urban mission trip revisited

Two months out and I'm finally ready to recap my urban mission trip experience. :) Speaking about the experience at church on Sunday gave me the push to put pen to paper and capture the thoughts swirling 'round my brain since experiencing our city in a whole new way.

Since it's been so long, here's the recap, though if you really want a refresher here's the link to the series I did preceding the trip.

• I've wanted to go on a mission trip ever since my parents began leading teams down to the Dominican Republic   
• The trip was three days - Friday evening to Sunday afternoon
• It was in the city next to ours which equaled 15 minutes from home
• It was $150
• It was clear there was no reason to not go
• To prepare for the trip, we were required to attend an urban poverty seminar where we learned about the differing perspectives between the lower and middle classes and the daily challenges faced by the urban poor  

our bunks

Here's what I did...

Friday: After choosing our bunks at the mission house, we ate dinner and play games with teen girls who were refugees from Liberia followed by a discussion about the future of urban missions

Saturday: Work day. There were several projects available. I had the opportunity to bake with and read to children in the city's worst neighborhood and learn how that ministry was lifting up the community in so many ways. That afternoon I helped sort clothes for a homeless ministry - a ministry that began with bringing spaghetti to homeless people in the downtown area. After dinner, we learned more about refugees, immigrants, student visas and the "undocumented and discussed the challenges generally faced by any non-English speaking person trying to integrate into American life.

Sunday: We worshiped at an urban church, had lunch and then learned about an Arabic ministry out of the nonprofit which partnered with the church for the mission trip.

baking cupcakes for the kids to take home to their mothers

Throughout the trip, we worshiped, prayed and sought God's heart for the city. It was a whirlwind of a trip and I would have loved to spend a much longer time working among the poor and foreigners among us. And perhaps some day I will.

But for now, while motherhood is my full time ministry, I'm asking God to continue pressing upon me the lessons He's been teaching me for months now and used the urban mission trip to solidify. And it's this:

I used to content myself with giving money or my stuff and thinking that satisfied God's call to help those in need.

But it doesn't go far enough.

clothes stacked and sorted for the homeless ministry

Yes, it will feed the hungry and clothe the naked - for a while. But it doesn't address why they were hungry or naked to begin with. And it does nothing for me either.

Because I believe that God asks us to minister to the "least of these" not just to meet their needs, but to meet our needs to. I believe He loves us so much He wants to see us changed for the better spiritually as much as He desires circumstances of the poor  improved physically.

I have witnessed this change in myself and I've seen God's glory in new ways and the good news of the Gospel has become that much clearer.

And here's the interesting thing and something I learned in the urban poverty seminar: relationships - the giving of our selves - are the very thing the poor value most.

Relationships are the currency of the poor.

So all of us have this amazing opportunity in our own backyards. Not only can we feed the hungry and clothe the poor, but we can build relationships with them. And when we do this "extra-mile" giving, our lives can become as transformed as the ones we serve.


If you feel the tug on your heart to explore urban ministry opportunities and are not sure where to begin, leave a comment with your email and I'd be happy to help you find resources to get you started.

lately

So I know I still haven't posted on what happened on the mission trip. And I will get to it...soon. I think I'm still processing through how it is impacting my life. It's really easy to be all fired up and raring to go coming off a mission trip. But I'm learning that the deeper, God-impacted ways often take a little longer to settle in and take on definition. And I want to share about those lasting imprints and not just the superficial ones. So I wait a little longer...

And the things that have been on my heart often these days revolve around urban ministry, relationship building, learning about the hurts of this world, giving the religious spirit in my life the boot, pressing into my calling as a mother, praying for financial peace and desiring joyful, Christ-contagious living.


Because I'm a reader, I find myself seeking out reading material to give greater definition to my rattled thoughts and to hear God speaking in new ways.

If you're reading this, I'm assuming you too enjoy a good read, so here are some of the books I've consumed lately to accompany these themes:

Urban ministry & relationship building: How to Hug a Smelly Guy by Jeff Johnson

Learning about the hurts of this world: In Land of the Blue Burqas by Kate McCord and God Grew Tired of Us (we watched the movie last night )

Giving the religious spirit in my life the book: God Without Religion by Andrew Farley

Pressing into my calling as a mother:  Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma - I haven't started this one yet. I just learned about it today as Amy is hosting a book club starting April 18. But it fits with this growing theme for me.

Praying for financial peace: Total Money Makeover & Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey - which ironically also brought on anxiety but I'm trusting God to show us the way as let some of these money lessons settle on our hearts

Desiring joyful, Christ-centered living: There's only One source for that - the Bible. So I'm grateful for the BSF study on Genesis and John MacArthur's study on Acts that I'm doing with our Life Group.  

Any other recommended reads for these categories? How has God been speaking to you lately?

pregnant with expectation

I feel like I'm pregnant.

I'm not (!) physically, but spiritually, I am.

I am heavy with waiting to birth whatever God is going to birth in me, in us, in this season of Dave-going-back-to-school-and-neither-of-us-is-working-in-the-traditional-sense-of-working-for-a-paycheck.

There is a time in pregnancy when the due date approaches, when the back aches and the waddle exaggerates and just turning over in bed is a special op maneuver and you know your baby can survive outside the womb that cradles... It's at this point you say "Now Lord. I'm ready for this baby to be birthed today. Please, let it be NOW!"

But He says, "Not yet."

So with every passing minute, you wonder if it is the minute for labor to begin. But the minutes keeps ticking into hours, into days, into weeks? Thankfully, those final stretch minutes don't tick into months and the longest I've heard any women going past their due date is three weeks.  A very looong, feels-like-another-trimester three weeks.

This is where I am right now.

Except I don't have the assurance of an end date in sight. Scripture is hardly comforting in this matter if you're looking for God to answer quickly. After all, Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebekah, Jacob, Rachel, Joseph, Hannah, Elizabeth and countless others were waiting years, decades, to hear God's "Now!" And will I be able to wait that long?

Enter: Faith.

It carries us beyond our ability to see, to hear, to bear. Through faith, we ride the current of God's faithfulness to see us through the gestation period. And when I don't think I can bear it one. minute. longer., He reminds me how the ones who waited and trusted in Him were blessed beyond all they could ask or image...

Abraham & Sarah...received a son in the line of Christ
Isaac & Rebekah...blessed with a twins - a double portion
Jacob...returned home with a family, wealth, a new name and to a brother who no longer wanted to kill him
Rachel...birthed a baby who would save his family from starvation
Joseph...elevated to second in command in all of Egypt
Hannah...birthed the prophet who would anoint David king over Israel
Elizabeth... birthed the prophet would would prepare the way for, and baptize, Jesus


Is there something you too wait for in expectation? Or do you have a story to share of a time you waited on God and are now reaping the blessings of waiting in faith? Please share that we may pray and be encouraged.

transformation

Friday: Reese dressed as Willy Wonka for "Dress as Your Favorite Character" Day at school. At first he wanted to be a character from "Around the World in 80 Days" but couldn't remember the characters name. He was easily transformed with the additional of a paper hat and spiffy vest with matching pants and a collared shirt.

Sunday: Luke wanted to build a city and invited me to join him. Math tools, Lego (of course!) and our dining table transformed to a mini urban center.

Later that night, Dave suggested we measure Brie's hair to see if it was long enough to donate. It was! And with *several* snips she changed from our wee 9-year-old into a most definitely soon to be 10-year-old.

Monday: I cooked up additional play dough colors for Ben. He smooshed and smashed them into a cake creation and generously offered me half of the final product. I'm not sure if he would do the same if it were a real cake. But then, neither would I be able to manage to eat it all anyway.

And God spoke "tranformation" to me though them. I've been praying for God to change those inner places desperate for His Light and saving work.

But when push comes to shove, my flesh prefers the changes to happen as easily as donning a hat or bringing together many pieces to form something new. I remind God He can do anything so why not perfect me in Christ right this very. minute. Poof! A new me.

The reality is these transformation occur slowly and often involve a LOT of cutting away and smooshing and smashing - the kind that mixes up all the colors so you can't separate them no matter how hard you try.

It's the mixology of God.  

And we cannot be separated from His love. And we are made alive in Christ. And we who were separated are now brought near by His blood.

And that is good news.

celebrating the plunge

Yesterday, I shared this picture.

To celebrate.

The occasion?

Our last day on of depending us (i.e. Dave's last day on a payroll). For two months we chugged up the hill, knowing this day was looming. Yesterday we reached the top.

Today, we plunge down, falling on God's grace. It's a free fall that I know begins and ends cupped in God's hands. I'm not screaming nor is my heart is not in my throat (yet ;) and maybe this hill we've plunged over will be a short one. Regardless, the ride is bound to be one of twists and turns.

And the only way I can explain this absence of panic, this crazy peace, are the Words of the Father which quell the worries that try to niggle their way into my thoughts. The words whispered are trust and wait and do. not. fear.

Today we celebrate the plunge.

Celebrate with us?
 

thousand words thursday

I missed "Wordless Wednesday" and today is significant and so is tomorrow and I must mark this occasion in some way. So "Thousand Words" Thursday it is. And tomorrow, the story behind the significance...

losing (paper)weight

I've thought of a thousand things to post in these past couple of weeks, but technigrations (my word for technology aggravations) plus time focused on more pressing areas but some deep soul searching leaves little time for blogging. There is a post forthcoming on the recap of the urban mission trip God led me on, but that's a  weightier post worthy of  more mental capacity than I have right now.

Instead, I'm sharing a weight-loss story this week so you can celebrate with me. Because this past week Dave and I lost a ton - possibly two - of weight in paper.

ready for the curb - yipee!

 
It's part of our campaign to downsize and get rid of all the excess stuff in our lives.

Sure I didn't have to look at it, but just knowing it was there, hanging out in the basement, tucked away in file folders...it weighed me down.

Did you know you can experience great joy in shredding paper? If you haven't tried it, I greatly encourage you to give it a whirl.

Just don't shred the stuff you really need. Like those tax papers from the past seven years. Or any warranties or titles that go with the possessions God gave you. If you aren't sure what to keep and what to shred/recycle, here's a link to a helpful guideline. And you can always check with your accountant and/or lawyer to be sure.

bye bye paper, hello to lighter living .

 
And if you like, when you've shed the weight, take a picture and come back here with the link to it to let me know and we can celebrate the weight loss together.