Bothered

Last Saturday night bothered me. More importantly, concerts in February bother me. Brainwashing bothers me. Winter Jam bothered me.

Well, I guess it's pretty clear that I'm bothered. Last Saturday night I took a group of my youth to the Winter Jam concert in Charlottesville. We went up early and stood in line. We got in and got our seats. We were looking forward to a great concert. We enjoyed the opening bands. (I especially enjoyed the Sidewalk Prophets.) I was irritated by the amount of "he" language that was being used as well as referring to "Father God" over and over in prayer. As the evening went on, it came time for a "message" of some sorts. The speaker was introduced and came to the stage with a youth. He offered the kid a $50 bill in exchange for a penny. The message was, who wouldn't want a large amount of money in exchange for just a little. The speaker tried to tie this to how accepting Christ is. The guy said that when one accepts Christ they get all the ever needed or wanted. He said, "Girls, it's like when you walk into a mall and you see the shoes and clothes and you can get EVERYTHING you ever wanted." That's what believing in God is like. He then followed up with, "And guys, if you are worried about the clothes and shoes, then I'm worried about you." Everyone sitting around me took that as a snide remark towards gays.

After this intro, he turned to trying to scare the youth into believing in Christ. I was thoroughly disgusted and he wasn't even five minutes into his sermon. The hell, fire, and brimstone message was in full swing and continued on for what seemed like forever. I physically felt sick. The youth were texting me continuously...asking what is this dude talking about. One texted and said: "I'm not drinking the kool-aid." As the speaking went on, the more fed up I got. Finally I thought he was done and he prayed to "Father God" even more.

When it was time to collect the love offering the speaker got back up and gave a message about how it was just a "drop in the bucket". He tied this into the scripture of the boy with the loaves and the fish. He gave all he had, and before Jesus multiplied it, the disciples said his donation was just "a drop in the bucket." I wasn't buying his crap.

I was seriously turned off. It was as if after the glorious picture was then turned to scaring the youth into believing. I grew up with the hell, fire, and brimstone messages and I never wanted to hear another one again. When we left the concert that night, I felt as if the youth needed to debrief what had happened. I was so thankful that they had many questions. I was thankful that they could put into words their disgust for what they heard. I was thankful that they had been taught the message of God's love and that they know what a true relationship with Christ is like, instead of being scared into one.

As the week has gone on, I have had plenty of time to think about why I'm bothered and what I wanted to write about it. While there were many details of the evening that I chose to forget, I remember the speaker saying how the message being offered was one of hope. Just a couple days ago, one of the adults that went on the trip with us emailed me some of his thoughts. He shared that at the concert, we could interpret that as hope for the moment. He felt the youth were being scared into believing and with that belief would come hope for the moment. He then said that at our church, we are teaching and experiencing a lifestyle of hope. It is important for us to all remember that there are many ways to bring people to a belief in Christ. However, the scare tactic doesn't work. It may work for a week or two, but there is no follow through.

After this experience, I've decided that what God is calling me to do is preach the truth. The truth is that God loves all people. God loves. God made us to love and be loved. Instead of scaring people into believing, it's time for Christians to love like Jesus did. That love will preach. That love doesn't take many words. That love is saving grace. There's no need to scare...there's just a need to love.

Walking the Labyrinth

Today we set up a 45 foot canvas labyrinth in our sanctuary. The sanctuary is open the first Tuesday of every month for walking the labyrinth. During Advent the labyrinth was out once per week. During the hustle and bustle of the Advent season, I didn't find the time to walk, though I knew I needed to.

So this afternoon, when all was quiet, I went into the sanctuary, removed my shoes and began to center myself. I hadn't walked a labyrinth in years and so it was refreshing as I began my walk. As I walked, I pondered the following quote:

"Let nothing disturb you. Nothing dismay you. All things pass. But God never changes. Whoever has God lacks nothing. If you only have God, you have more than enough." -Teresa of Avila

On the journey inward, I prayed. I cried out to God offering all of the things that have been holding me back. When I made it to the center, I stood looking at the cross and remembered the many reasons I believe. After spending time in the center, I began my outward journey. On the outward journey I just listened for God to speak and God did speak through the quiet.


I share this experience with you because I want to encourage anyone who can make it to the next labyrinth walk in February to do so. If you have never walked a labyrinth and are wondering what it might be like, here are some thoughts:

"Your life is a sacred journey. And it is about change, growth, discovery, movement, transformation, continuously expanding your vision of what is possible, stretching your soul, learning to see clearly and deeply, listening to your intuition, taking courageous challenges at every step along the way. You are on the path... exactly where you are meant to be right now... And from here, you can only go forward, shaping your life story into a magnificent tale of triumph, of healing of courage, of beauty, of wisdom, of power, of dignity, and of love."
Caroline Adams

We are all on the path... exactly where we need to be. The labyrinth is a model of that path.

A labyrinth is an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. It combines the imagery of the circle and the spiral into a meandering but purposeful path. The Labyrinth represents a journey to our own center and back again out into the world. Labyrinths have long been used as meditation and prayer tools.

A labyrinth is an archetype with which we can have a direct experience. We can walk it. It is a metaphor for life's journey. It is a symbol that creates a sacred space and place and takes us out of our ego to "That Which Is Within."

Labyrinths and mazes have often been confused. When most people hear of a labyrinth they think of a maze. A labyrinth is not a maze. A maze is like a puzzle to be solved. It has twists, turns, and blind alleys. It is a left brain task that requires logical, sequential, analytical activity to find the correct path into the maze and out.

A labyrinth has only one path. It is unicursal. The way in is the way out. There are no blind alleys. The path leads you on a circuitous path to the center and out again.

A labyrinth is a right brain task. It involves intuition, creativity, and imagery. With a maze many choices must be made and an active mind is needed to solve the problem of finding the center. With a labyrinth there is only one choice to be made. The choice is to enter or not. A more passive, receptive mindset is needed. The choice is whether or not to walk a spiritual path.

At its most basic level the labyrinth is a metaphor for the journey to the center of your deepest self and back out into the world with a broadened understanding of who you are.

I encourage you to take some time to center yourself. Taking 45 minutes out of my day to center myself, pray, and listen was just what I needed to lift my spirit.

Labyrinth thoughts taken from: http://www.lessons4living.com/labyrinth.htm

Challenge for 2010

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Happy New Year! It's 2010. New years always excites me because it reminds of of new beginnings. There are always things that I had wanted to do, hoped to do that didn't happen in the year prior. As I thought about goals/resolutions for myself this year I came up with two: I want to start running, and I want to live like Jesus. As I thought about the second goal, I thought about how those around me could be involved.

Tonight I challenged the youth to a new goal or resolution for 2010. We are committed to living like Jesus did. In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

I often hear horrible statistics about what other world religions think of Christians. It is quoted that the greatest single cause of Atheism today is Christians that acknowledge Jesus with their lips, but deny him with their lifestyles. So many times we get caught up in worldly things that we forget about the message of Jesus to love others.

The challenge is to live like Jesus did. Jesus loved all people, lent a listening ear, helped a person in need, never condemned, always forgave.

What are your new years resolutions? How does the message of Jesus align with them? Will you accept the challenge to live like Jesus did?

A Snow Day

Since I couldn't leave my house to get to church this morning, I took some time to reflect today on God's goodness. When I was growing up, I remember several times that it snowed more than a couple inches. I remember the excitement that would show on my face as I would sit at the picture window and watch the snow fall. As the snow would get deeper I would long to go outside. Finally, mom would get me ready to head outside and I would make my way next door to my grandparents house (which is where my family lives now). I would meet my Granddaddy on the front porch. From there we would head out to the tractor with my cousin. Granddaddy would pull us on tubes behind the tractor for hours.

I remember one time that it snowed in particular. This time it was different. The snow was deep. The deepest I could remember. My Granddaddy walked ahead. He had no problem. He went around back, toward the barn, to get the tractor. I struggled to follow behind him. I made it about 10 feet before I got stuck, and 10 seconds before I was scared. I was having boot- trouble. If I raised my foot, my boot would slip off. If I kept it down, I couldn’t move. Either, I could move and risk frost bite- or stay where I was and freeze solid.

I started to yell. “Granddaddy! Help! I’m stuck!” Snowflakes clung to my eyelashes. He couldn’t hear me. I yelled louder. I had flashbacks to the episodes of Little House on the Prairie where they were stranded in the snow…I started to cry. My ears started to burn. (I was sure it was a sign of frostbite) Tears froze on my cheeks.

Just when the world started to grow dim… (ok- maybe not so much, but I was a girl and a tad melodramatic) I saw my Granddaddy come out of the barn door. “Come on!” He called. “I can’t” I wailed. “I’m stuck!” My Grandaddy looked at me. He looked at the snow. He walked toward me. Shuffling his feet. Clearing a path. Then, he turned, “Follow me” he called over the wind and snow.

And, I did. All around the backyard. I followed him. Sometimes he shuffled, sometimes he just, walked. Where he shuffled- I skipped- the snow like the red sea, was parted on either side of me. Where he walked, I hopped from one of his gigantic (to me) footprints to another. Where the snow drifted too thick to shuffle through and too high to hop over, my Granddaddy carried me.

Often times, my journey with God, is a lot like a snow day. Exciting, and a bit dangerous. Fun, but also, hard, footprint hopping work. Some days, I feel like I’m skipping along behind God as a path is cleared. Other days, I struggle to jump from one footprint to another. There are days, when I feel like God's turned some corner where I can’t see the way. Then, there are the days when I feel stuck. Afraid to move and afraid to stay put. Life is just too deep, too high, too cold, too hard, for me to walk. I wail. I cry.

And God, hears. God wipes the snowflakes and tears from my lashes, and I can see. God was right there all the time. God picks me up. God carries me. As God always does.

Not, just on snow days.

Remember this scripture from Isaiah:

"Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all you who remain of the house of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried since your birth.

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am God, I am God who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

"To whom will you compare me or count me equal?
To whom will you liken me that we may be compared?"

Isaiah 46:3-5

After spending this snow day reflecting on God, we received a phone call from a family friend. She lives in Northwestern Virginia and got about 2 feet of snow. She is not in good health, but went out to shovel her driveway and sidewalk. She made little progress before realizing that she couldn't do it alone. She went in, sat down and prayed. A little while later she looked out and 4 young men walked up and started shoveling her driveway. She went out to speak to them and they said they were missionaries. She offered money, but they refused. They only asked for water. When they finished the drive and walkway, they left, walked down the street and didn't shovel for anyone else. It's amazing how God provides for those who ask and seek.

So take some time to look at this snow, whether you got 10 inches or 24 inches, our earth is covered in beauty. Take time to know that God is always there, clearing a path, making footprints for us to walk in. There may be times that we get lost, or lose the path, but if we cry out and listen we will realize that God is always HERE!

On Being Thankful

Next week we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. It is one of my favorite holidays because I gather with family. I enjoy spending the time with family that I only get to see once or twice per year. We get to catch up, laugh, and generally have a good time. We also share a huge meal, so that makes our time together even better.

Lately, I've been watching people's facebook statuses about the things they are thankful for. While I haven't joined in on changing my status, I have been reflecting on the things I am thankful for. These include:

1. My family: I am supported by such a loving family that truly cares for my well-being and lifts me up in my ministry.

2. My friends: Most of my friends are spread out through the US but we are able to stay in touch. I am thankful for all of them, but especially those I am closest to. Those that share common beliefs and we lift each other up in prayer.

3. My youth: I have the greatest group of youth ever. I am thankful for each one of them: their individuality, their personalities, their gifts, and their love.

4. My church: I am thankful also for the wonderful body of Christ found at Good Shepherd. The people are encouraging and accepting, loving and missional.

5. My Faith: My faith continues to be one of the greatest things I am thankful for. Without it I would not be where I am today.


Notice that not one thing I listed was a material possession. As I have reflected about what I am thankful for, not once did I first reflect on a material thing. While I am thankful for the necessities such as clothing, food, a roof over my head, running water, a vehicle to drive, and so on, I am most thankful for the people, the relationships, and my faith in God.

The Bible is full of scripture that reminds us to be thankful. One such passage is:

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.

⁵For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures for ever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100:3-5 (NRSV)

Remember during this time of thanksgiving to give God the credit. What are you thankful for and how do you show God your thanks? God is Good and the love God gives will last forever, so give thanks in all you do now and forever, amen.

God is Mighty to Save

Living life as a minister is not always the easiest thing. I feel like my life is a open book. I'm always being watched, I'm held up to higher standards. While this is the life of a minister, I'm still just human. I live life just like anyone else. My education happens to be in religion. My calling happens to be student ministry, and through God's grace I can minister to others.

However, just like everyone else, I have my moments of feeling empty. I experience times in my life when God is calling me back, yearning for our relationship to grow stronger. This past weekend on the Middle School Retreat, I think I got just as much out of it as my middle schoolers did. The speaker did quite the job of reminding us what our lives are to be like. We were reminded that we love because God first loved us. We were reminded that we are beautifully and fearfully made. This is just what I needed to hear.

One of the songs we sing in youth group is "Mighty to Save" by Hillsong. We sang that song this past weekend. As we sang I truly listened to the words. The second time we sang it I was able to sing the words as a prayer. And finally last night at youth worship I was able to sing them and truly mean what I was singing.

Here is a part that sticks out to me:

So take me as You find me,
All my fears and failures,
Fill my life again.

I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in,
Now I surrender.

My Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Shine your light and let the whole world see,
We're singing for the glory of the risen King...Jesus


I hope that in your own life you take time to reflect on your relationship with God. Are you feeling empty? Ask God to take you as you are, all your fears and failures, fill your life again!


(On a personal note, I do not refer to God as He, so when singing this song, I change the word "he" to God.)

(Photo Credit: "Under Your Wing, by Rick Berry. This picture reminds me of the verse: Shine Your light and let the whole world see, We're singing for the glory of the risen king")

What we have to look forward to

I spent this past week in Seattle, Washington with my good friend Dusty. We met at Campbell and became good friends. During a time in both of our lives when we just needed to "get away" we decided to take a trip. We narrowed it down to four places and then selected Seattle. What a great choice we made! Seattle proved to be wonderful. There were so many things to do, places to go, sites to see.
During our time away, it gave us a chance to catch up face to face. This is much needed with friends when you spend extended periods of time separated by long distances. Phone conversations, text messages, and emails are nice but spending time face to face is truly the best. Dusty and I both love to travel so during this trip, we discussed the next places we want to go and things we want to see. We shared stories and memories, laughed and cried, and prayed for each other, something that keeps our friendship strong.
During the midst of our time away, I was reminded of the reality back home. Many of my youth were being faced with hard situations. With the death of two grandparents as well as the death of a 15 year old friend, I knew that there was much I needed to be doing at home. I picked up the phone and made calls. I sent emails and text messages but most of all I prayed. While the final days of my trip were great, they were still overshadowed by the tremendous losses being faced at home.
We arrived to the airport on Monday morning and said "see you later" (as is custom: we don't say good bye). We checked into our airlines and made our way to separate gates. As I sat down at Gate A8 I looked up to see a woman coming towards me. She sat down near me and said hello. I responded. She then asked where I was going. I told her and followed with asking where she was going. She told me that she was on her way to Cancun to meet her college friends. This woman was in her 60's and going to meet her college friends. I thought to myself, there's hope! She told me that her best friends to this day were the friends she made in college. When I told her that I'd been in Seattle with my friend from college she quickly said, "Good for you! I hope it continues as long as it can. Go places, meet up, catch up, and have fun. That's what true friends are for." I thanked the woman and quickly texted Dusty to tell her about my encounter. This put a smile in my heart, knowing what I have to look forward to in the years to come meeting up with old friends in new places making wonderful memories.

A toast to the next place we visit, the next memories we make, this is what we have to look forward to.

(Enjoy a few Seattle pictures!)