I had a few phenomenal discussions this week with a good friend of mine. Mostly business-talk, but God-talk also...we both know life is much bigger than just business success and money.
Along the way Haiti came up (go figure, it comes up a lot in my discussions, somehow:). My buddy's a straight-shooter, and shared the commonly-held viewpoint that going to another country for mission work carries a great expense (financial, time, logistics, etc)...and we Americans have enough mission work to do in our own country, state, cities...and even neighborhoods. And, he also asked what I would assume everyone wonders, "I hear mostly about how YOUR lives were changed...but how wre the lives of the people over there changed by your presence?".
It made me realize he's right...I've been so surprised at how the trip changed ME, that I probably don't share about the lives of people we served there. And I respect my friend for asking, knowing that we'd have opinions at other ends of the spectrum. Two years ago, I could have been the face-guy for "I'm never going outside the U.S. for helping anyone when we've got Americans in our our neighborhoods that need help, love, encouragement, hope...and Jesus Christ." But God started working on me, I started listening, and now I embrace God's obvious call to me as someone to speak up about the needs of the human race...not just the American race...to love and serve God's people, not just American people. That's not to say that is everyone's calling, or your calling. I don't know if I'd even say it is my "calling"...but I know for right now, it is definitely something to me.
Click below and watch. I put together a song with a bunch of pictures of the people from our Church at the Bay family here in Tampa, making a difference in the lives of orphan kids in Haiti. The song is one we sing in our church. It rocks my world, so I had the lyrics put in the video too. It gives me chills, knowing that we bring to these kids and to these people the hope, encouragement & love of Jesus Christ...through ourselves. And they "get" that I think.
What, specifically, kinda locks-me-up, are the images from the song of "I'm running to Your arms..."
and "nothing compares to Your embrace". Knowing that God used an
ordinary guy like me, with all my screw-ups of the past (and even the
present), it really blows the ceiling off what I thought was my limit of what I could do for God in my life...it was proof for me that its God's will, not mine. And His will is what changes lives.
Every one of us has our own stories and experiences of being used by God to touch the lives of these kids there. Most of us probably won't know if, or how we touched/impacted/changed the lives of these kids by our presence for a few days. So it is incredibly humbling to personally be a part of one of those stories, and to know others in our group that absolutely were used by God to change some lives. But the joy is in obediently serving, regardless if we ever learn the stories of life change or not. We trust that God has a plan bigger and better than ours. His will, His timing.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Answering The Call
Often times in life I have shy'ed away from taking action. When I knew I should go right, I kept going left. When I should have spoken, I kept quite...or when I should have shut up, I didn't.
I have a ton of respect for people who are action takers w/ anything in life, but especially when it comes to following God's call. You know, those calls that aren't typically in our comfort zone, don't conveniently fit into our busy-busy schedules, and cause us to make a decision to take action, or shy-away. Specificaly, I'm talking about God's call to us non-pastor people. Yes, people like me and you, and our friends.
You've gotta watch this 3 min (and 50 second to be exact) video. This is one of the 2 people that had the biggest influence on me going to Haiti. Sarah is an amazing human being...just watch...
I have a ton of respect for people who are action takers w/ anything in life, but especially when it comes to following God's call. You know, those calls that aren't typically in our comfort zone, don't conveniently fit into our busy-busy schedules, and cause us to make a decision to take action, or shy-away. Specificaly, I'm talking about God's call to us non-pastor people. Yes, people like me and you, and our friends.
You've gotta watch this 3 min (and 50 second to be exact) video. This is one of the 2 people that had the biggest influence on me going to Haiti. Sarah is an amazing human being...just watch...
Saturday, April 28, 2012
I Changed The World – part 1
I suppose I would call myself a “go-getter”. I’ve always thought I was going to change the world…make it a significantly better place. I never knew how, or when, but I knew that’s just how God wired me. Somewhere along the line I started to actually embrace this, and get glimpses of what it was like…but it looked a lot different than I used to picture it. My role in changing the world…and making it a significantly better place, isn’t on the gradiouso scales of people who re-wrote history, like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln or Dr. MLK Jr. Or atheletes who changed a sport, like Michael Jordan and Da ’85 Bears (yes, somehow, The Super Bowl Shuffle DID change the game of football).
Obviously, I’m not changing anything like those people. But I still have the potential to change SOMEONE’S world…and to make SOMEONE’S life significantly better. Somehow the HUGE “little” things that you and I are a part of changing w/ our actions, get overshadowed by “the stars” who get the attention for, most often, the dumbest & most insignificant things.
It was not a cocky attitude, but I knew God was going to use me in significant ways in the lives of orphan kids in Haiti. God got my attention a few years back, and I realize now, had been preparing me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to take this trip...for years. So I was dialed into God heading into this trip, and I just believed He would use me in significant ways. (Side note: if you have the ka-hoonas to respond w/ obedience to God’s nudge to going on a mission trip…He WILL ABSOLUTELY use you in significant ways. It is your responsibility to strain and stretch yourself to be in a position mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to be paying attention to WHERE and HOW He is using you…b/c you don’t want to miss that. You really don't want to miss it. If you're interested, I can share a couple specific things I did, books I read, etc. that helped me connect to intimately with God in the months/weeks leading up to this trip...just email me).
My friend Bryan DeLucca, who went on this Haiti trip 6 months before me, was a huge influencing factor in me going. He was the first (non-pastor) friend who I’ve personally known as a “normal guy” that has gone on a mission trip like this. Husband, dad to 3 kids, traveling business-guy...he's the typical guy in my neck of the woods.
I’ll never forget Bryan stopping me outside of church a week or 2 before our trip. Call it what you want, but God used Bryan in a world-altering way that morning (yes, I'll share exactly how, keep reading...its wild). We were just catching up for a few minutes, and he said something like, “Look, I don’t want to tell you what to do there, or what your experience should be like, but I just really hope you connect w/ some of the older boys that don’t typically get as much attention from missionaries as the younger kids.”
I didn’t really have many hopes or expectations yet for my trip, but whenever I did think about it, I felt strongly that my part would be in connecting w/ the older boys vs holding babies and younger kids. So Bryan, not holding back and sharing that, just sort of confirmed pretty clearly for me, what my role would be down there. For those who financially supported me, I told you in that video before my trip, that I knew I’d be a human jungle gym rough-housing buddy for these kids. So, having been paying attention to God in the months and weeks leading up to the trip, I was dialed-into specifically making an impact in the lives of older boys, while in Haiti.
God would, of course, use me in significant ways down in Haiti. But how He did that, and His timing, were far from what I expected…
(I’ll continue this story next time…)
Obviously, I’m not changing anything like those people. But I still have the potential to change SOMEONE’S world…and to make SOMEONE’S life significantly better. Somehow the HUGE “little” things that you and I are a part of changing w/ our actions, get overshadowed by “the stars” who get the attention for, most often, the dumbest & most insignificant things.
It was not a cocky attitude, but I knew God was going to use me in significant ways in the lives of orphan kids in Haiti. God got my attention a few years back, and I realize now, had been preparing me mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to take this trip...for years. So I was dialed into God heading into this trip, and I just believed He would use me in significant ways. (Side note: if you have the ka-hoonas to respond w/ obedience to God’s nudge to going on a mission trip…He WILL ABSOLUTELY use you in significant ways. It is your responsibility to strain and stretch yourself to be in a position mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to be paying attention to WHERE and HOW He is using you…b/c you don’t want to miss that. You really don't want to miss it. If you're interested, I can share a couple specific things I did, books I read, etc. that helped me connect to intimately with God in the months/weeks leading up to this trip...just email me).
My friend Bryan DeLucca, who went on this Haiti trip 6 months before me, was a huge influencing factor in me going. He was the first (non-pastor) friend who I’ve personally known as a “normal guy” that has gone on a mission trip like this. Husband, dad to 3 kids, traveling business-guy...he's the typical guy in my neck of the woods.
I’ll never forget Bryan stopping me outside of church a week or 2 before our trip. Call it what you want, but God used Bryan in a world-altering way that morning (yes, I'll share exactly how, keep reading...its wild). We were just catching up for a few minutes, and he said something like, “Look, I don’t want to tell you what to do there, or what your experience should be like, but I just really hope you connect w/ some of the older boys that don’t typically get as much attention from missionaries as the younger kids.”
I didn’t really have many hopes or expectations yet for my trip, but whenever I did think about it, I felt strongly that my part would be in connecting w/ the older boys vs holding babies and younger kids. So Bryan, not holding back and sharing that, just sort of confirmed pretty clearly for me, what my role would be down there. For those who financially supported me, I told you in that video before my trip, that I knew I’d be a human jungle gym rough-housing buddy for these kids. So, having been paying attention to God in the months and weeks leading up to the trip, I was dialed-into specifically making an impact in the lives of older boys, while in Haiti.
God would, of course, use me in significant ways down in Haiti. But how He did that, and His timing, were far from what I expected…
(I’ll continue this story next time…)
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Open Hands & Open Doors
I admit that before I went on this mission trip, I really didn't pay much attention to less fortunate people in my own city, let alone those in another country. Yes, sure, I give financially to some local organizations, serve my community here & there, and give time and money to my church. But I've never really checked-in emotionally to this demographic of people. Frankly, I get caught up in the "I have enough work taking care of my own (fill-in-blank)". It is crazy, how little my world had gotten...my friends knows how much I joke about living in "the bubble" of our own zip code.
My eyes flung open within a few minutes of hanging w/ the kids at the 1st orphanage...
It was nothing that was said, but just an overwhelming change of heart and perspective, seeing and experiencing life outside my cozy little world...seeing my own kids in the faces, and high-5s, and embraces of these orphan kids...
I realized while walking away from that 1st orphanage, that I wanted Payton (my 7 yr old) to start grasping, right now, that his life is much bigger than just his own cushy little world. Stacy made a little 20-page picture book to bring with me, filled with pics of her and the boys. I carried it in my backpack, which I ended up taking w/ me everywhere we went. At Jumecourt Orphanage, a couple of the boys asked if I was married or had kids. So I grabbed my book to show them...they loved looking at the pics, laughing at some of the silly pics of the boys. I caught the sarcasm in the 11 year old's tone (in the red shirt) when he asked "THIS is YOUR wife?!?!"...
They were asking me about Payton (how old he was, and if he liked to play soccer). I told them how I was going to one day bring Payton down there with me. And I asked them to say hi to my boy on video, to start Payton's journey of getting outside of just his world of 1st grade, and video games, and "stuff"...
It was pretty easy to get jarred out of my world down there (no cell phone does that pretty swiftly). But it's not like a mission trip to Haiti, or anywhere else, is the only path to discovering how life is way bigger than our own limited perspectives. I've wasted years being lazy & selfish at the crossroads of a situation where I could have helped someone in a big way...b/c I wasn't paying attention enough to even know I was wearing blinders that kept me from seeing how much more to life there is than just my own (fill-in-blank-here).
Check out this quick video...
This cozy little world we create for ourselves can be a pretty exciting adventure when we pay attention, and ask for open hands and open doors.
My eyes flung open within a few minutes of hanging w/ the kids at the 1st orphanage...
It was nothing that was said, but just an overwhelming change of heart and perspective, seeing and experiencing life outside my cozy little world...seeing my own kids in the faces, and high-5s, and embraces of these orphan kids...
I realized while walking away from that 1st orphanage, that I wanted Payton (my 7 yr old) to start grasping, right now, that his life is much bigger than just his own cushy little world. Stacy made a little 20-page picture book to bring with me, filled with pics of her and the boys. I carried it in my backpack, which I ended up taking w/ me everywhere we went. At Jumecourt Orphanage, a couple of the boys asked if I was married or had kids. So I grabbed my book to show them...they loved looking at the pics, laughing at some of the silly pics of the boys. I caught the sarcasm in the 11 year old's tone (in the red shirt) when he asked "THIS is YOUR wife?!?!"...
They were asking me about Payton (how old he was, and if he liked to play soccer). I told them how I was going to one day bring Payton down there with me. And I asked them to say hi to my boy on video, to start Payton's journey of getting outside of just his world of 1st grade, and video games, and "stuff"...
It was pretty easy to get jarred out of my world down there (no cell phone does that pretty swiftly). But it's not like a mission trip to Haiti, or anywhere else, is the only path to discovering how life is way bigger than our own limited perspectives. I've wasted years being lazy & selfish at the crossroads of a situation where I could have helped someone in a big way...b/c I wasn't paying attention enough to even know I was wearing blinders that kept me from seeing how much more to life there is than just my own (fill-in-blank-here).
Check out this quick video...
This cozy little world we create for ourselves can be a pretty exciting adventure when we pay attention, and ask for open hands and open doors.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Coming Back
On Sunday a.m. we packed into the van and drove about 10 minutes to Pastor Kisnel's All-In-One Village where they do church every Sunday from 8-11 a.m. Yes, 3 hours of church...in an open-air tent...no a/c or cool gentle breeze...dressed in their Sunday best (a lot of guys did wear a tie & sport coat).
The night prior, our Global Orphan leader, John Carr, prepped us for what the church service would be like. I sensed God's whisper, "pay attention tomorrow & notice how big I am".
I'll share the details another time, but check out this short video I shot during the service...
(Here is link if video above doesn't open)
We learned afterwards that there was a worshiper of satan at church that day checking this Jesus thing out. He was one of the young men in the white shirts in the front right, about 4 rows back. He was still talking with Pastor Kesnel about Christ with 3 other young men when we left a couple hours after church ended. I think God was pulling him close.
So big is our God...that He even shows up at a make-shift church structure made of 2x4's, USAid tarps, and a floor made of tons of golfball-to-baseball-sized rocks. There, Jesus Christ is alive and present, because He hears His people calling to Him (click that link). He even hears His children who have gone astray and are chasing after someone or something else...even following the devil. He hears, and this is exactly how He responds...
(Here is link if video above doesn't open)
American lifestyle breeds these deceivers of lust, money, self-image and self-worth (the pursuit of "stuff") that dilute our once-childlike faith & love of Jesus...we become watered-down in our faith...or indifferent altogether.
In my community, probably like yours, it's more common that someone "that's gone astray from God" looks like this "indifference" instead of actively & knowingly worshiping satan. Maybe we even "go to church" but never truly follow Jesus. And maybe there's a legit reason...I was there before, too. That's actually exactly WHY he still shows up (click that link).
If you are in Tampa, check this out.
If you're somewhere else, check out this or this online.
No matter how far we have gone away from God
(yes, even with all your baggage),
He is eager to have us back...
The night prior, our Global Orphan leader, John Carr, prepped us for what the church service would be like. I sensed God's whisper, "pay attention tomorrow & notice how big I am".
I'll share the details another time, but check out this short video I shot during the service...
(Here is link if video above doesn't open)
We learned afterwards that there was a worshiper of satan at church that day checking this Jesus thing out. He was one of the young men in the white shirts in the front right, about 4 rows back. He was still talking with Pastor Kesnel about Christ with 3 other young men when we left a couple hours after church ended. I think God was pulling him close.
So big is our God...that He even shows up at a make-shift church structure made of 2x4's, USAid tarps, and a floor made of tons of golfball-to-baseball-sized rocks. There, Jesus Christ is alive and present, because He hears His people calling to Him (click that link). He even hears His children who have gone astray and are chasing after someone or something else...even following the devil. He hears, and this is exactly how He responds...
(Here is link if video above doesn't open)
American lifestyle breeds these deceivers of lust, money, self-image and self-worth (the pursuit of "stuff") that dilute our once-childlike faith & love of Jesus...we become watered-down in our faith...or indifferent altogether.
In my community, probably like yours, it's more common that someone "that's gone astray from God" looks like this "indifference" instead of actively & knowingly worshiping satan. Maybe we even "go to church" but never truly follow Jesus. And maybe there's a legit reason...I was there before, too. That's actually exactly WHY he still shows up (click that link).
If you are in Tampa, check this out.
If you're somewhere else, check out this or this online.
No matter how far we have gone away from God
(yes, even with all your baggage),
He is eager to have us back...
Sunday, April 1, 2012
highway driving
Obviously, driving in Haiti was an adventure. Their rules of the road are so drastically different than ours. What they drive and how they drive it is boarder-line crazy. If/when children are in vehicle, I do not think they discuss what at age to turn the baby-seat forward, if its a 3-point harness system, or how old to use the booster seat for Lil Johnny. I'm pretty sure they don't even have or use lap belts for the adults.
Its just better to show you...notice a few things while watching:
Its just better to show you...notice a few things while watching:
- This is a highway from Port Au Prince to the orphan villages we visited.
- Notice right away our van is slowing down w/ the rest of the cars, in both directions. This section of the highway had been washed out and was to pot-hole/crater-ridden to pass w/o going really slow. If you look at the road, really there are pot-holes even in the parts we're going fast.
- The U-Haul truck packed w/ bags of what looks like bags of rice...and packed w/ people. See what I mean by no seat belts!
- that crazy colorful pick-up truck is a "tap tap" which is their version of public transportation.
- No, bikers don't wear helmets there.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Haiti Unplugged
Our church's worship leader, Blaine Albright, led our trip. The guy is an incredible human being. And he is actually a real live rock star...but he's choosing to serve and honor God with his life instead of chasing money and fame for himself.
He brought his "backpack" guitar with him, and rocked-it-out for us every day...
I'm not exactly the most musically gifted person, so it was so cool to be a part of experiencing God using music to reach people.
Every day, at every orphanage, Blaine was connecting with these kids musically (not to mention the people in our group). If he wasn't on the clock, he needs a few extra vacation days this year.
Here's a picture of him teaching one boy, Sam, how to play guitar...
(yes, I was jealous of Sam, too)
Here is a little Haiti Unplugged...Blaine making music with one of the girls at the 1st orphanage we visited...
(if you can't view the video immediately above, click the title of this blog post and it will direct you to the actual website which will allow you to play the video...its worth it:)
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