I Can't Serve Others

"A year to serve" is not what I thought it would be. When I felt God leading me to claim hold of "serve" as my "word of the year" I thought God would call me outside my comfort zone, place needy people in my path daily, show me a million ways that I can serve others inside and outside my community.

There has been some of that. The panhandler at the intersection, buying the drinks of the guy and his young daughter behind me in line at Starbucks, tithing, taking a trunk load of clothes to the consignment shop where proceeds support victims of domestic violence, having conversations about what we can do to prevent human trafficking, giving and receiving compliments...

All the while I've neglected to write about the place where God has actually called me to serve this year: right here in my own home.

I haven't been oblivious to the fact that God has been working in my heart, in Randy's heart, in our relationship, as we build our lives together. I just assumed that the call to serve had to be bigger than that. Bigger than just the two of us. But after 8 months of this it dawned on me that I can't serve others if I'm not first willing to serve at home.

God has ordered our priorities for us: God, spouse, kids, others. And I am to serve in that order as well.

Sometimes it is easier to serve the stranger. The person whose needs are basic and desperate -- food, shelter, security, education, a job, life saving measures. The person I can walk away from after I've done my deed for the day.

But what about the person I share a life with, a home, a family, a bed, a future. Why is it that we all too often expect our needs to be met first before we will meet theirs? Why is it that we overlook their needs as less important than the stranger, when sometimes they are just as dire?

Instead of looking elsewhere for places to serve in these last 4 months of the year, I'm going to focus on the relationship right in front of me. And as I share our lives with you, I hope you won't be too grossed out by just how much we love to serve each other!

Saying "Yes" to God

"Who gets up one morning and decides to walk 800 kilometers? Who does that?" Randy said, incredulous. And yet that is what we did.

Had we not, who knows where either one of us would be today.

That's the beauty of saying "yes" to God. Even when it sounds crazy. Even when it doesn't make sense. Even when you know it is going to be hard. Even when no one else around you is doing it. You say "yes" and your life changes in such beautiful ways.

"Have you ever noticed that two-thirds of God’s name is G-O?" -Christine Caine

Today I am so excited for my friend Mark who is on his way to Madrid, where he too will make his way to St. Jean Pied de Port, France, to begin a very long walk. Mark showed up for the first time at Xenia Friends Church in Xenia, Ohio, while I was finishing my first Camino, and we met together several times over the next year, the last time being this past April, just after Randy and I had returned from our second walk. It was something he had wanted to do, and hearing my enthusiasm for it pushed him over the edge. (We've come full circle, haven't we, from the woman I heard speak about the Camino which pushed me over the edge, to now my story encouraging someone else to go! Read: Do the Thing.) This is just one of the many beautiful things about the Camino. It's not something you want to keep all to yourself. You want others to experience it for themselves.

I'm excited to see what Mark allows God to do in his life. How he will be challenged, what new things he will embrace, where the road will take him, the stories he will come home to share. And if you think of it, please remember Mark in your prayers for the next 34 days or so, as we wish him a "Buen Camino!"  

Sharing the Stage

On Saturday night we went to a Chris Tomlin concert at Sleep Train Arena (where the Sacramento Kings basketball team plays) called "Worship Night in America." It was one of only 3 shows that Tomlin did, the other two being at Madison Square Garden in New York and Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado.

It was the most unusual concert I have ever been to. Rend Collective was the opening band (who are worth the price of admission!). But after they played 3 songs there was this long pause, like they were completely disassembling and reassembling the stage and failed to think of how to fill this empty space for those of us in the audience who are now amped up from singing about setting the church on fire. Not to mention the fact that there are like 6 bands and 2 pastors listed on the concert flyer so we are imagining this thing going all night.

Then the craziest thing happened. Chris Tomlin took the stage. And so did Kari Jobe, Israel Houghton, Matt Redman, Kim Walker-Smith, and Phil Wickham.

Now I know that not everyone is a Christian music geek like me so this may not mean anything to you. But imagine that you went to a concert to see a band you really liked. And when that band took the stage, 5 of your other favorite bands went up on stage at the same time.

Like you go to see Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Justin Beiber, and Katy Perry all decide to join her on stage. Or you go to see Luke Bryan and what do you know, he's singing a trio with Jason Aldean and Eric Church. And it isn't long before you forget who the headliner is, because there is no headliner. They are all just up there doing their thing.

The world tells us that the goal is first place. That we should fight our way to the top and not care who we have to trample to get there. Center stage is the ultimate prize.

But Chris Tomlin said "these are my friends and they are just as deserving of the spotlight. In fact, they are more deserving." And not only did he invite his favorite musicians along, but also two of the most well-known pastors in the world, Max Lucado and Louie Giglio. Seriously, who does that? Doesn't he realize that any one or all of these people could outshine him?

It reminded me of so many scenes in the Bible. When Jesus went to John to be baptized, and John said it should have been the other way around. When Jesus washed the disciples' feet, and Peter said it should have been the other way around. When a woman anoints Jesus' feet with oil, his disciples say she should have sold the oil for money to give to the poor, and Jesus says "you'll always have the poor; you won't always have me." When Mary sits at Jesus' feet while Martha does all the work and Jesus said that Mary was the one who was doing the right thing.

The entire life and ministry of Jesus was "the other way around" from what the religious people of his time believed it should be.

And Chris Tomlin made evident to me, in his simple act of sharing the stage with so many other talented musicians and speakers, that Jesus' way is still the way. That in order to be first we must be last. That we are here not to be served, but to serve. That the way to be in the spotlight is not to kick everyone else out of the way, but to invite them all to share the stage. Because it's not about us. It's about the One who created us.

Reading the Bible with Kids

A memory from my last trip to Ohio...

Kaylee flipped through the pages of her Bible, settling on a story that, based on the pictures, would be a retelling of Rapunzel. It was, in fact, Michal, David's wife, who was letting her hair down outside an upper window of the castle, helping her husband flee to safety. Michal's dad, King Saul, was plotting to kill David but, like a good wife, Michal wasn't going to let that happen. David later found Saul sleeping in a cave, and could have killed him, but did the right thing and spared his life. I told Kaylee that David had always been brave, even killing a giant named Goliath, because God was with him.

"That's not possible," Kaylee said (a line she stole from her brother).
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because God is in heaven with Buck and Mimi."
Hmmm. How to handle this one. Yes, God was in heaven with her great-grandparents, but how to explain that God was also everywhere... "Maybe when they say God was with him they mean God was in his heart telling him what to do," I settled for.
"You mean like when I'm supposed to do something, and I don't want to do it, but I know I'm supposed to so I do it anyway?" she said innocently.
"Exactly," I said, amazed at her insight. And she is only 6!

We went on to read the story of Samson and Delilah. The next day Tysen wanted to read her Bible, and she too chose the story of Samson. Kaylee immediately sat down with us and began telling Tysen the story. How Samson was so strong. But how Delilah tricked him and cut his hair while he was sleeping so that he wouldn't be strong anymore. And then the men took him prisoner and poked out his eyes (she was very animated about that part!). "But what happens when we cut our hair?" Kaylee asked, imitating me. "It grows back!" Tysen said. "Yes!" Kaylee proceeded to tell Tysen that after his hair started to grow back he became strong one more time and knocked down the castle, killing everyone in it including himself.

I absolutely treasure these moments. Sharing these Bible stories with my nieces and nephew. Watching them cringe at the gory moments and cheer at the victories. Helping put God in their hearts, so that they can always draw from that.

At church lately we've been talking about the importance of introducing our children to Jesus. Over 7,000 kids have gone through our summer camp. Amazing! And why is this so important? Because life is hard and we can't always be there for our kids. I read a true story recently about a boy whose grandfather told him he could always count on him. But the grandfather passed away unexpectedly and the boy didn't know who to turn to so he committed suicide. This is an extreme case, but a reminder of the importance of giving our children something higher to look to. For the 5-year-old who is a natural caregiver, but grows up and is unable to have children. For the 10-year-old star athlete, whose knee injury in college ruins any hope of a professional career. For all the hardships and hurts, the joys and blessings that are ahead, it behooves us to present the option of living water to our kids.