blog-carnival

The Wind Beneath My Wings

Frank

Did you ever know that you’re my hero…

Now there you go. You’ll be singing that in your head the rest of the day. You’re welcome!

I’m an enginerd so I think this song is funny. Actually I’m sure a lot of people think this song is funny, but for other reasons. No, I think it is funny because the physics are wrong. Did you know that wind “beneath” your wings drags you down? Don’t believe me? Grab a small piece of paper, hold it out right in front of your mouth, and blow over it. It will rise up, not be pushed down. You see, it’s the wind over wings that gives lift. The wind beneath your wings actually pulls you down.

There, now you learned something new today.

Seriously, when thinking of the topic of this week’s Blog Carnival, Renewal, this passage of Scripture came immediately to mind:

“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 40:29-31)

I know that’s a favorite of many (my wife included). But when was the last time you’ve actually felt renewed like this? When was the last time you actually ran and not grown weary?

I admit, I’m worn out. I’m tired. I couldn’t get out of bed this morning. This is par for the course. These verses are a nice reminder, but I’m just not feeling it. So I read the rest of Isaiah 40. You see the verses above are the conclusion of Isaiah extolling the virtues of who God is. “Do you not know, have you not heard?” This is who God is! That is why you will walk and not be faint.

And we forget this. We beg for the promise neglecting to remind ourselves from whom the promise is given. We rely on our own strength and wonder why we so easily tire. We turn to God in prayer, not to worship and praise him as Isaiah does here but to ask for what we want, what we think we need. It’s all about us. Let’s make it all about Him. He is the wind beneath, whoops, over our wings.

Today’s post is part of the Blog Carnival hosted by Peter Pollock. Today’s topic is Renewal. Be sure to check out everyone else’s posts on this subject to read a diversity of thoughts, convictions, and opinions.

Seasons

Frank

It’s become popular to describe different times in our lives as “seasons”. The notion is that when things are bad, it is only temporary- a season- and things will get better. There are seasons in marriage, seasons in our relationship with Christ, and seasons during the year. Personally I’m not a fan of that use of this word. Our calendar is marked off by the seasons; they are predictable and last for a set amount of time. On the other hand, the “seasons” in our lives are unpredictable and could continue for any duration. We don’t know how high our highs will be, or how low our lows. We don’t know when the snow will thaw and flowers will bloom.

But if we were to describe our lives by the seasons, winter would describe a time marked by a cold, barren landscape. Wedged between death, or our lowest low, and rebirth. You might describe it as the long climb back up to spring.

For many, winter is depressing. The days are shorter and if you live where it does get bitterly cold, you try to avoid going outside. Winter also means labor. It’s one thing to mow your lawn, it’s a whole other to shovel a couple of feet of snow first thing in the morning. You need to start the car early to warm it up and to thaw the windows. If you wear glasses and are outside for long, you notice they fog up when you go back inside.

Doesn’t sound too appealing, does it? But I love winter. I’m in Southern California and I miss the snow of my home growing up. Believe it or not, I miss shoveling! It snowed here this winter. For a day. My kids loved it. They built a snowman that melted by the time I returned from work. I love to go out early after a fresh snow. Every step a fresh footprint in the pure blanket before me. The crunch of water and ice under my feet. Then, after some time, and some traffic, those footprints are no more and the pure snow is replaced with tracks of muddy, sooty, slush. So I treasure that moment when the snow is fresh, while it is still pure.

My description doesn’t really fit in with the “winter of our discontent” season of life. There’s the joy of children playing. The hopefulness of the holidays. The purity of the snow.

But snow melts. The days grow longer (even now the sun is beginning to peek up when only a month ago it would’ve been pitch black out). And there is rebirth. Yet I miss the snow.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:9-11)

Anguish

Frank

It’s that time of year to look back and wonder where all the time went. My family sent out a collage of pictures for our Christmas card this year, and as we went through our pictures we couldn’t believe all that we did this year. No wonder it went so fast. Yet at the same time, I look at my daughter who turned three a couple of months ago and my son, who turns 6 in a week, and I still want to picture them as a newborn and a toddler. Other parents tell me how fast they grow up while they stand beside their teenagers. I guess I was hoping this phase would last longer.

As time has flown on by, it’s also time to look back on the resolutions you didn’t keep. “I could’ve done that one if only…” Where did the time, and our goals, go? My job also just had performance reviews. Another chance to look back at opportunities lost or goals not achieved.

Maybe that’s not you. Maybe you can look back at your year satisfied at all that happened and in accomplishing all you strove out to do. But chances are, there is still some regret. At least one thing that you didn’t do that you wanted to, or did do that you didn’t.

So we look ahead to next year. What should we resolve? What should we strive to achieve? Where should we plan to go? If you look back at this past year thinking failure, there’s added pressure to make up for it next year. If you look back with contentment, you may feel challenged to even come up with any goals for the coming year. For me, it’s like a personal Bible study. Once I finish, I struggle coming up with “what’s next.”

Either way, we place pressure upon ourselves. We may linger in our regret, or we may be afraid of the future. We may feel pressured to improve our health, our finances, our spirituality. We may have a monkey on our back we want to rid ourselves of, but then comes the follow up question of “how?”. Maybe we look ahead and see open doors of opportunity, but are afraid of what’s on the other side.

Pressure. Regret. Fear. Anguish.

Interestingly, an antonym of anguish is assurance whose synonyms are goals, hope, promise. At this time of year, the future is before us filled with hope and promise. But our reaction is literally the opposite. Why is that? Is it because our faith is weak? Do we lack in prayer? Do we forget our Creator who “satisfies our desires with good things” (Psalm 103:5)? Or maybe it just because we’re too focused on ourselves.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

This post is part of a Blog Carnival on the topic of Reflection. Visit Peter Pollock’s blog to read more.

To Keep It, Give It Away

Frank

Saturday afternoon, roughly 150 people gathered in a nondescript church building in an industrial area of Orange County to celebrate the recovery of 17 individuals who “graduated” our Chemical Recovery program. The setting was appropriate. A building that if you didn’t know it, you would never guess a church met inside its walls. The building looked just like all the others in this industrial complex. In the same way, addicts blend in with the rest of the population. Unless an addict is suffering a physical response to their drug of choice, they look just like you or I. Some are powerful executives, some are homeless. Some have perfectly functional families, others have had their families torn apart. Addiction does not discriminate based on age, gender, race, or economic status. Regardless of circumstance, addicts cannot overcome without divine help. (Even AA requires the acknowledgement of a “Power greater than ourselves”)

So we rejoice in the Lord when we see others delivered from their addictions. This day was filled with prayer, with song, with the preaching of the word, and with personal testimonies that didn’t leave a dry eye in the place. The graduates came from every corner of the LA region (and even a brother from as far away as Bakersfield), represented every race and gender, every age, and every possible drug.

I want to share a couple of their stories.

One brother first used Meth at the age of 14. Just three years later he was arrested for am armed home invasion robbery, where he tied up an entire family with duct tape. He spent 8 years in jail. While in jail his brother sent him the book, Some Sat in Darkness, and his life was changed. “Finally I could explain what was wrong with me,” he exclaimed. Out of jail and 10 years sober (8 in prison), he wants to start a Spanish-speaking recovery ministry.

Another brother is a successful Korean businessman. His career required him to base himself in Korea, leaving behind his family in LA. His addiction alienated himself from his family and eventually he saw that he could not maintain his lifestyle. He returned to the US to reconcile with his family. They wouldn’t. His minister recommended he go to this recovery group. He didn’t want to, but did anyway. He didn’t want to follow the directions given him, but he did anyway. He didn’t want to be open, but he was anyway. Eventually, he broke free from the slavery of his addiction, became reconciled with his family, and wants to start a Korean-speaking recovery ministry. (I chuckled inside at the consistent theme) Not only that, but he wants to go back to Korea and start this ministry there.

The Twelfth Step of AA is to “…carry this message to alcoholics.” To spread the word of recovery. In other words, to keep it you have to give it away. Paul was thinking along those lines when he instructed to “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.” (Romans 12:15) In sharing with others’ joys and sufferings, we do more than sympathize or empathize, we spread the love of Christ and participate in the rejoicing in heaven where “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (Luke 15:7)

This post is one of many, part of a Blog Carnival being hosted by Peter Pollock. This week’s theme is “Rejoice“. Be sure to visit others’ entries to appreciate the diversity of thoughts and opinions present in the Body of Christ.

The Broken Vase

Frank

Addiction can often be picked out in a crowd. The consequences are either visible (abuse, reckless behavior, traffic accidents) or subtle (incomprehensible immaturity, being alone in a crowd, conflict avoider). If you are one and you’ve been around some, they can be easily spotted.

Recovery however is not as easily seen. AA is, after all, anonymous. Yes, you may witness a change in someone’s character or countenance, but if you don’t know the motivation you could just as easily chalk it up to “finding Jesus”.

Some people think that recovery gets us ahead in the game. But the tragic truth, evidenced by the examples above, is that it only levels the playing field. Recovery removes the ball and chain so that we might, might, be able to keep up with non-addicts in a race. And that is because we are broken.

Think of a vase knocked off a table. It breaks. But it is valuable, so you fix it. You buy the best super glue you can find and you meticulously return every piece to its proper place. From a distance, the vase looks like it always did, but if you look up close you can tell something is different. It still holds water, but it will never be the same. A perfect vase might fall off a short table onto a soft carpet and survive. Not you. The fissures in your structure, though adhesed with glue, will not allow such a beating. You are now forever fragile. After all, you are broken.

But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I once received this parable in an email:

Yes, we are broken. But that brokenness can be put to use by our Father in Heaven. We are fragile, but that makes us sensitive to the needs of others. We are fixed, and for that we are grateful to God for His grace.

A man who lived near the sea would travel every day to the shore to draw from its waters. He would carry two jars, slung over his shoulders on a long branch. Every day he would go to the shore and carry these jars back to his home. But one jar had a hole. That never stopped this man from doing the same thing, year after year. Finally a stranger stopped him and asked why doesn’t he get a new jar? Surely he can tell that he’s losing water on his way back to his home? The man replied that he knows about the hole and is grateful for it. He showed the stranger the path he always takes, every day, to get water and return home. Look, he said, along this path is a long trail of flowers. They would not be there if not for that I water them every day. And the journey down to the shore would be unbearable if I did not have their scents and their beauty to encourage me along the way. Without this jar, without this hole, this journey would not be worthwhile.

This post is part of Bridget Chumbly’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic: Brokenness.

Summertime and the livin’s easy?

Frank

“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

There is a season for everything, but why is it that summer is so ingrained in our psyche? Nearly every coming of age drama is set during the summertime. We remember summer loves, family vacations, trips to the beach or mountains in sepia-tone.

What is one of your fondest summer memories?

Even once we grow up and our lives are consumed with the nine-to-five, summer still holds something special. Most of us don’t get the summer off (my wife is a teacher and I’m not envious, nope, not one bit) yet we are blessed with longer days, a trick of the sun to fool us into thinking we have more time than we do. So we plan weekend getaways, draft a list of honey-dos, uncover the grill.

How does summer change your daily routine?

Yet summer is just another season, and we are reminded there is a season for everything under heaven. It is easy to succumb to the temptation to take the summer off. School is out, so we stop learning. We fill our weekends with activities and neglect the Sabbath. Summer barbecues are accompanied with summer desserts. We take vacations and sleep in, losing our personal discipline. In a word, we become lazy.

Are you tempted by the lazy days of summer?

But with temptations are opportunities for growth. Many of us have summer reading lists. We plan vacations or weekend getaways with the family to build lasting memories. Last night, I took advantage of the additional daylight and pushed my kids on the swing for those extra minutes. But we need to fight the temptation or our best summer plans will look the same as our New Year resolutions months after we’ve given up on them.

“The harvest is past,
the summer has ended,
and we are not saved.” (Jeremiah 8:20)

Don’t let this summer slip away. Don’t allow yourself to become too busy or too lazy to enjoy this season under heaven. Make memories. Have fun. Finish that project you’ve been putting off. Grow. But remember the creator that gives us this time, that blesses us with his sunshine.

This is one of many contributions to Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. Today’s topic is ‘summer’. Head on over and see what others have planned this season or reflect on others’ fondest memories.

Today also kicks off this summer’s ‘virtual small group’ (VSG in the tags). I hope you come back as I take this season to reflect on the wonders of God’s creation, share vacation stories, etc, with the prayer that we come out of this season closer to God than how we came into it.

Earthquake-proof

Frank

It is a study in contrasts that I’m sure kept civil, structural, and architectural engineering students busy this last semester- the two major earthquakes that struck Haiti and Chile earlier this year. It’s not hard to remember both of these tragic events, the utter devastation in Haiti and the tsunamis in Chile. Millions were donated for relief, headlines were made by those who gave up everything to serve. Add the fact that both of these occurred a month apart and many believed that this was it, that Christ’s return was imminent.

But look past the emotional response. Look past the headlines that caught all of our attention. Look at the details. The Haiti earthquake was a magnitude 7 (for comparison, the famous Northridge earthquake was only 6.7) and the earthquake off the coast of Chile was 8.8. While those numbers look close, because of the way the scale is set the Chilean earthquake was nearly 500 times as powerful as Haiti’s. There were an estimated 230,000 casualties from the Haitian earthquake compared to only 521 in Chile and elsewhere along the South American Pacific coast.
Yes, you read that right, roughly 200,000 more casualties for an earthquake almost 500 times less powerful. Let that sink in and you’re bound to ask, “why?” Location is part of it- the Chilean quake was off the coast versus near Haiti’s capital. But even with the resulting tsunamis, the death count would have been expected to be higher. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami claimed nearly the same number of lives as the earthquake in Haiti. (Though even there, location- how far off the coast- played an important role) But location doesn’t tell the whole story.

Early reporting of the earthquake in Chile noted that because of frequent seismic activity, Chileans knew how to respond to the earthquake and much of the infrastructure was modernized to be earthquake-proofed. But earthquakes in Haiti are not rare, so the personal response should have been similar. The key difference then was infrastructure. Sadly it’s no secret that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. And that the earthquake epicenter was near a densely populated area, it becomes obvious why there was such a difference in casualties. When it comes right to it, buildings in Chile were simply built stronger.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.“ (Luke 6:46-49)

The Three Little Pigs teaches us that what we build with determines whether we can stand up to the big bad wolf. But Christ teaches us that it is more important what we build on. When thinking about strength, I could not help but reflect on Jesus. My strength is worthless if I’m not relying on His. He is my rock and my foundation. I’m comforted to know that so long as I build on Him as a foundation, I may be shaken but I will not fall. An infrastructure built on Christ is earthquake-proof.

This post is part of Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic is “strength“. Head on over there to read other insightful posts from a diverse array of bloggers.

Earthquake-proof

Frank

It is a study in contrasts that I’m sure kept civil, structural, and architectural engineering students busy this last semester- the two major earthquakes that struck Haiti and Chile earlier this year. It’s not hard to remember both of these tragic events, the utter devastation in Haiti and the tsunamis in Chile. Millions were donated for relief, headlines were made by those who gave up everything to serve. Add the fact that both of these occurred a month apart and many believed that this was it, that Christ’s return was imminent.

But look past the emotional response. Look past the headlines that caught all of our attention. Look at the details. The Haiti earthquake was a magnitude 7 (for comparison, the famous Northridge earthquake was only 6.7) and the earthquake off the coast of Chile was 8.8. While those numbers look close, because of the way the scale is set the Chilean earthquake was nearly 500 times as powerful as Haiti’s. There were an estimated 230,000 casualties from the Haitian earthquake compared to only 521 in Chile and elsewhere along the South American Pacific coast.
Yes, you read that right, roughly 200,000 more casualties for an earthquake almost 500 times less powerful. Let that sink in and you’re bound to ask, “why?” Location is part of it- the Chilean quake was off the coast versus near Haiti’s capital. But even with the resulting tsunamis, the death count would have been expected to be higher. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami claimed nearly the same number of lives as the earthquake in Haiti. (Though even there, location- how far off the coast- played an important role) But location doesn’t tell the whole story.

Early reporting of the earthquake in Chile noted that because of frequent seismic activity, Chileans knew how to respond to the earthquake and much of the infrastructure was modernized to be earthquake-proofed. But earthquakes in Haiti are not rare, so the personal response should have been similar. The key difference then was infrastructure. Sadly it’s no secret that Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. And that the earthquake epicenter was near a densely populated area, it becomes obvious why there was such a difference in casualties. When it comes right to it, buildings in Chile were simply built stronger.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.“ (Luke 6:46-49)

The Three Little Pigs teaches us that what we build with determines whether we can stand up to the big bad wolf. But Christ teaches us that it is more important what we build on. When thinking about strength, I could not help but reflect on Jesus. My strength is worthless if I’m not relying on His. He is my rock and my foundation. I’m comforted to know that so long as I build on Him as a foundation, I may be shaken but I will not fall. An infrastructure built on Christ is earthquake-proof.

This post is part of Bridget Chumbley’s Blog Carnival. This week’s topic is “strength“. Head on over there to read other insightful posts from a diverse array of bloggers.

Hand Up or Handout? (repost)

Frank

This week’s Blog Carnival topic is “Compassion”. Head over to Bridget Chumbley’s for more thoughts, convictions, and experiences.

***Originally posted on October 26, 2009***

“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.” -James 1:27

I recently brought up my involvement in an addiction recovery ministry. I thank all of you for your encouraging comments. Truth is, I wouldn’t be involved in that ministry if I didn’t need it myself. Besides my character, I have learned much about the human condition and those things that drive us to our drugs of choice. I’ve also learned that in order to overcome our addictions and surrender our will to God, we need to “hit bottom”. This means we’ve reached our lowest point and that realization motivates us to change. Recovery “raises” that bottom, so our motivation for sobriety moves from being afraid of the worst that could happen to desiring the best that God has in store for us. The temptation for many is to prevent a loved one from reaching their bottom. We don’t want to see them suffer. We want to save them. But suffering is exactly what they need to find the desire for recovery.

This creates a paradox to the Christian. There is no sin so horrible that God can’t forgive. “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isaiah 59:1) And we are commanded to “forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13b) Likewise we are commanded to “carry each other’s burdens” because “in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)

It’s easy to forgive an addict without enabling him. But where do you draw the line when carrying his burdens? On one hand, he needs to suffer the consequences of his decisions. But that does not mean we cannot help. Picking him up from the bar at 2:00 AM because he can’t drive home is not carrying his burdens. But sponsoring him at a meeting is.

With addiction, that line is more clear than when dealing with other sins. What about a single teenage mother? Is offering to babysit while she searches for a job enabling, or sharing her burden? This is something my wife and I are currently battling. There are a couple of single moms that we’ve been reaching out to and opening our home to. When we bring them to church, the stares we get say, “why would you help her? It’s her fault she’s in the situation she’s in.” Are we preventing them from hitting their bottom? I’d like to think instead we’re offering a safe environment in which they can work out their issues. Much like a recovery meeting.

Sadly, this perspective doesn’t seem to be shared. To some, we are offering a handout instead of a hand up. I am moved to pray the lyrics to Brandon Heath’s song, Give Me Your Eyes,

“All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see”

I can then follow up with Leeland and Brandon Heath’s Follow You,

“Faith without works is dead
On the cross your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?”

I only pray others may see the world in the same way.

***Update: Since this was posted last October, one of these women found gainful employment that also provided much-needed daycare and another moved in with her family for help while she goes to school. Sadly, neither have since kept in touch. I’m now wrestling with how best to minister to a family where the wife is infected with HIV and the husband is working his fingers to the bone to provide. The faces change, but the battle remains the same. It is my conviction that being a Christian means more than spouting off Bible verses and having perfect attendance on Sundays. We need to share the compassion of Christ to everyone, whether or not it is comfortable or convenient.***

Hand Up or Handout? (repost)

Frank

This week’s Blog Carnival topic is “Compassion”. Head over to Bridget Chumbley’s for more thoughts, convictions, and experiences.

***Originally posted on October 26, 2009***

“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.” -James 1:27

I recently brought up my involvement in an addiction recovery ministry. I thank all of you for your encouraging comments. Truth is, I wouldn’t be involved in that ministry if I didn’t need it myself. Besides my character, I have learned much about the human condition and those things that drive us to our drugs of choice. I’ve also learned that in order to overcome our addictions and surrender our will to God, we need to “hit bottom”. This means we’ve reached our lowest point and that realization motivates us to change. Recovery “raises” that bottom, so our motivation for sobriety moves from being afraid of the worst that could happen to desiring the best that God has in store for us. The temptation for many is to prevent a loved one from reaching their bottom. We don’t want to see them suffer. We want to save them. But suffering is exactly what they need to find the desire for recovery.

This creates a paradox to the Christian. There is no sin so horrible that God can’t forgive. “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isaiah 59:1) And we are commanded to “forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Colossians 3:13b) Likewise we are commanded to “carry each other’s burdens” because “in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)

It’s easy to forgive an addict without enabling him. But where do you draw the line when carrying his burdens? On one hand, he needs to suffer the consequences of his decisions. But that does not mean we cannot help. Picking him up from the bar at 2:00 AM because he can’t drive home is not carrying his burdens. But sponsoring him at a meeting is.

With addiction, that line is more clear than when dealing with other sins. What about a single teenage mother? Is offering to babysit while she searches for a job enabling, or sharing her burden? This is something my wife and I are currently battling. There are a couple of single moms that we’ve been reaching out to and opening our home to. When we bring them to church, the stares we get say, “why would you help her? It’s her fault she’s in the situation she’s in.” Are we preventing them from hitting their bottom? I’d like to think instead we’re offering a safe environment in which they can work out their issues. Much like a recovery meeting.

Sadly, this perspective doesn’t seem to be shared. To some, we are offering a handout instead of a hand up. I am moved to pray the lyrics to Brandon Heath’s song, Give Me Your Eyes,

“All those people going somewhere,
Why have I never cared?

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see”

I can then follow up with Leeland and Brandon Heath’s Follow You,

“Faith without works is dead
On the cross your blood was shed
So how could we not give it away so freely?”

I only pray others may see the world in the same way.

***Update: Since this was posted last October, one of these women found gainful employment that also provided much-needed daycare and another moved in with her family for help while she goes to school. Sadly, neither have since kept in touch. I’m now wrestling with how best to minister to a family where the wife is infected with HIV and the husband is working his fingers to the bone to provide. The faces change, but the battle remains the same. It is my conviction that being a Christian means more than spouting off Bible verses and having perfect attendance on Sundays. We need to share the compassion of Christ to everyone, whether or not it is comfortable or convenient.***