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Showing posts from October, 2018

In The Midst!

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I am writing this to encourage those of us who have a loved one struggling in the midst of a storm, and there's nothing we can do or say to stop them from being swept under... I am writing this because when we're in the midst of the storm, it's hard to find hope and know the end of the story. All we often see or get caught in is the tragedy of NOW. I am writing this to encourage us not to give in or get caught in the NOW, but rather, to keep moving on the path by continuing to love, forgive, and show compassion to those in need.  I am writing this to encourage us to keep on planting seeds. We don't know when or if these seeds will sprout, how big the tree will become, or how many birds of the air will come and find rest in her branches.   This story I'm about to tell has been adapted from a sermon I delivered at The Bridge last week (see below). I am not using his real name... Sam is African; from Ghana, I believe. I don’t know all the ins and outs

Kingdom Love: Confronting the Empire!

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Almost 22 years ago I flew into Chicago and landed in Uptown. It was winter, and I remember that on most nights the hallway into my house was occupied by people huddled under piles of blankets trying to get a little sleep on the cold hard floor. I spent quite a few hours chatting with and getting to know these neighbors, realizing how it was only a couple degrees warmer than outside, but a blessed escape from the harsh Chicago wind. Some of these men and women I still have the pleasure of  knowing today! It was while my fingers, nose, and toes were freezing in this cold hallway I found myself being challenged in new ways. Seeing and feeling a reality is very different from reading or knowing about it! My thought process and empathy increased, and even more so when I started working in CCO soon after.  I was getting to know my neighbors, and it caused me to notice the injustice and ask many questions. Why should they not have a warm bed to climb into, like I do? Even though t