perspective

I often captivated by stories that have been passed on through the oral tradition.  This is one of my favourites;


Six blind men were discussing exactly what they believed an elephant to be, since each had heard how strange the creature was, yet none had ever seen one before. So the blind men agreed to find an elephant and discover what the animal was really like.

from: http://pwoessner.com/
wp-content/uploads/2009/12/elephant.jpg

It didn't take the blind men long to find an elephant at a nearby market. The first blind man approached the beast and felt the animal's firm flat side. "It seems to me that the elephant is just like a wall," he said to his friends.
The second blind man reached out and touched one of the elephant's tusks. "No, this is round and smooth and sharp - the elephant is like a spear."
Intrigued, the third blind man stepped up to the elephant and touched its trunk. "Well, I can't agree with either of you; I feel a squirming writhing thing - surely the elephant is just like a snake."
The fourth blind man was of course by now quite puzzled. So he reached out, and felt the elephant's leg. "You are all talking complete nonsense," he said, "because clearly the elephant is just like a tree."
Utterly confused, the fifth blind man stepped forward and grabbed one of the elephant's ears. "You must all be mad - an elephant is exactly like a fan."
Duly, the sixth man approached, and, holding the beast's tail, disagreed again. "It's nothing like any of your descriptions - the elephant is just like a rope."

And all six blind men continued to argue, based on their own particular experiences, as to what they thought an elephant was like. It was an argument that they were never able to resolve.


 Each of them was concerned only with their own idea. None of them had the full picture, and none could see any of the other's point of view. 


Each man saw the elephant as something different, each blind man was partially correct, but mostly missing the larger truth.  Each man was more concerned about his perspective and his correctness than learning all that could be learned.


I got this version of the story from this site. 


Maybe you needed perspective today, too?

igniting the imagination

Shane Claiborne was here a few weeks ago, and I went to Knox Church on Edmonton St. to hear him, along with a whole bunch of other Winnipeggers.

If you don't know who Shane is, check out the simple way, or the site for a book he co-wrote with Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Enuma Okoro, common prayer.

anyway, it was pretty inspiring being there and seeing just how many church type people were interested in things like what Shane would talk about.

 heres a little snapshot of how I've continued to mull over some of the ideas that were shared.  There's been a whole lot of stuff continuing to rattle around in my head. (don't worry, i wont share ALL of it here...!!)

• how can I (me, our family, Flats, the church) get right into the thick of the struggles around us?  What creative involvements have we overlooked or felt too shy/tired/ill equipped to engage in?  CREATIVE engagement, this phrase has permeated my prayers.
• did you know that the church has an image crisis?  I knew, but I didn't know that there was research to support it!  according to barna research, Christianity  is known for being three things above all others.. anti-gay, hypocritical, and judgmental.  ouch.  lord, help me to recognize all the things i need to confess.
• doctrines should be much harder to love than they apparently are.  and people should be much easier to love than they apparently are. I've been praying to learn new things about loving well.

Apparently Shane is coming to Winnipeg again in a couple of weeks... if you hear about it, you should go!

appreciation

Someone emailed this video to me today, thought it was worth sharing. 
the person who sent it to me added the disclaimer: 'get the kleenex first' ....

year end creativity

I started thinking about my year end collage/vision/reflection board today.  (That's last years pictured - it hangs in our room .... ) This is a tradition I've started in the last couple of years - the board is a compilation of words, phrases, images, ideas.  It helps me to think on what's been and what's ahead....

What are your creative year end activities?  Let's hear about it! 

I accidentally found out that vision boards are not my own invention!

check out this great link for more ideas:

http://www.chookooloonks.com/the-beauty-of-different/2010/12/1/own-your-beauty-creativity.html

the sacred fire still burns

I've known for a couple of days that my next post would be about spending a couple of days at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's first event last week.  But I haven't known exactly how to put words to what I was feeling, or what I learned.  (warning - long post ahead!  I hope you'll do more than skim ...)

I had some really neat experiences, because I attended both days with different Residential School survivors.  Some walked down to the Statement Gathering location and made statements.  I was blown away by the sensitivity and priority that was shown to the survivors throughout the whole event. As the emotional support staff were leading one of my friends to the room with the audio recording equipment, he pointed to me and said 'Her - she can come.  She knows me better.'  What an honor!  Over the course of time, my friend and I have had many conversations about his experiences in residential school, and then experiences at all the other institutions that followed....  A certain residential school story about two siblings (a boy and a girl) who came to his school is so revealing.  The pair knew that they were not allowed to speak or interact, but they were seen whispering on the play ground.  They were strapped and then not seen for days.  After a while, they were found in the woods, dead from wounds received at the hands of overzealous disciplinarians.Stories like this are horrible enough when they are removed and impersonal - somehow its different when your friend is telling you about his experience of it.   Yes, this all really happened in Canada. This particular story was right in Manitoba.  And it happened sometime in the early 1970's.  For real.

I was shocked to learn during the event that the mortality rate at residential schools was 24% overall.  One BC school I read about had a 50% mortality rate.  Half the kids who attended that school died.  Brings new meaning to the term 'survivor', doesn't it?  We are accustomed to those kind of third world stats, but these things happened right in our homeland .. you know, the True North - Strong and Free.

I have always been angry about the apathy and complacency of many in the Canadian church about our history.  Now, I feel ready to be more ACTIVE.  Of course, I want to remember that most of all, I am a worshipper and follower of Jesus - not an activist.  Somewhere,  I saw these piercing words - 'there is no one so blind as the one who REFUSES to see.'  Sounds like something Jesus would say - it was certainly revealed through stories about his life.

During the TRC event, I was part of another event with some leaders from a Vineyard church in South Africa .. in Soweto, to be exact.    The Truth and Reconciliation Commission originated in South Africa - Canada is following in their footsteps in this pursuit of genuine restoration.  It was interesting to hear our South African guests talk about the unbelieving and indignant responses of Canadian visitors when confronted with past and present Apartheid realities, while not paying any attention to the First Nations situation 'back home'.  They revealed that they had no qualms about pointing out the inconsistency, fairly begging Canadians to open their eyes.

We went to a rainy early morning ceremony one day.  I was moved by the drummers from the four corners of the earth standing together - Red, Yellow, Black, and White - playing first in turn and then in unison. 

 I see the legacy of Canada's Residential School policy outside my door each and every day.  Today,  I walked down Main St. and saw one of our friends standing in the middle of the busy street, with traffic passing by and honking on each side of him.  Drivers were yelling, swearing.  He just refused to move.  He just stubbornly stood there, solvent rag in hand. In light of my reflections on the TRC, I read his posture and expression to be saying.. 'Notice me.  See me.  STOP.  THINK.  Pay attention, I'm angry, hurting, and not going away.'  I wished I wasn't the only person on the curb shouting above the traffic for him to get off the road and care about himself.  Later that day, he stopped by and gave me a funny little gift.  I hung it on my wall to help me remember to pray for him.

Last night, our doorbell rang.  A young street worker was there, I hadn't met her before.  She had heard that we have beds here, and wondered if she could stay the night.  When we asked how long she wanted to stay, she drunkenly said .. 'forever'.  Instead, we took her down to a shelter, but invited her to get to know us and come by for visits and coffee.  I got to hear some of her story - starting to use crack at age 11, being in care all her life, not knowing how to stop using and start facing....  two days, two tragic stories.  There are resilience stories too - I pray for more and more of those.

Genuine reconciliation requires that we face our denial, and that we do away with the blame game.  It requires participation from those who have been offended and those who have offended. It requires eyes that see. 

That fire pictured at the top of this post burned day and night throughout the entire Winnipeg TRC event.  My prayer is that a sacred flame will stay lit as Canadians and Jesus followers recognize their role in genuine reconciliation.  My prayer is that it will burn strong and bright as we all realize its not too late.  May we realize that Aboriginal leaders are our nations most important 'natural resource'.

* my lovely friend Jess, whose sensitivity I have experienced first-hand, reflects with great insight here

* I introduced myself to Dora Dueck at the event.  She did quite a lot of reflecting on her experience there, too.  Read one of her posts here.

more valid ...

Do you ever feel totally 'invalid' as a person?  Like you mess up more than you contribute, like you're always having things to apologize for and you're always dropping the ball somewhere? 

I feel like that alot!

I had one of those mornings where you wake up and just know in your gut that your alarm hasn't gone off and you're late.  I teach aerobics on Tuesdays at 6:15am and my last task last night was to double check the alarm, but for whatever reason it didn't ring today.  I opened my eyes and thought ... 'its way too light to be earlier than 5:15!'.. then the mad scramble to get in touch with someone and tell them the 'leader' is not going to make it.  Not the greatest start to the day!

i chatted with a beautiful friend yesterday, and she was talking about how church sermons so often leave us feeling like Losers - we should be doing more, we should be more mature, we're not using our gifts... blah blah blah.  I don't know if I've heard a lot of sermons like that lately, but I do know that I don't need a sermon to feel like that.  It's my default mode.  it's ever present.  I don't need an external voice saying those things; my inner dialogue says them all the time. 

The two of us wished for more 'celebratory' conversations and messages.  Not an absence of challenge, but an increase of joy and rejoicing over the great things that happen in daily life and relationship.

(Incidentally, I stumbled upon a new blog recently.  The author has a campaign called I AM ENOUGH.  It's pretty cool.)

I did haul my sorry self out of bed shortly after I realized that I wasn't going to get where I was supposed to be.  I decided to go for a walk - not a run like I often do, but a nice, leisurely, prayer-y WALK.  I was gone for over an hour!  As soon as I stepped out, I knew I made the right choice.

I cleared my head of all the noise.  I heard the traffic, smelled the morning, felt the green of summer, and tasted broken but beautiful joy.  Somewhere on a walking path in Point Douglas, I stopped feeling like a loser and started to feel celebratory and blessed.  As I was 'rounding the corner to our building, one of our neighbors came out. Our chat went like this...

him - 'What are you doing out alone?!'
me - 'walking.'
him - 'I've told you before - I don't like you going for your walks/runs alone all the time.  You could get hurt'
me - 'thanks for caring.'
him - 'We got some extra food from the food bank over at our place.  No one can use it.  You guys want it?'
me - 'sure.'
him - 'k, see ya later, I'll bring it to the drop in.'

a  pretty simple exchange.  But one that reminded me that I'm known in my neighborhood.  And the caring for and supporting is not only going from me/us to them.. It's two way.  Thats is a beautiful ... maybe even VALID - thing in my book.

thanks for reading. 

Here is a photo I took today - I came upstairs to find one of our 'roomies' napping on the couch.  I couldn't resist the opportunity...

a story to live in

This weekend, I got a chance to speak in church in anticipation of the Love Winnipeg 'caring for the core' initiative coming up. 

As I was preparing, I remembered one of my textbooks referring to how we can approach the Bible as if we are mining for truth... but the truth we mine conforms to our pre-existing ideas/beliefs.  Kind of like we find just what we're looking for, and new insights can be difficult to arrive at because of what we already believe or have been taught.  I underlined that a few times, because it sounded like something I wanted to remember.

This morning, I was reading an essay by Eugene Peterson about the book of Romans.. talking about the apostle Paul, he says:

"All his mental processes are subdued and submissive to what has been handed to him by revelation in Scripture.  The words of scriptural revelation are the means by which he thinks and prays.  Paul's relation to Scripture was not that of a student boning up for an exam, but that of a disciple of Jesus living the text.  He spent the first part of his life as a Pharisee, using the scripture zealously, but wrongly.  He spent the second part of his life as a Christian, living these same Scriptures just as zealously, but in a very different way.  The difference was this: as an activist Pharisee, he used the Scriptures to support an angry crusade; as a believing Christian, he let the Spirit use the Scriptures to form Christ in him.  The Scriptures furnish his vocabulary, shape his imagination, form his life.... it is not only that Paul quotes the Scriptures; he inhabits the story of Scripture... he gives the impression of being totally at ease with this richly expansive narrative of God's Word."

All this reminded me of one my friend Lisa's favorite passage; its in Psalm 119 (I know its one of her favorites because its often quoted on notes/cards I receive from her!) -

" Truly I love your commandments more than gold, more than fine gold.  Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts. I hate every false way.  Your decrees are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them.  The unfolding of your word gives light; and it imparts understanding to the simple." (vs 127-130)

let forgiveness be my sword...

I went to a forgiveness ceremony at Thunderbird House today.  It's part of a journey towards a National Summit being held in Ottawa in June.  It was so inspiring and good.  As soon as I sat down, I felt like I was in a sacred moment, the sense of privilege was overwhelming.

About a year ago, Prime Minister Harper issued an public and sweeping apology to the First Nations Community for historic wrongs, most especially the Residential Schools and Assimilation policies that have done such extensive harm.  He also asked for forgiveness.

The June Summit being held in Ottawa, and the ceremony I attended today, are part of a response to that request for forgiveness.  A movement is afoot to encourage Aboriginal Canadians to let go of anger and to forgive.  To actively participate in reconciliation...

There were moving songs about redemption and unity, about the Creator who is honored when we forgive and hurt when we don't.  The oral tradition was alive and well, and we heard about forgiveness as an ancient teaching and a modern teacher, as a gift and a sword.  The people gathered were asked to release their right to judge and be angry.

We were reminded, in the place of Louis Riel's story, that the Metis People are a unique expression of reconciliation and 'New Canada'; that Metis leaders have unique and influential voices for our time.

The drum was played several times, and I learned from some of the ladies sitting by me that women were the keepers of the songs in days gone by.  Men went to hunt and might be gone for long periods, the women were needed to preserve and care for the tradition.

More info here.

Also, there is a service and potluck meal at St. Lukes on Nassau Street on Saturday (24th) night, 5pm.

Have you checked out the Truth and Reconciliation Commission?  There is a Winnipeg event being planned at the Forks in June.  Other events will happen across Canada in the year ahead.  This is something that would be important to attend for all Canadians.

The pamphlet I picked up today says these good words;



                         Releasing Forgiveness

Healing A Nation

Embracing Freedom

AMEN.

.... its so catchy!

I listen to this all the time now!  Enjoy....

returning passion

In a message I heard recently, someone said that 'the passion anyone has for Christ is directly proportionate to their experience of Christ'.

Isn't that a great statement? Its basic, yet still profound when stated so succintly.

Here's the cool thing.. I've had some really amazing, life changing encounters with a god who is alive (not dead, not ancient, not historical) and who guides, who is present and faithful, whose voice I recognize often. Isn't that great? Whats more is that if it weren't for those encounters, I'd have given up on faith a long time ago. I'm not strong enough, or disciplined enough.. I'm too much of a screw up to hold it together. But somehow that didn't factor in to the equation or limit opportunities (I'm sure I missed alot of them along the way, too) to have these memorable encounters.

But it doesn't stop there... as I read the recorded stories about Christ, I realize that I've only experienced a smidgen of all that he is. I've got a lifetime to continue to experience all sorts of new things with him and because of him. That's even more great!

I don't know if its coming through in this blog or not, but some passion that was dormant for a while is returning. Have you ever gone on a hike and emerged into a clearing, only to realize that you'd been in that place before, that it wasn't new after all? That is what I've been feeling like these last couple of weeks... returning to the familiar.

I wish and pray this sense of optimism and hope for each of you ...

quickie update :)

i hoped to blog a couple of times this week, but the three addiction assignments I'm working on continue to plague me and be the primary focus of every spare moment. cant wait til they're done, but also feeling really extremely thankful I decided to squeeze that unplanned class in last June... this is very relevant learning for where we are right now. i've already dropped a class from my fall timetable, as i respond to the demands and opportunities before us at Flatlanders. I just decided that I have the whole rest of my life to become a counselor, but I only have 10 months at Flatlanders!

tonight is birthday party night at Flatlanders.. there are several members of our community who have August bdays, so tonight is the celebration. The rest of today will be spent preparing.. we planning chocolate fondue, cheese fondue, and a bbq. I also plan to bake chocolate zucchini cake. I hope the recipe turns out great! Of course, my can't-follow-the-rules nature is already planning several additions/changes to the recipe, so if it flops it will likely be my fault, not the recipe ... (I've already registered a couple of flopped recipes here and everyone is very forgiving. I don't think I'll be trying seafood noodle surprise again anytime soon...!!)
The celebration happens to be on Kenny's actual birthday, and his excitement is contagious; he is looking forward to a couple of his family members joining us. Please think of Kenny if you pray, he is a wonderful member of our family here who has been having a few struggles of late.

at the moment, I'm feeling rather thankful for all the expressions of encouragment and kindness we've heard from the wonderful people in our life over the past few weeks. To those friends who are so often calling, emailing, asking great questions, staying in touch.. you often make our day. We love and appreciate you, and we sense your prayers in moments that challenge us as well as in the moments of quiet reflection that lift us up. You are on our minds often. Some of you in Winnipeg we haven't had a chance to hang out with yet, but we look forward to it soon! And to our Saskatchewan friends.. we miss you frequently and muchly! Sometimes it feels like Flatlanders and Hepburn must be in different universes, but we are so glad to have the opportunity to experience both communities.

a parting thought - I just posted a little reminder on the desk I work at that says:

Proposal for a well-lived day: Spend the whole day in real life.

starting to settle in...

This post is being entered from Flatlanders, where we live. huh. how d'ya like that?!??! It does seem strange to be embarking on a year of inner city living/serving.. we just came from the rural, open prairies, and when we moved there a short two years ago, we thought we'd be there for the long term. Funny how life is like that, hey?

a few randoms:

• our kids are so great. They are still adolescents, they forget their manners, they demonstrate bad attitude.. but overall, they've been through the wringer this past year, and they're still smiling. Laughing, even. We are incredibly blessed.
• speaking of great.. our week at Nutimik was awesome. We stayed in a YURT, which was especially heavenly because it rained quite a bit while we were there. But mostly, the family time was the reason for the great little holiday. So much laughter, so many silly pranks .. I don't even mind being the butt of most of the jokes! The most memorable thing was the skunk who opened our cooler and stole the two items on top; leftover Pizza bush pies, and a full package of raw farmer sausage. (had to get Winkler sausage after the two year hiatus.. although Bren claims Hague's is better..) (Our hobo dinners were almost vegetarian as a result of the hijacking!) When we looked for our food, we thought we'd been robbed by hungry campers, since we thought an animal would surely have disturbed the area near the cooler if they had been there. But the wrappers were in the bush, still being devoured by our striped neighbor! Unbelievable. Lesson: when the campground posts notices about not leaving your cooler unattended, they really mean it!
• pics of our place etc will follow. Still no sign of the camera supplies...

a closing note; we went on a quick ride around our neighborhood tonight, just to get a feel for the friday night activities. We saw a lot of prostitutes, and many circling vehicles checking out the action. So we prayed.

For this neighborhood and the people who live here, we prayed something like this: God of love, this community is so clearly hurting. The people who live here, while often filled with joy and laughter, seem to often turn to unhealthy things when they are stressed or in difficult circumstances. Replace the brokenness with wholeness. Fill those empty spaces with beauty, love, the things that are most like you. You know the deepest reasons for poverty. Help those who can do something to see a way to influence. Cure people of complacency and powerlessness. We pray that the crime and violence would stop.

For ourselves, we prayed something like this: God of love, you created so much that is good, yet we are seeing so much that is not good. Bring down barriers we may have that could hinder us from loving and serving in ways that honor you. We are from so much privilege, and we are just blind to so much. Grow genuine understanding in our confused hearts. Teach us about love and justice.

encouraged.

I woke up Saturday morning feeling quite a bit of doubt and tension about our recent decisions. There is so much change and so much risk, but also so much potential and so much to learn. I was looking to God and asking for one thing He doesn't promise.. guaranteed success. That would be the opposite of faith, I guess. I wrote a prayer in my journal, asking for confirmation or some sign of hope to encourage my sagging spirits.

A few hours later, Owen was practicing some worship songs on his guitar, and we were chatting.. he said he wanted to be on a youth worship band in church next year. I took his optimism as a sign of promise and encouragement.

A few hours after that, I was watching tv and I happened upon this show that talked about the 'unsinkable Molly Brown' (read more here - she's quite something!) and was encouraged to hear about the parents of this feisty woman, who insisted on educational pursuits that we're simply not part of their culture at the time. They went a little against the grain, took some flack, and there were some positive benefits after all was said and done. A program that would have intrigued me on any old day suddenly provided encouragement on this particular day.

Later, when I came upstairs, there was Syd, laptop humming... checking out the dance school she hopes to go to next year, reviewing their schedule and planning the best way to take the classes she most wants to be in. More encouragement.

Finally, the day is done. I put my head down, and I'm so comfortable. The pillow, the blankets, Brendan's arm.. all perfectly arranged .... I feel completely enveloped in peace. And full of hope.

It was a very good day. Actually, God is good, and He is near.

*******************************************
ps: check out the previous post about addiction. its an interesting topic and one that really gives us pause. I've been interested to see who responds to the concept that we're all addicted with interest, and who immediately shoots it down as psychomumbojumbo. :)

its a mad, mad world

Sheryl has moved to Winnipeg, and Owen and I had the privilege of driving much of her furniture and belongings from Saskatoon to Winnipeg. We left Thursday morning and were back in our own comfy beds in Hepburn on Saturday night.. so it was a quite a fast trip!! It was fun - thanks Sheryl, for the opportunity.

On Saturday morning, I had a great date with Nancy and Trena; old friends from high school. (Jr High?!) During our reminiscing, laughter, and great conversation, it felt like time stood still for a few moments as they caught me up on an old friend who is dying of cancer. He had been embarking on a new career, enjoying a great family life, when all of a sudden he was given a diagnosis of several months to live. I reflected on how this particular person changed my life - I know his presence, encouragement, and friendship after my mom died was crucial, and a piece of him will always be with me. Wow. Then reality really struck me as I thought about his children losing their awesome dad, his wife losing her best friend, and so many others losing the friendship of one of those salt of the earth people who is just 'a really great guy'. I heard great stories about people rallying around, an amazing circle of support - inspiring stories that need circumstances like this to be told. But still, WHY?? HOW??? and mostly, just heaviness and grief, sadness for his family. A feeling of this being too unreal.

I've been thinking about valleys and canyons lately. Valleys are a

bit more commonplace - perhaps they're your garden variety challenges and difficulties. But canyons - where the despair is the thickest, the desire to keep going is little more than a glimmer somewhere in the distance - canyons are not your garden variety troubles. Getting out of a canyon is akin to going to hell and returning to tell about it. And the redemption stories that are the most poignant, that stay with us the longest and touch our hearts in the deepest place... they involve canyons, not mere valleys. Join me in praying for this family, as they go through a canyon experience. Pray for peace, for comfort, for the beginnings of understanding to grow. And while you're at it, pray for a medical miracle. They still happen, you know.

I also had conversations about other mutual friends who are in the midst of terrible marriage break-ups. Vindictive and nasty behavior towards someone they had once pledged lifelong commitment and love. What a paradox.

It really is a crazy world.

There's an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:

A right time for birth and another for death,

A right time to plant and another to reap,

A right time to kill and another to heal,

A right time to destroy and another to construct,

A right time to cry and another to laugh,

A right time to lament and another to cheer,

A right time to make love and another to abstain,

A right time to embrace and another to part,

A right time to search and another to count your losses,

A right time to hold on and another to let go,

A right time to rip out and another to mend,

A right time to shut up and another to speak up,

A right time to love and another to hate,

A right time to wage war and another to make peace.

Eccl. 3 - the message

experiencing Jesus

Have you met Christ in your interactions with others? Recently, I've met him repeatedly, and I'm so thankful for the gift. I'll share a few of these meetings with you - hoping to use story to point heavenward. I'm not the author of these little interactions, I'm just the grateful recipient.

Sometime in February, I met with an old friend who I'd heard was having a rough time. I really wanted to comfort and encourage her - I sought her out to bless her and pray with her. When we got together, it turned out that she was the one encouraging me. I saw Jesus in her eyes, they were broken and sad, and FULL of grace - then I heard a message from Him that my friend couldn't have known I was needing to hear. It was so surprising and unexpected.

Another time, a friend at work came to my office and prayed with me, without even talking too much before asking if we could pray together. The week before, we had talked about something difficult in her life, and I had been thinking of her often. As we were about to bow our heads, she looked into my eyes - and again - spoke words that would have been completely unknown to her as being the right ones. It was like Jesus was the one offering reassurance. Also, again - completely unexpected.

There have been so many inspiring moments with the Praying Ladies, I cannot pin down only one. One of the ladies often brings specific verses for the other two. Several times, the verse chosen has been unique or special already.. and the selection and reading of it by a caring friend just increases the significance.

During the service we attended as part of the Wpg. Missions Trip, a lovely woman from the congregation came to me during the worship time and said that she felt stirred to pray for me. She put her hand on my arm - it was such a warm and kind thing to do - and prayed words that were general, but I made them 'specific' in my own heart as I prayed with her. It was like Jesus had stood there with me, and the first few moments after she walked away felt strangely empty and cold. The answers to that prayer were evident within a few days.

At my sister Lorrie's place, she was sorting through some paperwork during my visit, and a little quote she had cut out weeks before fell from the papers. She felt it was meant for me. She took the liberty of rifling through my bag - knowing there would be some kind of journal in there - and pasted the verse in. A few days later, I was sitting on my bed - opened up the journal and was momentarily paralysed by the words I found there. Again.. she had no idea of the timing, but it was exactly right.

Other friends have asked extremely insightful questions, or made comments that re-direct my thinking. They cause me to look within and learn, and to know Jesus better through their stories and experiences.

Just tonight, a young woman who has been staying with us came into my room, where I was reading - (withdrawing?) - and shared some observations about the state of affairs in our home. She said that she feels welcome, but also feels like she is hurting and grieving with us, because there is a very heavy feeling in our home. Her words made me so sad, and I wished that we were offering her the jovial and fun house we often have, wished that her time with us could be different and lighter. This is the second conversation we've had in as many days where my tears just spring up without any warning- and they don't hinder or alter the conversation - they just flow. She said, simply, that these circumstances are "real - and thats okay." Her observations felt like something Jesus among us might say or do- simply reminding me where to focus and how to "be" with him. Not making demands about "doing," but reminding me of the blessing and responses to life that should come from simply "being" with him.

The lesson is that Jesus is everywhere - all the time, but never is it more evident than when we are at a place of broken-ness. And when two people in that place come together and look for encouragement, Jesus meets that and fills the space between them with himself. The other lesson is that these interactions happen between people who are just true and just honest. The is absolutely no pretense or falseness. That is when Jesus is fully, powerfully present, when there is no hypocrisy at all. There is so much in me that wants to fight that low and vulnerable place, that wants to protect myself from both getting there in the first place, and then from allowing anyone to see me there or know that I'm there. Why do we always want to put on the act of self sufficiency? We might be fooling men, but we're not fooling God - and we are discouraging his presence and guidance when we take on that independent "I can do it myself!" stance.

We can be so foolish. And living in the Kingdom of God is so very, very different from what we see in the world around us.

Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” John 11:40

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:3

Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him. Matthew 20:34

Praying Ladies

So, every week almost since I moved to Hepburn, I've gotten together with two AMAZING and wonderful women to pray and chat. I look forward to it every single time, without fail!

First, I'll tell you how the group came to be - because it's a great story! One of them came to help us settle in to our new home. She stopped by frequently in those early days - bringing potatoes from her garden, helping set up furniture, generally being welcoming and inviting and making us feel like old friends. One day, I was doing kitchen-y things while she was over and I sensed a message from God that she was a gift from him... sort of like a 'sister' in this new place we were calling home. I chose to trust that message instead of questioning it, and the blessings of doing so are still piling up to this very day.

The two praying ladies were friends with one another, and maybe they even prayed together sometimes, long before I came along. They just let me crash their party. We decided to meet each week during youth group. The start was a bit tentative, but we were immediately comfortable together.

Now, the three of us pray for any situations in our lives, for all of our relationships, for each others kids, for our community, for the youth group, and so much more. We've each had hiccups and challenges in our lives over the past couple of years, and its been amazing how we've been able to speak into situations and be a genuine support and encouragement. Trust grew quickly, as did insight into how we each of us is wired. We've had meals and coffee dates out, and even a sleepover! (Our second mini-retreat is planned for the end of the month, immediately following my last official day at Bethany.)


I love the praying ladies. We've poured into one another and loved well. It's good.