Our Unique Call

So many terrible things happen every day that we start wondering whether the few things we do ourselves make any sense. When people are starving only a few thousand miles away, when wars are raging close to our borders, when countless people in our own cities have no homes to live in, our own activities look futile. Such considerations, however, can paralyse us and depress us.

Here the word call becomes important. We are not called to save the world, solve all problems, and help all people. But we each have our own unique call, in our families, in our work, in our world. We have to keep asking God to help us see clearly what our call is and to give us the strength to live out that call with trust. Then we will discover that our faithfulness to a small task is the most healing response to the illnesses of our time.


These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

Season of Lent | Self Denial

Begining last wednesday, we started the season of lent. Lent is traditionally the forty-day-long liturgical season of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter, representing the time Jesus fasted in the desert. According to wikipedia:

The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer—through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial—for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Many people Celebrate differently, some denominations include a break from fasting on Sundays to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus the Liberating King. Currently some are participating in Lent through the H2O water project by fasting any beverages other than water, some are fasting "vice" foods usually a source of comfort, some are limiting their diets to match those in impoverished countries. 

This Lenten season, I am joining some in a restricted diet similar to those in impoverished countries, only breaking for specific occasions. This is not meant to be a burden on anyone, but a focusing on what Christ has done for us, and I would encourage us to ask Jesus to show us during this season, if there is a way that we can focus more on what He has done for us, to focus more on what His liberation has provided us. 

Over the next few weeks, I want to unpack a few specific things on the FoM Blogosphere about the three temptations Christ faced in the desert,what that means for us, and the purposes of the Lenten season, starting with Self Denial, and why I chose to fast how I did. 

A few disclaimers, first. This season is not about the fast, its about the saviour. It's not about tradition, but transformation. 

It's about walking into the desert and facing our most intimate struggles, and the liberation Christ brings us. 

This lenten season,  I am joining other believers in a fast restricting my diet. The diet is the same diet of children with Compassion International, who are sponsored by a local church here in Houston. The diet is rice, beans, chicken, a simple salad, and tortillas. Basically 40 days of tacos.

More importantly I want to share the reason why, that lead me to this decision. 

Food has equated to security and status.

When I get stressed, and I am worried about job security, provision, etc. I stock the pantry.

The first thing I'll do is make sure I have enough to eat, to last a while, frozen foods, and canned goods to make sure they'll last a long time. I take Gods daily provision into my own hands. Food is security. And I think what this has done in my life, has made me worry about what I am to eat, how I am to survive. It also is some form of status symbol, the better I eat the "wealthier I am" , and thus I have lost gratitude for the food God has provided, and I even feel as if I am some how entitled to eating a nice huge, hot meal.

And the truth is, most of the world survives off of rice and beans, and some how, stocking the pantry for survival equates to steak, or hamburgers, pizza, or treats. I feel as if my survival is dependent on satisfying my cravings. Since I've started the fast, I am finding liberation in God being my provider. I am holding things more loosely, trusting and surrendering to His control. Not just with food but in other areas. Food no longer provides the security or the status. It is simply a necessity to live. A physical fuel for His work.

It's been humbling, and it's liberating. Surrendering to Jesus an area where I try to control.

Should everyone fast this way? No.

Do I believe everyone must fast during Lent? I don't know. 

I do believe that during this season, we spend sometime with Jesus. Maybe there is something that if we would only surrender it to Him, we will find freedom. He will liberate our hearts.

Henri and Me

Last night I was laying in bed, thinking about spiritual emptiness, and seasons of Dark Nights of The Soul, when it struck me, that I had felt in a dark place for maybe 2 years. a long time, no doubt. My connection to Return of the Prodigal Son and reconnection has lately brought me to a place of understanding that just loving Jesus, is enough. Its enough when the whole world demands everything of you, its enough when it seems like no one emails or calls, its enough when i get laid off, or get a speeding ticket. Things come and go, bad and good, but loving Jesus is my only response to it all. My life is changed because Nouwen whispered a truth that Jesus whispers universally, "You are my beloved, and on you my favor rests."

FOM Solo: Reflecting & Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day traditionally a day marked for repentance and acknowledgment of our human condition, we sinners saved only by grace. It begins the season of Lent, a 40 day fast leading up to the celebration of Easter, the day of resurrection of the Liberating King. Today is also, for me in my SOLO readings to reflect on what we have been reading. I've been reflecting on the prayers of Ezra, open repentance towards God, and importantly my openness to repentance.

As I have been reflecting on what we have been reading in the devotional and God's leading in these times, I have been questioning my openness to repentance, specifically, how open am I to repenting. Many times as I reflect, meditate and pray, I find that I am very open to encouragement, and very open to love, and very open to acceptance, but I seem to be dismissive of repentance. 

Not so much as, I dismiss the importance of repentance, but more dismissing that I actually have things worthy of repenting. Maybe it's not that serious of an issue, I mean really, everybody complains from time to time right? Overindulging, i.e. gluttony, it's not I'm robbing a bank. 

It's numbing. 

It's reasoned away. 

It's abusing the grace that I have been so generously given. 

I have not lived with the tension of freedom in grace and devout living to my King. 

Tension. 

Someone recently commented, "Christianity is not about balance as much as it is about tension."

I have to confess, I haven't been living with tension lately. I've let freedom in grace slip into the  indulging of pleasures. Stewardship slipping into greed. Honesty and authenticity slipping into using words that do not encourage or edify others.

In amidst of our hectic schedules, economic concerns, sports, entertainment, community, work, play, and fellowship, take a moment to reflect on repentance this Ash Wednesday.

Reflections on the last few days and Lent

Hidden Greatness

There is much emphasis on notoriety and fame in our society. Our newspapers and television keep giving us the message: What counts is to be known, praised, and admired, whether you are a writer, an actor, a musician, or a politician.

Still, real greatness is often hidden, humble, simple, and unobtrusive. It is not easy to trust ourselves and our actions without public affirmation. We must have strong self-confidence combined with deep humility. Some of the greatest works of art and the most important works of peace were created by people who had no need for the limelight. They knew that what they were doing was their call, and they did it with great patience, perseverance, and love.

These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.

I've been reflecting on what we have been reading in the SOLO devotional over the last few months, and I have felt that very subtle shifts have been happening in my life, to be honest, I haven't been able to really articulate this experience until I read the above Nouwen excerpt. 

Daily I'm reading the readings in Solo, and I feel as if inch by inch, millimeter by millimeter, I am growing in a relationship with the Father, and in this my attitudes and perspectives seem to be shifting, and changing, one of which centers around what Nouwen's passage writes as greatness and what Santry talked about in his 6 minute blog. 

Anxiety, pressures, frustrations, and jealousy associated with areas that I try get validation from seem to be slipping away. It's not that the tension is not there, and I still struggle with finding affirmation and confirmation of Gods love through things, people, and relationships that will never provide said affirmation or confirmation of that love. 

I've started to notice this clearer in creating videos and graphics. When I work on a project I am finding freedom to just create and do what I do, and enjoy what I am doing. Freedom knowing that no matter how the project turns out, I am still loved. 

It's amazing that the more I seem to surrender to Him, the greater satisfaction I find in my life. 

I know several of us a participating Lent this year, I know some is specific to the H20 Project, others something different. 

I want to encourage everyone to pray about this season of intentional living in preparation of Easter. Lent is not a season of oppressive obligation, but a season of intentionally giving up something in our lives to focus on the sacrifice of Jesus our Liberating King and the beauty of his sacrifice. In turn traditionally the lent fast is 40 days of fasting that exclude Sundays, which are used as days of feasting and celebration, so as each of us journey through lent, be sure to make time to gather together, and celebrate the gifts Christ has provided for us. Be intentional, but be specific in your feasting and sharing. I pray that as we sacrifice during this season, we can rediscover things that may be missing or forgotten in our lives. Let's also continue to pray for one another that we will be sustained in our relationships with Christ. 

Peace to all you friends on this journey.

6 minute blog

Jough is coming over in 6 minutes so quickly....

This weekend I had the pleasure of making a short film with three other wonderful people. Working hard. Laughing hard. Creating. Making Art. And all the while spiritual conversation.

This is what I live for. Blatant transparency in the midst of creation.

That's what God did in Genesis.

That's what Jesus did in the gospels.

Revealing the unseen Kingdom with art. That's what I want to do.

Linking Arms - Solo Day 48

I've been overwhelmed, watching what happens when we link arms. A couple of weeks ago I sat in a meeting with some of Houston's most talented architects, theatre consultants, engineers, project managers, video and sound designers - twelve people, all working toward the goal of constructing a theatre space for west Houston that would fulfill the "art of theatre for the common good" vision. Many donating their time to the cause. One week later, I sat with gifted real estate experts and attorneys as they skillfully negotiated lease and purchase terms on the property for the same goal...also donating their time. Yesterday I watched some of Houston's most talented actors and theatre educators as they worked with more then 50 students at Frostwood Elementary to draw out their personality, give them a sense of self-worth and help them explore their God-given creative gifts. Today I met with a group of gifted business people and a professional fund-raiser, all donating their time to help see the financial resources come together for the same cause. Tomorrow we'll host a basketball party for 5 basketball teams and families - maybe 70-100 people - most whom were not involved in organized sports a few years ago. Now the kids have relationships with adult role models who can help them break cycles of poverty and fatherlessness in their community.

I was thinking that three years ago, most of the people involved in these activities didn't even know each other. Even if they did know each other, they were not bound by a common mission. They don't all go to the FoM. In fact, most don't go to the FoM. Yet, all of them are pursuing a big, audacious and worthy goal...some out of social beneficence, some out of a heart for God's kingdom. Thanks to God, all are linking arms. None of them could have accomplished this alone. When we link arms in community with a common mission, we become more like God every day and share the privilege of watching him fulfill great things that will make him look as great as He is.