He Will...

Encouraged simply by the Word of God these past few days...reminded of His character, His kindness and perseverance and faithfulness. His love NEVER fails!

Image Credit: Susanne @ This & That

"A bruised reed he will not break,

and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;

he will not falter or be discouraged
till he establishes justice on earth."

(Isaiah 42:3-4)

Image Credit: Susanne @ This & That

^"Why do you complain... 

'My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God'? 

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom. 

He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak. 

Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall; 

but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint." 

(Isaiah 40:27-31)

Image Credit: lizsarno

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A nurse. 

Can't quite believe I answered with that when I was younger; today I can't imagine working in the medical field! I'm very thankful for the people who do, but I know I'm definitely not cut out for it. Uh-uh. No way.

A teacher.

Now that's more like it. I remember playing with a friend when we were younger, setting up all of our stuffed teddy bears, stuffed monkeys, stuffed penguins and stuffed-everything-else on her bed, and teaching our "class" together (also disciplining when the big stuffed moose caused trouble!). My heart is still for teaching, and although I've never exactly studied it, I thoroughly enjoyed my semester internship as Teacher's Assistant at Prairie Bible College, and love the opportunities that I have now to preach the odd time, teach English, etc. If I were to get into the working world, I think I'd go in the direction of teaching.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

How did you respond to that question when you were little?

I think I can assume some of the answers you didn't give.

Stressed.

Uneducated.  

Discriminated against.  

Dependent on social systems for financial support.

Without access to health care.

Poor.

How is it that we can so easily end up where we never wanted to be? But what if you were never aware of another option?

The theme of social justice remains on my heart, and I'm becoming more and more convinced that poverty isn't just a physical state of need; it starts in the mind. It's easy for us (rich? educated? advanced?) people to look at beggars or homeless people and think, "Oh, just get a job." Or to hear stories of plight, awful stories of children sold into sex trafficking, and wonder what is so wrong with the family that they didn't see that danger coming, and believed their daughter would really have a better life with that stranger who offered to marry them.

But if poverty was all you'd ever known, all that your parents grew up with, and what their parents before them struggled with as well, wouldn't you also begin to believe that poverty was simply your lot in life?

Image from Atlantic Cities

I read a super interesting article the other day about how "poverty taxes the brain." This website discusses some new, groundbreaking findings which conclude that "poverty imposes such a massive cognitive load on the poor that they have little bandwidth left over to do many of the things that might lift them out of poverty – like go to night school, or search for a new job, or even remember to pay bills on time." Even something like struggling to be a good parent can be connected to not handling finances well. "Poor people live in a constant state of scarcity (in this case, scarce mental bandwidth)." Poverty, as well as everything that accompanies it (discrimination, dependency, stress), puts such a burden on the minds of those caught up in it that it's like a loaded mental bandwidth, where "in the case of the poor...you’re just more likely to not notice things, you’re more likely to not resist things you ought to resist, you’re more likely to forget things, you’re going to have less patience, less attention to devote to your children when they come back from school.”

Our dear brothers and sisters living in Third World countries, living in slums, sleeping in shelters, or even living across the street from us...they can't always help themselves.

And I was convicted again when I read from Provers 14 this morning: "Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God" (v. 31). 

I know that decisions have consequences and that you reap what you sow, but I also know that probably none of the people whom we find easy to judge set out as a child to be "poor" when they grew up. Or to be a bad parent. Or to be an addict. Or to not be able to provide for their family.

They had dreams...and they still do.

This online article concludes with some good news:

"Conversely, going forward, this also means that anti-poverty programs could have a huge benefit that we've never recognized before: Help people become more financially stable, and you also free up their cognitive resources to succeed in all kinds of other ways as well."

HELPING PEOPLE...that's the key. And that is good news!

~~~~~~~~

Friends, I'm currently working on a little design project, and would like your ideas. I want to make bookmarks to give away, with a list of things people can do to "practically engage in the fight against injustice." Sometimes the need seems so great and we don't know where to start so we just do nothing at all.

What resources, what causes, what links or ideas could you add to my list below?

1. Pray!
2. Donate to organizations (such as?) who are already "on the ground," running with a vision.
3. Buy Fair Trade (lots of items, such as chocolate and coffee, can be found in normal grocery stores. I was excited when I recently found a small shop in our city that sells directly imported, hand-made products such as stationary, jewelry, and bags!)
4. Sponsor a child, and help them escape the cycle of poverty and fulfill their dreams.

Your suggestions?

What does Prosperity have to do with the Gospel?

An online Google search of the term "prosperity gospel" brings up mega-church pastors’ names such as Joel Osteen, teachings such as "believe and receive," and issues like money and self-improvement.

Depending on what you've heard about this topic, or what your experiences are, this will exert either an "Amen!" from you at this point, or rolling eyes, a groan, or a big question mark. Or, if you’re like me, maybe all of the above.

I’ve heard the discussions (and been part of them); I’ve seen quotes and read blogs and flipped through books. And of course this is a huge topic and there are many facets to it, but I would like to dedicate this post to addressing it from one perspective that is important to me.

First of all, what exactly is the “Prosperity Gospel” and what do those who adhere to this stream of teaching believe and promote? A few of the "theological pillars" associated with this movement include Healing, Wealth, Faith and the Power of Words. A common theme heard in this type of preaching is that if you “sow” financially (by donating to the ministry, mainly), God will “give back” multiple times and you’ll reap a blessed monetary harvest. It’s also believed that God’s will is to bless you with good things - therefore, “prosperity.” And this blessing can be taken ahold of through prayer, through speaking positive hopeful thinking aloud in faith, whether it be related to health, financial need, jobs, relationships, etc.

I haven’t concerned myself too much with the details, but that’s my general understanding of the direction it goes. And what are the biggest objections to this stream of teaching? Here is a quote from someone who opposes the movement, and it summarizes alot of what I’ve heard spoken against the prosperity gospel:

A columnist for the Washington Post wrote an article in which she stated,
   

        "Few theological ideas ring more dissonant with the harmony of orthodox Christianity than a      focus on storing up treasures on Earth as a primary goal of faithful living. The gospel of prosperity turns Christianity into a vapid bless-me club, with a doctrine that amounts to little more than spiritual magical thinking: If you pray the right way, God will make you rich." 

In my understanding, a lot of opposition has to do with people thinking that prosperity shouldn’t be the goal of a Christian. Followers of Christ shouldn't have big houses (Jesus didn’t even have “a place to lay his head”); and nice furniture, expensive cars, big successes, etc. are unnecessary and maybe even sinful, because "there is so much need in this world." How can it be "God's will" for us to live in luxury when so many are barely surviving? How can you say God wants to grant us health when there are innumerable instances of people (Christians, for that matter) dying of cancer, being persecuted, dealing with depression, etc.? And, how can you be sure that God blesses financially when the Bible even says that “money is the root of all evil” (or wait...isn’t it something about the “love of money”?)

So what in the world does Prosperity have to do with the Gospel?

When Jesus came to earth, when Holiness and Love Himself took the form of a human baby and grew up under the parenthood of an earthly father and mother, He made His mission as the Son of God and the Son of Man clear:

Explaining His purpose to the Pharisees who were accusing Him and to the Jews who doubted His miracles, Jesus stated that the reason He came to earth was to bring life in abundance (John 10:10).

And in Luke 4:18 He applies an Old Testament prophecy to Himself which fills in the blanks about what this abundant life looks like:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.” (Jesus quoting from Isaiah 61)

And the writer of one of the gospel books asserts: “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:17). Salvation. Life. Eternal Life. Abundant Life.

THIS is the Gospel. The Good News. The reason why Jesus came.

Is this a “prosperity gospel?” Well, by all means yes!

The reason I believe that prosperity does have something to do with the Gospel is this:

Prosperity is about so much more than money.

If we want to get into what prosperity is, we first have to consider what prosperity is NOT. What is the opposite of the Good News that Jesus was sent to preach, the reason we need the freedom He proclaims and the favor and comfort that He provides?

The reason is that we are poor.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines poverty as: "the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possession; scarcity; debility." Or from the Oxford dictionary, "the state of being inferior in quality or insufficient in amount." Dictionary.com adds "the state of...having no means of support."

For a long time, I thought 'being poor' meant having no money. I now believe that financial means might be one part of poverty, but it's definitely not the whole picture. A broader description might include aspects such as lack of resources, lack of opportunity, lack of hope.

In fact, when Jesus said He was sent to proclaim good news to the “poor”, the Greek word translated there in Isaiah 61 is ptochos, and means “one who is destitute, afflicted, and lacking.” Basically...helpless. Strong's Concordance defines this use of ptochos as meaning: "of one who crouches; beggarly" or, in a broader sense, "destitute of wealth, influence, position, honors; lowly, afflicted."

The whole gospel is about God’s answer to our human poverty. We were helpless in our sinful state, and “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). In fact, Jesus Christ “for our sake became poor, that we might share in His riches” (2 Cor. 8:9). We lacked the means of salvation; God provided a Savior.


The bottom line? Poverty is about LACK. Not having enough money (but who defines what "enough" is anyways?); not being given enough opportunity (to study, to provide for yourself, etc.); not having the support of friends, community, government; lacking means, lacking hope.

And what is the opposite of Lack? Abundance, Provision, Enough, Plenty, Surplus.

Prosperity.

Prosperity is defined as "a successful, flourishing, or thriving condition." Sounds like abundant life to me!

But don’t get me wrong.

I have been to Africa. I have seen mud huts that large families live in, without sanitation, without light, without access to clean water or food, and I’ve wondered how a culture can be so without abundance. I have been to Mexico and seen a put-together-shanty from leftover aluminum pieces and scrap pieces of wood, where children rejoice at the simple concept of a balloon because they have nothing else to play with, and I’ve felt guilty for my prosperity. And I have been to Vancouver and walked along East Hastings Street, shocked at the rawness of a life caught up in addiction and abuse, wishing I could do more to provide hope.

And, I have returned home from these places, wondering why on earth there are a billion choices of cereal in the grocery aisle, why anyone would waste money on another piece of clothing just to keep up with fashion, and not wanting to let the water run while brushing my teeth because I've seen people without access to something so basic according to my prosperous lifestyle.

I've wrestled with theological questions (and still do), such as the definition of "abundant" and what is “enough.” And at the same time I’ve wondered who sets the standard of “rich.” (By the way, did you know that in Switzerland, if you earn less than 5,000 Swiss Francs a month you’re considered “under the poverty line”?).

And how often have I thought, "Oh, I shouldn't waste this food; there are starving children in Africa..." But how much will MY eating one plate of food really help the millions of people dying of starvation? It requires more than a bad conscience to make a change. It begins with worldview, with a renewal of our thinking, and with lifestyle choices.

Jesus proclaimed, in His mission statement, that the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him and had anointed Him to preach to the poor and bring freedom, healing, comfort, provision. And guess what? His mission hasn’t changed. Now, He wants to accomplish that purpose through us.
It's been our call since the beginning - God told Abraham, "I will bless you, and through you, all nations on earth will be blessed" (Gal 3:8). Since we are Abraham's descendants (Rom 4:16), that is God’s will for us as well.

Blessed to be a blessing.

The Bible is full of examples of abundance, stories of Jesus blessing people more than He needed to, more than they perhaps expected Him to.

• Jesus' first miracle was turning water into 600 liters of wine (the best wine!) at a wedding where people had already had enough to drink after partying for a week
• When Jesus fed the crowd of 5,000 men, there were 12 baskets of bread leftover!
• "Toss your nets to the other side" Jesus commanded His discouraged disciples who had been fishing all night without catching anything. And, because of their OBEDIENCE, they brought in so many fish that the boat almost sunk!
• Moved with emotion regarding His good friend Lazarus, Jesus didn't just comfort the sisters, grieve with them, or pass on "spiritual sounding" answers - "This must have been part of my Father's will…." No, He called on the Name of His Father and raised Lazarus from the dead!
• And there are innumerable instances where Jesus healed people - sometimes because they asked and sought, and other times because He just chose to.
• Jesus also received abundantly. When a sinful, looked-down-upon woman came to pour perfume on Jesus' feet, Christ’s disciples were uncomfortable and tried to sound spiritual - "shouldn't that have been sold and the money given to the pour?" Jesus answered by saying she had done a blessed thing.
• And, as I mentioned earlier, the greatest example of all is that "He did not spare His own Son” and is still today willing to “give us all things” (Rom 8:32).

What is the purpose of Him giving us all things? What is the point of prosperity?

“You will be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Corinthians 9:11).

We know the Bible verse - "Freely you have received; freely give" (Matt 10:8).  How can we give if we have nothing to start with? How can we be generous if we ourselves are lacking?

The answer to the desperation of this world is NOT Christians becoming poorer!

Please allow me to clarify:

I do NOT believe that Christians are called to an easy life, and I am definitely not saying that our brothers and sisters in third-world nations or persecuted countries are doing something wrong because they don’t have material wealth.

I am AGAINST leaders using manipulation or anything else in order to get money, Aad my heart BREAKS when I see how many people, especially "Christian" leaders in influential positions, are misrepresenting God and leading people astray. Oh Father, help us! No wonder the World has a skewed perspective of the God/Christianity!

I think it is WRONG to try to manipulate God, or think of Him as a "heavenly vending machine" where we just get what we want out of Him (money, blessings, health, relationships, bigger houses, bigger cars, promotions, etc.) It has always been, and will always be, about relationship.

But about that relationship, the Bible says: “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, will not your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him?” (Matt 7:11).

God does give, and He gives generously - Wisdom (James 1), Peace (John 14), Love (1 John), His Spirit (John 3:34), Hope (Rom. 5:5), Finances (Philippians 4:19), Healing from diseases (Psalm 103), Forgiveness (1 John 1:9), Gifts and Talents (1 Cor. 12:11) and many other things.

What would it look like for the Church, the Bride of Christ, to be known for her generosity? We are created “in the image of God,” meaning with the potential to give. What if we were so touched with compassion for the broken, the down and out, those facing lack, that we were moved to action and believed that God wants to use OUR hands and feet to bring about change?

And remember, generosity is not defined by numbers, and giving is about more than finances and posessions. A person with $3,000 may be living a more disobedient lifestyle than someone with $3,000,000 if they are not sharing and investing into the Kingdom of God. And remember the story of the Widow’s Mite? Jesus said the lady who put one penny in the offering plate gave more than all the others, since she gave what she had; it was a sacrifice for her. No matter what our social status is or what our bank account looks like, we are called to give. For some that means giving of time, resources, and listening ear, a helping hand. But I believe our faith needs to reach our chequebooks as well. It’s not our money anyway! The God who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills” has generosly entrusted His resources to us, and asks us to be faithful.

So what does prosperity have to do with the Gospel? The Good News is the story about God meeting our need and equipping us “with everything needed for life and godliness” (2 Pet 1:3) in order that we may serve others with that same generous spirit.

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Thoughts? Questions? Please feel free to comment and share your own struggles, experiences, perspective!

Enslaved.

"Today has been declared Shine A Light On Slavery Day by the folks at the End It Movement."

Did you know that:

• there are 27 million men, women and children, just like you, living in the shadows. In brothels. In factories. In Quarries. Working as slaves. In 161 countries. Including our own.
• YOU can do something against it

The Lord has been stirring mine and my husband's hearts lately about the whole theme of social justice. Sometimes the need seems so great - what can we do? And when, if ever, are we doing enough? The "seashell story" is a huge encouragement, a reminder to never underestimate the impact we can make in one person's life, therefore changing the world.

My parents taught me that "the need is not the call." It's been a helpful guideline in my life as I've learned to say no to certain things and not let myself be pulled in all directions. Obedience is all that matters, not people-pleasing or doing good works to feel good about myself. But, as my husband added, "Although the need is not the call, sometimes we miss the call because we aren't willing to see the need."


If we would just open our eyes and let God "break our hearts for what breaks His," we would see need all around us! And more importantly, opportunities to meet that need. And if we would just obey the Holy Spirit - each of us doing his part - the world around us would be transformed.

I don't necessarily need to invent the wheel, so I want to recommend this article from Shaun Grove's blog: "4 Ways You Can Help End Slavery." It's moving, but not just in the emotional sense; it motivates to action.

And what are we doing to "End It"? A couple thoughts:

• Being informed is a great start. Letting our eyes be opened. I came across a trailer recently for a movie being released this Friday in America....My friends in the USA, could you go for me? I have no idea when it will come out in Germany, but I would love to see it! It is called "Not Today" and focuses on the issue of human trafficking in India. More information here: http://www.nottodaythemovie.com/ "Your ticket in is their ticket out..."

 

• I've written about it before, but one simple yet practical way my husband and I believe we are making a difference is by making informed shopping choices. The "Fair Trade" label is of huge value - ensuring that the people who work to produce our clothing, our chocolate, our coffee, or harvest our fruit were all paid fair wages, treated well, and were not abused at the hands of the slavery spiral.  

• And thirdly, as I've also written about before, another step could be child sponsorship. I am now officially an Advocate on behalf of Compassion Deutschland, and would love to give you resources or help connect you if you're interested in finding out more. Did you know that their method s are scientifically proven to work? Check out this research project: http://www.compassion.com/poverty-facts.htm?referer=128018. Investing into one child's life could protect them from becoming enslaved! Help "Release a Child from Poverty in Jesus' Name!"

• I read Isaiah 61 this morning and the words hit me again: "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon ME..." How does God want to use ME to make a difference? To promote justice? He has "anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captive and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor...to comfort all who mourn...and provide for those who grieve..." Who in my life today needs good news? Needs binding up? Needs freedom, needs light, needs favor, needs comfort? God wants to use my hands and feet, and tangibly display His glory through me in the details of this day. 

From James 2:

"Dear friends, do you think you’ll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, “Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!” and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?"

Food for Thought...

God on the Streets

I have a number of friends and family members who are heading out on or have just returned from  mission trips this summer, and as I hear from them and pray for them, I am reminded of a mission trip I went on during highschool that was deeply impacting for me. I've been to Africa and I've been to Mexico, but my heart doesn't break for the poor or for the orphans as much as it does for the people group I encountered in my own home country, on East Hastings Street in Vancouver: the homeless. 

I believe we all need to be actively engaged in social justice. There are so many needs around us! I rejoice in those individuals and organizations that are passionate about reaching the starving, those with AIDS, children, refugees, and others who desperately need love and practical help. 

I just want to share how God spoke to me through "the street people."

(Story written in 2004 after our trip; don't think I've put it on my blog before...)

     “What are you doing, a project or something?”
     “Um, yeah,” I replied as I snapped a picture of one of the walls of her house.
       I probably didn’t have the right to be going through her house like I did, but I sort of couldn’t help it. I was going past her house anyway, so I decided to stop and take a look. Her house wasn’t the prettiest. In fact, it was ugly compared to the standards of today. The paint was peeling, the floor wasn’t swept, and it stunk. Bad. This lady herself wasn’t the best looking, either. Her hair was long and matted, her face dirty, her teeth crooked. The tone of her voice when she asked what I was doing implied that so many other people had come through her house—just like I was then—and not respected her or her property. She assumed I was just like all the other people. Many people walk through her house every day; at the same time, many people walk by her house, not daring to stop and see inside.
     You see, this lady’s house was a street; her bed a pile of cardboard boxes on the floor, her food the scraps in the dump. Every day many people would walk through the streets, not considering that this was someone’s personal property, not caring that this was someone’s house. It certainly didn’t look or feel like a home, but it was a place where someone dwelled. And I was one of many people who didn’t notice that. So when this lady asked me what I was doing as I took pictures, I was stopped dead in my tracks and had to think for a bit. Was I doing a “project”? Did I consider this whole mission trip to Vancouver a “project”, something I was working on? Well actually, yes…
     I headed into this mission trip with the mindset that I would show homeless people God’s love. I figured that downtown Vancouver—East Hastings Street—was a place where God didn’t really abide, so I needed to go and point these people in God’s direction. I thought that I had something they didn’t, and I wanted to share it with them. I did have some things they didn’t—I had a house made out of wood, money, new clothes, education, food, and most of all, peace, hope, love, and joy through Christ. So my plan (emphasis on MY) was to go and show these people God. Well, God took my plan and warped it and instead did HIS plan. Imagine that! It always amazes me how God can take something we want, something we plan, and turn it around and accomplish his will through it.
     One morning our group was led in a Bible study about, well, God. We read verses like Matthew 7:7 that says, “Seek and you will find…” Psalm 139:7, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” The point of the Bible study was that God is everywhere. In my mind I believed that, but it really got to my heart that afternoon.
      Our task was, in groups of four, to walk down East Hastings Street—alleys and all—and take pictures of people, places, or things that reminded us of grace, mercy, or redemption. It was interesting that the leader chose these three words, because it would have been much easier to find things about hope, or love, or healing. So our group started off. It was quite difficult to see anything at all that reminded us of God. As we were walking through one alley, we walked past a house that was fenced off. Leaning against the fence was an aluminum sheet with the word “Jesus” spray-painted onto it. Immediately we stopped to take a picture. What could better represent God than the word Jesus? It was pretty obvious. So we were fairy pleased that we had found one thing, and we continued to look for more. It was amazing to see some of the graffiti on the walls. The artists that drew these were amazing! People that live on the streets are gifted, and it is sad that the only way they are able to use their gifts is to draw depressing pictures and write hopeless poems. Here is one poem that I saw on a wall:

“The Gift”
RISING FROM WITHIN
THE MADNESS DOES BEGIN
THE VIOLENCE AND THE ANGER
THE PLEASURE THAT COMES FROM SIN
BEFORE YOU EVEN SEE IT
THE FUSE HAS REACHED ITS END
THE CHAOS AND THE TURMOIL
THEY SMILE LIKE THEY’RE YOUR FRIENDS
THE GIFT OF LIFE ABUSED, DENIED
IGNORED UNTIL THE END
THAT’S WHEN YOUR SOUL AWAKENS
AND SEES THAT THE GIFT WAS ITS BEST FRIEND
                                                            ----Lance (Chaos)

            We walked through a town square, and stopped to talk to a couple people sitting on a bench. A man in a wheelchair motioned for me to come over. He looked like he was in his sixties. I knelt down and talked to him. “My name’s George,” he said, “and this is my good buddy Fred,” he added, motioning to a man sitting beside him. “He’s real good at the guitar, ya know. He can get up, walk around, go wherever he wants to. Too bad I’m confined here in this wheelchair—can’t go anywhere or do anything useful.” I smiled. Through hearing his words, it reminded me of redemption. We all are born with sin and that sin traps us so that we can’t get out. But when Christ redeems us, we are set free of our sin and allowed to walk again. Like George was confined in his wheelchair we are bound by sin. George continued telling me stories about his life. “My wife died in 2001. It’s hard being apart, but I know that when it’s my time, the Big Man will take me up.” “Do you think your wife is in heaven?” I asked. “Oh I know she’s in heaven,” he replied, “she wouldn’t even spit on the ground she was so good!” God’s grace was shown in that George still had hope; he still saw “the light at the end of the tunnel” amidst the trouble and pain in his life. I asked if I could take a picture of him, and he said, “Only if I can take a picture of you!” I laughed.
            Through the rest of that afternoon, everywhere I went I saw God at work. Whether it was the smile of a man receiving a toque, a woman getting a stuffed bear to take home to her children, or an angel painted on a wall, I could see the fingerprints of God. Later that day I met the same woman who earlier had asked me what I was doing. She held a yellow tulip in her hands, and was smiling. Drastically different than when I had first met her. She even let me take a picture of her this time; she fixed up her hair and put this smile on her face and held the flower up to her cheek. It was a beautiful sight.
            As I mentioned, I had a plan for that week in Vancouver. I wanted to show God to people. But God ended up showing himself to me. I planned to take light into a dark place, but I came back realizing there is already a light there—it may not be as obvious as the darkness, but it is there. I learned that truly, as it says in Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” There is no place God isn’t. Nowhere his Spirit does not reside. God is at work everywhere—he is just waiting to be found.

Grocery Shopping Isn't So Simple!

Clothes.
Chocolate.
Tea.
Coffee.
Spices.
Fruit.
Sugar.

And all the while, trying to look for this label on products:

The topic of justice simply hasn't left my mind (or my heart) lately. I decided to try doing a bit of research online to see what I can do. I've been through phases where I've thought through all the atrocity going on in the world, and all the huge needs there are, and been overwhelmed to the point of not doing anything. {Where does one even begin?} But I've been on mission trips to Africa and Mexico, and I know the power of making a difference in just one person's life. (Not that I've only seen that principle played out in foreign countries, either.) My husband and I sponsor a little girl in the Philippines through Compassion, and it is at least one step in the right direction.

I recently read an article on CNN's website about child slavery and chocolate. In some countries, children as young as 7 years old are forced to work in cocoa fields for the chocolate industry. And the majority of these children have never tasted chocolate; most of them don't even know what cocoa is used for!

There's something wrong with this picture!

I figured one practical step we can take, at least in our family, is to be conscious of how the items we consume are produced, and to choose to only buy items that we know are not supporting child labor or other forms of injustice.

So we get to the grocery store, and the first aisle we walk into is full of chocolate. We notice that the chocolate we normally buy doesn't have a Fair Trade label, but we find lots of other options that are variations of the Fair Trade principle. They're a bit more expensive, but worth it. In the next aisle I reach for a package of tea. "Wait!" my husband says. "Do you know how this was produced?" No, actually I didn't know if this was a fair trade product or not. And I couldn't find any other kinds that seemed like better options. Maybe the one marked "Bio"? But what does that even mean? (It's becoming a popular thing in Germany, but no one knows if these special products actually have anything special about them or not!)

So began a not-so-simple grocery shopping trip. HELP! This is something I really want to be aware of and become involved in, but I'm blogging about it today because I realize I have no idea where to start.

Is anyone else passionate about this? Do any of you readers have experience in buying Fair Trade products (or making it a lifestyle?) We opted for the package of Bio noodles instead of the general brand, because we knew it was produced in Germany (it was obvious since it was 1.5 times more expensive). We bought yogurt and milk from a local farm. But it got really tricky when we were trying to decide on buying chicken and tea and spices and fruit and on and on and on and on...

Suggestions? Is looking into Fair Trade products actually the best way to go about trying to be intentional about social justice? We hear a lot about donating money to various causes, but it finally clicked in my mind that we can also help by not spending money on other things. I'm confused with all the labels and terminology that is out there - Bio, Organic, Fair Trade, Local, etc. And I never paid that much attention before when I was in Canada. Does Europe have different standards or "movements"?

We're attempting to re-orient our lifestyle––living (and especially eating) healthier, and being more aware. We want to take small steps to do what we are able to. But this is proving to not be such a small step, and I think we'll have to transition slowly.

So please, if you are passionate about this, or if you have some knowledge or experience of practical ways to be involved, please let us know! I would love if you left a comment (even if it was to join the conversation of the whole area of social justice), or shared a website or a blog or a book or an organization that you've found helpful. Or share with your friends and we'll discuss this together! Maybe if there are others who are also willing to look into this, we can help each other out and hold each other accountable.

No more bananas...

Birthdays are a funny thing. They seem to provide some type of reasonable opportunity to be completely selfish all day.

This past Saturday we were preparing for my birthday celebration, and I was quite looking forward to being pampered and spoiled and showered with attention all the next day, on my birthday. We were planning on having some friends over for a chocolate fondue, so we went shopping for the supplies:

Fondue pot - check. (Thanks to my sister, who gave one to us for our wedding last year!)

Chocolate - check. (Mmm...German chocolate!)

Pretzels - check. (I like the whole sweet and salty thing)

Fruit - no check? My favorite is pineapple, but none of the pineapples were ripe. Oh well, I guess we missed the season for good pineapples. No big deal. Next, we searched for bananas - the second best option. But we couldn't find any. We didn't see any left on the stand except for special mini bio bananas that were three times the normal price. We called over a sales guy...he went and checked the back room, but came back and said there were no more bananas. No more bananas?! This could ruin the whole fondue idea! But what to do? It was already late and the store was closing, and the next day was Sunday, when hardly anything in Germany is open. No bananas! Since when has a big supermarket ever run out of bananas? Trying to quickly make up our minds, we settled for 6 bags of the mini ones and some grapes. That would have to do.

Mogi and I shook our heads on the way home. What do we know about not having enough food? It wasn't even a need of ours - only a desire. We had the money to get the other kind. We could have even gone to another grocery store. We could have decided on a cake or different dessert instead. Why were we complaining about having no more bananas?

Almost exactly one year ago, Mogi and I were confronted again with the reality that the majority of the world's population have no more bananas. In fact, they don't have access to much food at all. They don't even have water to bathe in or drink from. This is their reality.

I read the other day that if you make $50,000 a year, you are in the top 2% of the world's wealthiest people. If you make $40,000 a year, it's the top 4%. $30,000 puts you in the top 7%.


Through the ministry of Compassion (click here for the link to Compassion Canada's website), just over a year ago we became the sponsor parents of a sweet little 6-year old girl named Audrey Anne, whose family lives in the Philippines. Over the last year we have written and received letters, photos, and drawings. We have been blessed to participate in giving her hope.

Sometimes the world's problems seem too big to change. I often wonder, "where do I start?" And because it takes effort to think about, it is usually easier instead to just do nothing at all. But I've found that sponsoring a child is a simple but practical way to take the first step and get involved. Maybe I can't solve all world hunger, heal all those with AIDS, rescue all the children in the sex trade, or ensure that third-world families have clean drinking water, but I can make the difference in one person's life.

And so can you.

I want to encourage you to think about sponsoring a child. Actually, don't just think about it. Do it! Check out Compassion's website to find children who need you today.

I also recently ran into this blog online and think you should check it out: http://shaungroves.com/ It is the website of Christian songwriter and speaker, Shaun Groves. God has given him a huge passion for social justice and he currently travels, speaking and leading music, on behalf on Compassion, telling the story of children who are in need. His writings are funny, inspiring, challenging, and come from the depths of his soul.

The topic of social justice is one of the main themes of the Bible. If it's not something that concerns us, we are not truly Christ's followers. James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." 

I admit I have a lot more growing to do in this area. I've sung the song many times - "break my heart for what breaks yours" - but I'm still learning what that means. But I know I'm not going to learn more by sitting back and observing. Growth happens only by doing.

Please consider what you can do to help. And please feel free to add to the discussion below, and share your own thoughts or experiences about justice. If you have questions, let me know. Oh, and you're welcome to pass on this blog if there are others you think would be interested - hit one of the buttons below to share on Facebook, Twitter, or via email.