passion 2011

picture it. 22,000 college-age students. voices raised. hands held high. jesus being glorified. doesn’t get much better than this.

to learn what passion is, click here.

Beth Moore was as good as I’d hoped, Francis Chan was passionate and convicting, Andy Stanley was incredibly profound and engaging, and John Piper was mind-blowingly deep and spot on. And David Platt is another whole story. But as Louie Giglio said the last morning, it’s not about the names. Names and notoriety are such a coveted possession in our culture, and because of this, Jesus’ name should be constantly on our lips. It’s not about coming home and telling people all the great speakers we got to hear from, but proclaiming Jesus’ name and sharing what HE did this weekend through others.

That said, here are a few nuggets i took away from the weekend. While everyone spoke on a different topic, I seemed to pull some insight on the same topic from each speaker. In one way or another, they all referenced determining God’s will for our lives and embracing our calling once we’ve found it.

Beth Moore ::

• To discern the will of God is something you must fight for in the Spirit.

David Platt ::

• When we know God truly, we will love God deeply.
• Jesus is never going to tell us, when we stand before him in heaven, that we should have kept more for ourselves.
• God will direct us to our job in life so that we can advance the kingdom of God no matter where or what that job is.

Francis Chan ::

• Is the way we’re doing church in America lining us with the church of the New Testament? We don’t have to be radical or extreme—we just have to live lives that line up with the gospel. When we’re doing that, the crazy things start to make sense.

Andy Stanley ::

• We have no idea how God is going to use us in life to impact the world.
• We will either be ruled by our appetites or we will rule them. Appetites are so powerful that they will determine the course and the quality of the rest of my life, depending on if we give in to them or not. My response to my appetites determine if I fulfill the will of God for my life.
• Jacob and Esau [Genesis 25]. Esau traded his birthright for a bowl of stew because he let his appetite rule him. Because of it, he gave up being the father of Joseph, David, and Jesus. His one decision changed the course of his entire life.

Gabe Lewis ::

• Combining our talent and heart’s desire will result in our calling. How does our faith connect to our role in the world? This is only possible if we’re grounded in Christ.

Ben Stewart ::

• What you think about is what you care about, and what you care about, you will chase.

John Piper ::

• Do I feel loved by God because He makes much of me or because he’s enabled me to make much of Him?
• God, not ourselves, should be the “bottom of our joy.” When we strip everything away, Jesus should be at the foundation of everything.
• God wants us to feel loved. “You are so precious to me that I won’t let your preciousness become your God. I will be your God.”

 

“Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.”

Isaiah 26:8

happy christmas!

www.isitchristmas.com

why yes, yes it is. (:

also, check out this hilarious (albeit a bit sacrilegious) video that depicts a social network-savvy christmas back in the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sghwe4TYY18&feature=player_embedded

photo credit: susan greathouse

well….

home is weird….but oh so good.

since being home, i’ve:

*seen my brother-best airport surprise ever
*slept in my own familiar huge bed in a warm house
*walked outside to find it’s so warm i couldn’t see my breath-score
* been alone in my house-a totally unfamiliar but amazing feeling after living with 24 people
* snuggled with my mom-alison you’d be so proud
*NOT had a sandwich for lunch-halleluiah
*realized how much i miss that purple polka dot blanket
*wanted to quote the office about 30 times-thanks john
*kept thinking people at jbu are still 6 hours behind me
*listened to the radio in the car-missed this
*worn clothes that i haven’t already worn 4587293 times this semester
*got confused driving the wrong direction in the only roundabout in little rock
*quoted she’s the man to myself-not nearly as fun
*thought about getting in the car and driving to jbu because i’m so close-can’t wait til saturday
*tried to say things using irish slang-then realized people will have no idea what i’m talking about
*reviled in the fact that i don’t have to do an ounce of homework for 5 weeks-saints be praised, zack
*checked my email about 12832 times to see if my library books have arrived so i’ll have something to do with my life-i’m a nerd

60 hours…

Another summer day
Has come and gone away
In [Belfast] and Rome
But I wanna go home

May be surrounded by
A million people I
Still feel all alone
I just wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know

Another airplane
Another sunny place
I’m lucky, I know
But I wanna go home
Mmmm, I’ve got to go home

Let me go home
I’m just too far from where you are
I wanna come home

Another winter day has come
And gone away
In even [London] and Rome
And I wanna go home
Let me go home

pinnacle::lake maumelle

 

disclaimer: i am not depressed or deeply homesick, i’m just really ready to be home. you know the feeling.

kfc thanksgiving, gingerbread, and snow

my first thanksgiving away from home. it was weird not being with family, not to mention ironic that i spent the day in the country from which our forefathers left to come to america. =)

our meal consisted of green bean casserole-london style (lacking fried onions ), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with melted mega-marshmallows, and kfc chicken (because we couldn’t find any turkey).

london exceeded my expectations. i really loved the city. it’s combination of rich history, authentic tradition, live theatre, beautiful parks, and free museums made for a fantastic visit. but i’ve concluded that as much as i love the atmosphere and abundance of activity in big cities, i actually miss the small town that feel even Belfast has a wee taste of.

christmas is coming, which means i’m going home soon! we made gingerbread houses to get in the spirit of the christmas season.

but this is what is going to get me through this week. jesus knew i needed a little extra love before i leave next week, so he sent me the earliest snow belfast has ever received.

well, this was factual and unexciting, but i’m currently drowning in the sea of unproductivity in this sinking homework ship. to quote the most eloquent lorianne: Lord help us, Lord help us all.

word.nerd

as the end of the semester approaches, i thought i would take a little inventory. this has no doubt been an essay-heavy semester, but even i was a little startled by my findings.

so far this semester, I have written:

* 20 papers

* 99 pages

* 28,483 words

i feel like i can put this on a resume, or something.

then sings my soul

last night i went to a church service that focused on christianity and art, and how the church has neglected the area of the arts in our culture.

we sang “How Great Thou Art” during the service, and the lyrics really impacted me. the first two verses especially, because they talk about God’s beauty all around us. as i was singing, and realized that this semester i see the stars, hear the rolling thunder, wander through the woods, look down from the mountain grandeur, hear the brook, and feel the breeze. it’s amazing how much more of an impact that song made when i could picture the marvelous creation he is talking about.

below are some pictures from the last few days. God is so creative, and i’m so blessed to be in a place where i can experience this firsthand.

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder

Consider all the works Thy hands have made.

I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,

Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When through the woods and forest glades I wander

And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,

Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;

That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,

He bled and died to take away my sin:

When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation

And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow in humble adoration,

And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;

How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

channeling passions through class assignments.

the best kind of assignments are ones your are passionate about and can put your heart into. in “irish perspectives on the christian life,” we got to “choose a social justice issue in which the Christian community is negligent or even hypocritical,” and write about it as if we were writing to a newspaper or magazine. my “issue” was a bit unconventional, but hopefully conveys where my heart is on this matter.

I believe there are many social justice issues that the church needs to address. Homelessness, the welfare system, and gay rights are a few of the more prominent themes. But I believe there is a single issue that underscores the rest, and if we are able to tackle this issue first, remedying the rest will be simpler. This is the issue of dignity.

While this may seem like an unusual or abstract concept when discussing social justice, I believe it is a core essential. One of the reasons it is so hard for upper-middle class Caucasian Christians to reach out and connect with the homeless, the less fortunate, and those with different lifestyles is because we don’t give them the dignity they deserve and desire. When we give a homeless man money or a meal, yes, we are helping him, but we are also further defining ourselves as the “haves,” and he, the “have not’s.” These people want to feel like they also play a role in society that betters mankind.

There are hundreds of organizations dedicated to aiding the homeless, providing for the less fortunate, and bringing relief to those still recovering from disasters, such as Haiti and Katrina. But these organizations, while doing good, are also further establishing the line that separates the two classes of people. How are people supposed to feel empowered when they cannot even provide a meal for themselves or hold a steady job? In saying this, I am not advocating for or against gay rights or illegal immigration, but I am simply suggesting that we find ways to let these people become more contributing members of society.

I do not expect a nation-wide movement to arise and fix this “problem.” In fact, I hope that does not happen. Our world does not need one more philanthropic “cause” to promote or “movement” to endorse. Instead, I believe that this change can start with one person. Last year I visited downtown Chicago, and I shared a meal with a homeless woman. Listening to her story, I realized something. Not only did I have something to offer her, but she had something to offer me as well. This is a fundamental truth we need to recognize and understand in our society. People believe that the only things worth gaining are money, possessions, food, a job, or social status. But these people have things to offer that cannot be found on eBay or in a self-help book. They have wisdom. They have ideas. They have personal experience. We need to be willing to listen to what they have to say before we judge them or disregard their credibility. Allowing these members of our society to engage in these kinds of conversations as well as validating their existence will encourage them to get out of the detrimental cycle they’ve become accustomed to and be able to influence our culture in a positive way.

The Church can have a great influential role in bringing about this change. It will not take campaigns. It does not require people moving to other countries. It does not necessitate large amounts of funds. It starts with one person choosing to step out and engage in life with someone else—someone with whom they would not normally consider associating. The Church is called to love others, as Christ unconditionally loved us. We can show this love to others and develop personal relationships. This establishes a sense of credibility between the two, and in doing so, allows them to develop a symbiotic friendship, where both can learn from each another.

A great example of this is the story in the book, “The Same Kind of Different as Me.” The book tells the story of how the lives of Ron Hall, a wealthy art dealer from Texas, and Denver Moore, a homeless criminal from Louisiana, come together and forever change each other. Hall and his wife began volunteering at a homeless shelter once a week, and after several months befriended the cold-hearted and distant Denver. Over time, the two men became friends and started to develop a friendship. When tragedy struck Hall’s family, Denver played an essential role in helping him through his grief. Hall was comforted by Denver’s presence in his life, and for the first time in his life, Denver felt loved, needed, and wanted.

This story is just one example of how allowing the reciprocation of dignity can change society. It will take time and intentionality, but in the end, lives will be influenced and changed for the better. I believe that this purposeful approach to tackling social justice can be an effective change agent in a society that so desperately needs our help.

the site of st. patrick’s first church of ireland

confession:

i’ve had a date with boy meets world almost every night since coming to ireland. i’m already halfway through season four. i think it’s safe to say i’m addicted. oh 90s sitcoms, how i love thee.

what’s your big bit?

Yesterday at the CU meeting at Queens, the speaker talked about his fascination with obituaries. He categorized an obituary into three sections: the early bit-about the beginning of life, the big bit-what the person will be remembered for, and the later bit-the later years of life. The speaker’s message was from Acts 9, which is the all-familiar story of Paul’s conversion of the road to Damascus. He talked about how that moment was Paul’s “big bit” moment, and he was remembered for everything he did from that moment until his death.

After the message, one of the CU leaders got up and told the group that the sister of two Queens students died on Saturday, at the age of 19. This girl has cystic fibrosis and was in need of a double lung transplant, which she never received. Before she died, the girl, Charlene, had a vision for helping other less fortunate than herself. She started something called Charlene’s Project, with the goal of raising £70,000 to build a new school building for children in Kampala, Uganda. Click here to go to her website, or watch this video.

While i’m sure this was unintentional on the part of the CU leadership, mostly because they couldn’t have predicted the girl’s unexpected death, the correlation between the message and this girl’s story really struck me. The speaker mentioned Paul’s “big bit” and how he is forever remembered for what he did. Charlene may have not lived a long life, but she will definitely be remembered for what she did for the children of Uganda. (Her project has already raised more than £100,000 and construction will begin on the school building soon.)

This made me think: when people are writing my obituary, or even just reflecting on my life, what am I going to be remembered for? Even if I don’t change the world or influence millions of people, I still want God to use me in ways that most glorify him. I don’t know where or how yet, but I do know that my spirit is willing.

So think about this. What is going to be your “big bit”?