stories

Lately, I've been feeling the need to tell stories.  But I don't want to.  Because...well, I don't really know how.  I agonized over every creative writing assignment I was ever given.  I think I even had my sister write a short story for me once because I just couldn't do it. 

But stories are important.  

They are what move people. Inspire people. Connect people.  It's how has revealed himself to me.  The Bible is a collection of stories that tell a greater story.  I can spend hours in a novel.  I watch endless amounts of television programming because I want to know what happens.  I ask people far to personal of questions because I want to know their story, the one they don't tell very often because they are afraid of what they've buried, what they don't realize affected them.  

I love stories.  But I'm terrified of being the storyteller.  

I've never thought my words were good enough.  I'm always worried about being accurate.  I either get too wrapped up in the details or too far gone in the big picture.  

But I will try.  Because the need/desire/yearning/obligation I feel to tell them...I don't think it's my own.  I think it's a part of something God is doing in me, or will do in me.  I can think of no other reason for it to have appeared.  I settled a long time ago with not being good at it.  I always figured someone else could tell the stories, and I could read/watch/hear them.  I was good at other things.  Like math.  And organizing.  And theology. 

but now i will learn to tell stories.  bear with me, as this will definitely be a process. 

Sacrifice What Surrounds You - WV:A

This was the challenge World Vision ACT:S issued this last week.  I had a few ideas about redecorating my room, hanging different pictures, using different desktop backgrounds and facebook photos, and watching different things online (I normally watch WAY too much television in one week).  But this week has been more different than any I've had in a while.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were so full I couldn't do anything outside of what was planned.  I woke up early, I went to work, got home and went straight to whatever was planned, came home late, and went to bed. I was beat.  Wednesday I had to come home from work and packed for a trip I was taking to Nashville, TN.  How was I to sacrifice what surrounded me?  I had no time, and little personal space to change.

But I did change something.  I physically am in a completely new place.  I am meeting lots and lots of law students. They keep asking me what I do, what my plan is.  And when I don't bring it up, my friend does it for me.  It's forcing me to speak about my passion with people, many of whom don't love Jesus like I do. And it seems weird to them that I want to spend loans to, as they put it, "help poor people not be poor."

This requirement to talk about my future plans is nerve racking.  I've come to realize how close to my heart people in urban poor communities are.  America tends to severely misunderstand them and their situation.  When I talk to people about it I'm so afraid that they are going to tell me that it's a waste of time, or not believe my passion, that somehow they are going to taint it.

Meeting new people, in a new place, has forced me to remember what God has called me too.  So even though I didn't plan on this as my sacrifice this week, God used it his way.  A way that is so much better.

What are you willing to Sacrifice - WV:A

You've probably heard of World Vision. They have a pretty well known child sponsorship program.  There is a section of the company called World Vision ACT:S that focuses on calling high school and college aged folk to act in the name of biblical justice.  I really like them (my friends Sam works there, which makes them even cooler).  They always do something for Lent.  Instead of simply giving up something, they call people to sacrifice with a purpose.  

On Ash Wednesday, they asked the questions, "What does it mean to sacrifice?" and "What are you willing to sacrifice?"  I know I'm a little late, but here are my thoughts on the issue of Sacrifice.

Sacrifice:  giving up something of value in order to receive/allow for something of greater value.

I stopped to think about my practice of lent this year (adding the BCP to my devotional life) in light of sacrifice and what thing of greater value I was allowing for.  I realized that I'm giving up part of my free will.  

Just as God gives up part of his sovereignty (the right to do whatever he wants when he wants) to allow for human free will and action, so I have decided to give up a part of that free will to allow space for more of God's revelation.*  I've been a part of a non-denominational church for my entire life.  We value our free will more than a lot of other things.  And it's great, I love being able to worship and interact with Jesus how I want to.  But part of me has always been curious about what that tradition stuff is all about. So, I decided to give up that freedom to approach Jesus however I want, to participate in tradition, approaching him as the body has for centuries.  It is my intention to give God back a piece of his sovereignty in my life.  And when God reigns, we are promised that Justice and Righteousness come.  That Compassion and Mercy are present.  

God's Sovereighty. Justice and Righteousness.  Compassion and Mercy.  These are things of greater value than my free will, than my ability to approach God however I please.  And maybe, just maybe, during this season of sacrificing myself for the sake of God's reign, I might find my life characterized by the things of God.

*I know there are about a thousand theological points you could argue with me about why I'm wrong and not interpreting the Bible correctly. Please don't, that is not he point of this post.