we ask for. And since He doesn't, we say She hasn't answered. Little do we know. Really, little do we know -- God's answer is better than what we asked for. She knows what to do better than we do. Little do we know. The challenge is whether or not we're going to do what God ASKS us. The easiest thing to do? Ask God to reveal to you what you should be asking for.

Coming Together

It's amazing to me how things just come together. I have put more than a few projects on my plate and didn't see my way through til today. With some careful planning, it will all be completed. Haven't you had this experience? Things are just crazy. You're running from one end to the other. Then all of a sudden things fall into place. The suddenness I find is because I wasn't expecting God to move in the way He did. Suddenness because I hadn't quite realized I had bitten off more than I could chew. Sudden because I moved over and allow the Pentecost Spirit to have Her way.

Money or Mission

Why do we do what we do? What is it that gets you up in the morning and starts you on your way? Are you hiding behind a job you hate just to get paid? I ran into a old friend today, who quit her job because she was not being treated in the mannner she felt she should. She took a lower paying more fulfilling job. And man is she happy. Are you willing to let go of the dollars to find your happiness? What motivates you is probably your mission.

Direction

It's funny how we seek other people's approval for what we do in life, but we don't allow them to make decisions about our life. Or do we? When we don't do what is in our hearts to do, for fear of what someone will say or think, then we allow them to make decisions for us. Is your life heading in the right direction? The direction that gives you peace? The direction that makes you look forward to getting out of bed? To stop moving in your direction is to give control of your life to people who are struggling with their own. Direction. What does it mean to then to step out on faith? To follow your heart? Listen to the voice of God. Move away from the chaos towards the quietness of peace. There you will hear what God has to say to you. Then move in that direction.

Nothing is working

You seem to be in the same old rut. Nothing is working out. You've prayed and prayed and still the same thing is happening. No change. Well, if that is you, it's time to make a change. Stop trying to control the situation. Try doing what God is telling you to do. Easier said than done? Not necessarily. When we move ourselves out of the way, we discover something -- a solution. But timone, you say, you don't understand my problem. Maybe not. But I do know that if what you are doing is not working for you, then you're doing the wrong thing. You're in the way of yourself.

Women's Day of Reflection

Saturday, 19 May 2007 I facilitated a Women's Day of Reflection on Living the Resurrected Life. I worked really hard at putting this day together and it didn't turn out the way I expected. I was disappointed in the turn out. I really expected about 50 women to show up. A dozen did. The schedule I had planned got off track right from the start. Don't you just hate that when it happens? You spend hours planning something thinking it's going to be this grand thing only for it to turn into something else. I got calls and emails later asking me how the day went. I wanted to say "you should have been there to find out" but I didn't. I just told the truth. Those dozen or so ladies and I allowed the Holy Spirit to have His way. And have His way He did. I discovered that it was necessary to let the schedule go when introductions took 45 minutes. Who would have guessed that hearts would be touched and transformed during introductions?