Yesterday was Sunday. Yesterday was church. Yesterday was the second part of Pastor Rob Prince of Central Church of the Nazarene's sermon series "Solomon Says: Who are you helping?"
It is a series based from Solomon's writings, AKA the Proverbs. This week's sermon was based from the scripture Proverbs 14:31:
"If you mistreat the poor, you insult your creator; If you are kind to them, you show Him respect."
So as I sat there listening, I heard a common theme for that day. Something that Pastor Rob said constantly,
- break my heart for what breaks Yours
- Seeing is important because it leads to compassion
- God blessed not so we can do few, but that we can do much
Then that night, we started a new book about the Beatitudes and how we can live them out.
The first one we went over was: Blessed are those who are poor in spirit.
We discussed what this meant and how we could do it. After we discuss we were to pick out something then live it out then report back to the group about it.
This whole day I had been thinking about different things I have been wanting to do for a long time. Like buying for someone else's drink at starbucks or another coffee shop. I was also reminded of getting people together to feed the homeless in KC.
So I am really going to work hard and really get people together to do this!
So ask your self the question... When you look around, what do you see?
Do you see a bunch of people and their stuff, or do you see what they need... a savior.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
It's Only Amazing and Completely Breathless!
SO if you read my blogs then you know who and what Invisible Children is and stands for. You should even know that there was a bill out there going through the process to help the children of Uganda and especially Eastern Africa. Well for those of you that don't know....
It all started in 2005, at least the organization, but I do believe that Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole, and Jason Russell went on a journey to Africa, more preferably Sudan. Going on a adventure to document what they could find. Little did these young men in their 20's know they were going to embark on an adventure that would forever change not only their lives but the lives of hundreds of teens and young adults. While on this adventure they find out that there are children traveling miles by foot to get to the next city to seek refuge from the Lords Resistance Army, or LRA. This rebel army abducts these children and forces them to abduct, kill, and mutilate people on command... even their friends and family. One former child soldier even said that he killed a woman for walking too slow. These three young guys learned about this war and the rebel leader, Joseph Kony, and were shocked to hear that it was going unseen for more than two decades. Who would have thought?
Well they took the footage they took from the camera they bought from EBay and put together a documentary called, "Invisible Children: The Rough Cut." From this documentary there came a wave of responses from the people that watched it asking what they could do to help. So they went ahead and started... Invisible Children, in 2005.
Since then alot has happened! Every fall semester schools around the country raise money to rebuild a sister school in Northern Uganda. They typically raise over ONE MILLION dollars... it's totally crazy cause I just learned that, that's more than the US and UN give to Northern Uganda combined! How epic is that. A whole bunch of teens and young adults raising more money than probably millionaires. Then is the spring about every other year they have done rallies. The latest one was called, "The Rescue." This event took place in 100 cities, 10 countries, all together sharing 1 voice. We stood together in solidarity with the child soldiers, and symbolically abducted ourselves and walked 2-3 miles then waited to be rescued by the media and a celebrity or political mogul. It took about 6 days until we were finally rescued by Oprah in Chicago, IL, or Chi-town. Little did we know that soon after the Rescue, a bill was written to help those in Northern Uganda and Eastern Africa and help capture Joseph Kony. Later that same summer we, about two thousand of us went to Washington, D.C., to lobby to our congressmen about the bill. We had about 40 signatures in that day alone. I was just lucky to have Mr. Senator Samuel Brownback as my senator, because he was a co-writer of the bill. It wasn't until just recently that the bill passed the House of Senate Unanimously, then it passed through the House of Representatives Unanimously with the same bill without any corrections or changes.
So today was the day that was completely amazing and breathless. Mr. President Barrack Obama signed the bill. Which makes it a law. Now has 180 days to come up with a strategy to apprehend Joseph Kony and the other leading commanders of the LRA. Then we can start fixing and recovering Northern Uganda and Eastern Africa and bring those child soldiers back to their families.
Here is was President Obama said about us, citizens:
"I congratulate Congress for seizing on this important issue, and I congratulate the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have mobilized to respond to this unique crisis of conscience. We have heard from the advocacy organizations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based groups, humanitarian actors who lack access, and those who continue to work on this issue in our own government. We have seen your reporting, your websites, your blogs, and your video postcards — you have made the plight of the children visible to us all. Your action represents the very best of American leadership around the world, and we are committed to working with you in pursuit of the future of peace and dignity that the people of who have suffered at the hands of the LRA deserve."
So I just wanted to thank everyone who spent alot of their time on Facebook annoying their friends with constant status updates, invites, tagging, and video blitzing. All those people that slept outside in the cold until a Senator released his hold on the bill. All of you we waited all 6 days in Chicago till you got rescued. All of you who rescue rode or rescue watched. All those epic dance parties on the Live Feed. All, two thousand, of you would went and lobbied to your congressmen in D.C. and made it the largest lobbying event on an African issue. All of you who signed the petitions. All of you who wrote, called, emailed, or visited your congressmen in your home town. Thanks!
We are getting so much closer to saying and seeing it really happen...
Together we ARE FREE!!!
And then watching... How it Ends.
Thanks again! I love all of you!
It all started in 2005, at least the organization, but I do believe that Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole, and Jason Russell went on a journey to Africa, more preferably Sudan. Going on a adventure to document what they could find. Little did these young men in their 20's know they were going to embark on an adventure that would forever change not only their lives but the lives of hundreds of teens and young adults. While on this adventure they find out that there are children traveling miles by foot to get to the next city to seek refuge from the Lords Resistance Army, or LRA. This rebel army abducts these children and forces them to abduct, kill, and mutilate people on command... even their friends and family. One former child soldier even said that he killed a woman for walking too slow. These three young guys learned about this war and the rebel leader, Joseph Kony, and were shocked to hear that it was going unseen for more than two decades. Who would have thought?
Well they took the footage they took from the camera they bought from EBay and put together a documentary called, "Invisible Children: The Rough Cut." From this documentary there came a wave of responses from the people that watched it asking what they could do to help. So they went ahead and started... Invisible Children, in 2005.
Since then alot has happened! Every fall semester schools around the country raise money to rebuild a sister school in Northern Uganda. They typically raise over ONE MILLION dollars... it's totally crazy cause I just learned that, that's more than the US and UN give to Northern Uganda combined! How epic is that. A whole bunch of teens and young adults raising more money than probably millionaires. Then is the spring about every other year they have done rallies. The latest one was called, "The Rescue." This event took place in 100 cities, 10 countries, all together sharing 1 voice. We stood together in solidarity with the child soldiers, and symbolically abducted ourselves and walked 2-3 miles then waited to be rescued by the media and a celebrity or political mogul. It took about 6 days until we were finally rescued by Oprah in Chicago, IL, or Chi-town. Little did we know that soon after the Rescue, a bill was written to help those in Northern Uganda and Eastern Africa and help capture Joseph Kony. Later that same summer we, about two thousand of us went to Washington, D.C., to lobby to our congressmen about the bill. We had about 40 signatures in that day alone. I was just lucky to have Mr. Senator Samuel Brownback as my senator, because he was a co-writer of the bill. It wasn't until just recently that the bill passed the House of Senate Unanimously, then it passed through the House of Representatives Unanimously with the same bill without any corrections or changes.
So today was the day that was completely amazing and breathless. Mr. President Barrack Obama signed the bill. Which makes it a law. Now has 180 days to come up with a strategy to apprehend Joseph Kony and the other leading commanders of the LRA. Then we can start fixing and recovering Northern Uganda and Eastern Africa and bring those child soldiers back to their families.
Here is was President Obama said about us, citizens:
"I congratulate Congress for seizing on this important issue, and I congratulate the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have mobilized to respond to this unique crisis of conscience. We have heard from the advocacy organizations, non-governmental organizations, faith-based groups, humanitarian actors who lack access, and those who continue to work on this issue in our own government. We have seen your reporting, your websites, your blogs, and your video postcards — you have made the plight of the children visible to us all. Your action represents the very best of American leadership around the world, and we are committed to working with you in pursuit of the future of peace and dignity that the people of who have suffered at the hands of the LRA deserve."
So I just wanted to thank everyone who spent alot of their time on Facebook annoying their friends with constant status updates, invites, tagging, and video blitzing. All those people that slept outside in the cold until a Senator released his hold on the bill. All of you we waited all 6 days in Chicago till you got rescued. All of you who rescue rode or rescue watched. All those epic dance parties on the Live Feed. All, two thousand, of you would went and lobbied to your congressmen in D.C. and made it the largest lobbying event on an African issue. All of you who signed the petitions. All of you who wrote, called, emailed, or visited your congressmen in your home town. Thanks!
We are getting so much closer to saying and seeing it really happen...
Together we ARE FREE!!!
And then watching... How it Ends.
Thanks again! I love all of you!
Prayer and Fasting... Who Really Needs to do That?
So the past couple of weeks I have been going to IHOP, International House of Prayer in Kansas City, and well, I guess there has been one thing that's been in common. This lifestyle that all these people testifying about. This lifestyle of prayer and fasting.
The last time I was at IHOP was last Wednesday, May 19th, and well it was really evident what God was wanting me to do. I read this scripture from Matthew 9:16-17. It was just so interesting:
[No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole.
No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins. Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wine skins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe.]
I knew that if I kept living this life of secrecy. This life that not a lot of people know about. If I kept living this way I am like that old wineskin. No room to grow and take in what the Lord has to offer for me. If I kept my old ways, I could always go back and if I tried to take in more of the Lord and what He wants then who knows, I mean just 'burst' because I can't handle it. I may not even know what to do with the Lord has given me, or any of the great opportunity He given me share the talents He has given me.
That night, I finally learned what the Bride-groom Fast was. They, IHOP, fasts the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the month, every month except for December. In December they fast the entire week of the OneThing Conference, which is the last week of December. All adding up to forty day of fasting in the year.
I never really took into consideration this part of my relationship with Christ and my heavenly Father. You know, I think I am ready for it. I ready for His joy and love to rule over my life. I am ready be a 'love-bomb' for Him.(read my other blog to know what a love-bomb is)
I have never really felt this amazing joy that I have seen in such godly people in my life. They are always loving and happy. So real. A real example of what it means to follow Christ with every breath of their life. I want to feel this joy.
I am definitely up for a new chapter in my life. This chapter of life I pray with last the rest of my life, but that I will take this prayer and fasting lifestyle to the next level.
I have really been diving into my Bible in a new way. All thanks to my friends at InterVarsity and my Sunday School, NarrowGate at Central Church. I have really been so excited to really dive into my Bible anytime of day or when ever.
So I hope that maybe you, too, will take this step with me. But if you aren't ready it's ok, but remember that prayer and fasting are important in the relationship with our heavenly Father. Just check out these scriptures.
Fasting is a form of worship: "Then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying" (Luke 2:37).
Fasting is a personal event: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:16-18).
When Jesus was with the Disciples they didn't have to fast, but now that we wait for the return of Jesus we should fast, for Jesus is our Bridegroom. "They [Pharisees] said to him, 'John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.' Jesus answered, 'Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.'" (Matthew 9:14-15)
Praying for health: "David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground" (2 Samuel 12:16)
Praying for safety: "There, by the Ahava Canal, I [Ezra] proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions" (Ezra 8:21).
As an act of repentance: "When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah" (1 Samuel 7:6).
As a sign of mourning: "They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword" (2 Samuel 1:12).
Before making an important decision: "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off….Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust " (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23).
This is Laura, and I am armed and ready for the beginning of the new chapter of my life, and you invited to be apart of this story with me.
The last time I was at IHOP was last Wednesday, May 19th, and well it was really evident what God was wanting me to do. I read this scripture from Matthew 9:16-17. It was just so interesting:
[No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole.
No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins. Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wine skins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe.]
I knew that if I kept living this life of secrecy. This life that not a lot of people know about. If I kept living this way I am like that old wineskin. No room to grow and take in what the Lord has to offer for me. If I kept my old ways, I could always go back and if I tried to take in more of the Lord and what He wants then who knows, I mean just 'burst' because I can't handle it. I may not even know what to do with the Lord has given me, or any of the great opportunity He given me share the talents He has given me.
That night, I finally learned what the Bride-groom Fast was. They, IHOP, fasts the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the month, every month except for December. In December they fast the entire week of the OneThing Conference, which is the last week of December. All adding up to forty day of fasting in the year.
I never really took into consideration this part of my relationship with Christ and my heavenly Father. You know, I think I am ready for it. I ready for His joy and love to rule over my life. I am ready be a 'love-bomb' for Him.(read my other blog to know what a love-bomb is)
I have never really felt this amazing joy that I have seen in such godly people in my life. They are always loving and happy. So real. A real example of what it means to follow Christ with every breath of their life. I want to feel this joy.
I am definitely up for a new chapter in my life. This chapter of life I pray with last the rest of my life, but that I will take this prayer and fasting lifestyle to the next level.
I have really been diving into my Bible in a new way. All thanks to my friends at InterVarsity and my Sunday School, NarrowGate at Central Church. I have really been so excited to really dive into my Bible anytime of day or when ever.
So I hope that maybe you, too, will take this step with me. But if you aren't ready it's ok, but remember that prayer and fasting are important in the relationship with our heavenly Father. Just check out these scriptures.
Fasting is a form of worship: "Then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying" (Luke 2:37).
Fasting is a personal event: "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you" (Matthew 6:16-18).
When Jesus was with the Disciples they didn't have to fast, but now that we wait for the return of Jesus we should fast, for Jesus is our Bridegroom. "They [Pharisees] said to him, 'John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.' Jesus answered, 'Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.'" (Matthew 9:14-15)
Praying for health: "David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground" (2 Samuel 12:16)
Praying for safety: "There, by the Ahava Canal, I [Ezra] proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions" (Ezra 8:21).
As an act of repentance: "When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel was leader of Israel at Mizpah" (1 Samuel 7:6).
As a sign of mourning: "They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword" (2 Samuel 1:12).
Before making an important decision: "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off….Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust " (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23).
This is Laura, and I am armed and ready for the beginning of the new chapter of my life, and you invited to be apart of this story with me.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Shoes for the Shoeless
So TOMS is this great company, that I guess found a couple of years ago. I honestly wasn't into helping children like I am now. Or helping with Poverty, or just missions in general.Well this great, great, great company was founded by this American guy named Blake, and well he and, I believe, his friend went down to Argentina for some trip and noticed that the children down there didn't have shoes. So he started this company just so he could give these children that didn't have shoes a pair of shoes.
I know, so what makes this company different than all the other companies that give away shoes to the needy?
Well I am glad you asked. TOMS has this great campaign called "One for One." Well it's pretty much self explanitory. You buy a pair of TOMS shoes or any other merchandise that has the One for One by the item then you know that not only are you getting a pair of shoes or a t-shirt, but also you are purchasing a pair of shoes to go to a child that doesn't have a pair.
Which you might be thinking, well why can't I just donate money and let these children have their shoes?To me, I think it's more than giving children a pair a shoes. When you wear these shoes, a t-shirt, or a necklace, you are telling the story of hundreds of children around the world that don't have shoes. You are adovocating that there is more to life than high-priced, fashionable, uncomfortable shoes (which by the way, these shoes are extremely comfortable). There are people in this world that have it worse than us. Even some of us in the United States.
For me, I love going on mission trips, and well, if I went to a country then to a specific region that TOMS went to deliver shoes. Then while playing with the children notice that they are wearing a pair of TOMS and they see that I am wearing them. You know that like almost a instant connection. What if my purchase gave this child a pair of shoes. I don't think you could get that same feel from other companies. Not tearing them down, but that's why I support TOMS.
So for each pair of shoes bought through TOMS or a retailer of TOMS, you are providing shoes for a child that needs them.
How do they deliver these shoes? Do they just trust an individual in that state or country to handle the shoes and deliver them?
The answer is no. They actually have a group of volunteers that go with them to measure the children's feet and give them the right sized shoe. This event is called a "Shoe Drop." Which if you go to their YouTube page you will see that they just went to Rwanda with a group called RwandaBridge and they even took along with them, Kris Allen, American Idol winner. But watching the video of the shoe drop and smiles on those children's faces just makes my heart go so numb.
We take our life for granted. Today alone, I bought a new pair of TOMS, a new Bible, and I even got food. I mean I don't normally buy this much stuff in one day, but honestly I wasn't probably as happy as those children were in that short video they shot. I mean I was happy cause another child got a pair of shoes and that I was supporting another cause, World Vision by purchasing their Poverty based Bible.
These shoes, they save these children's lives quite literally.When these children don't have shoes they contract so many diseases. Some of them can't even go to school just because they don't have shoes.
Every year, or even every semester, TOMS has a day of awareness. ONE DAY WITHOUT SHOES. Campuses, offices, churches, and individuals around the United States and the world go one day with out shoes to spread the awareness about the children in other countries and especially the United States. We inform people about the diseases these children and contract by not having shoes. We tell them that most of the diseases are 100% preventable just by having a pair of shoes. Some of us, even plan walks that go up to 3 miles long. Walking barefoot.
So the next time you go barefoot outside or see someone wearing a pair of TOMS think about the children out there in the world that don't have a pair of shoes. What are you going to do about it? Just stand there and hope someone will get that child a pair of shoes for you. Well don't count on it. If we all waited for people to do things for us, then nothing would get done. So check out TOMS website, and maybe even think about purchasing a pair of shoes or a t-shirt.
www.tomsshoes.com
We are apart of a Global Community, so let's help our brothers and sisters.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
We Did It!
We did it!!!! Yesterday, the LRA and Northern Uganda Recovery Bill went on the House Floor and you know what? That bill passed Unanimously! It's totally awesome!
It's totally awesome because this bill is going to be on President Obama's desk really soon, and it would be silly for him to veto it, just because in both houses the bill passed unanimously. And it would a 2/3's majority from congress would cancel that veto. Which would totally rock!
Here is a video from Invisible Children's website:
We Did It
Congress Speaks on LRA
It's totally awesome because this bill is going to be on President Obama's desk really soon, and it would be silly for him to veto it, just because in both houses the bill passed unanimously. And it would a 2/3's majority from congress would cancel that veto. Which would totally rock!
Here is a video from Invisible Children's website:
We Did It
Congress Speaks on LRA
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