A Heart for the World

This morning I had the privilege of sitting in a room listening to Patrick Johnstone speak about his new book, The Future of the Global Church. It was an hour filled with statistics, graphs, maps (thanks to my husband Bryan for making them) and big ideas. Normally I would consider this well outside my scope of music and creative expression…which takes up most of my day…but this time I caught a bigger picture and saw the need for all believers to understand missions (and become passionate about it).

I admit, I only picked up John Piper’s book “Don’t Waste Your Life” a few years ago because my husband said it had a profound influence to lead him to go into missions research. While reading Piper’s book I felt a deep conviction to be burdened for the world that doesn’t know Christ. And today another brick was laid while listening to a life-long missions mobilizer, Patrick Johnstone (who lives in Peterborough, England). God wants us all to see the world through His eyes. It’s not just about our personal lives, which, if we’re not careful, can be all that we see each day.

Our church supports missionaries around the world. Your church probably does too, and you may have a world map in the foyer showing who they are and where the live. They’re part of the church family, even though you don’t see them every week. In the same way, Christ-followers all around the world are part of our church family. Some of them choose live outside of their own culture in order to reach a different culture that needs Christ.

I want to share their heart for people and be just as passionate. You and I can do so much where we are, right now. The city where you live has multiple cultures within it, people who have migrated there and still don’t know Christ. We first need to ask God for a heart of compassion and love for them, most of all. The love of Christ compels us. Missions isn’t for a select number of enthusiasts. It’s the call of every believer, because the heart of the God we serve is for them to know Him.

-Becca

Read Operation World, a daily prayer guide for the nations.

{This is Kathya, our little sister through Compassion Int'l. This picture reminds me of what matters most.}

Football Frenzy

On tour last month, Becca and Bryan invited me and Chad for a pizza/football-watching night. Chad and I weren’t up on our football much for this season, but Becca has caught the football fever Bryan has for Clemson, his alma mater. Commonly Becca will jump off the couch with hands in the air for a Clemson touch down. And this was an exciting game. Lots of shouting and finally Clemson won. We all agreed to return for the Orange Bowl where Clemson would end the season by playing for the title.

Over at Becca and Bryan’s for the Bowl last week, they were on the couch suited up with Clemson attire and all the frenzy for a memorable championship. Well, if any of you are sharp on your recent sports facts, Clemson made a shocking record for losing the worst. We couldn’t even watch after they were 40 points down. The final score hurt for even a non-football-fan like me.

But what about those Denver Broncos? They certainly helped sooth the wound of Clemson’s loss when they beat the Steelers this weekend. Our whole state is catching a crazy hype over Tebow and rightly so. Good things are happening and I’m proud to live in Colorado where football is exciting for even the non-fans like me.

-E

The Dream Life

I was on a walk with my mom down a well-worn broad path. Looking up, we saw a family coming toward us from the other direction. The parents were walking and laughing as their three kids barreled ahead on little bikes. I’m sure the two older brothers were around 7 and 8 years old, and their little sister of about 5 lagged behind them. As the brother zoomed past Mom and me, we got a good look at the sister doing everything in her power to keep up with them.

She had bright red cheeks from the cold air, long curly locks thrown back by the wind, and a set of training wheels bouncing over the gravel. She whirled past too, and we glanced back. How cute, I thought. Then, she let out in the greatest triumph, “I’m living the DREAM life!”

Long after the family was out of sight, Mom and I were talking about this girl.

What is the dream life anyway? I pondered this after hearing the words from the five-year-old on training wheels. In my heart I had been caught up with future goals so deeply that the present was beginning to feel like grunt work. All I could think of in my day was the household duties, computer work, and paying bills I had to pay to make those goals a reality. But truly, the dream life isn’t about those things.

Matthew 6:34 says, “…do not worry about tomorrow…” Worry was all my mind was doing until this revealing walk with my mom.

If I looked at my daily life, forgetting my future goals and worries, the reality brings days filled with romance with my loving husband, exciting opportunities to play my music and sweet times with my family. Why do future worries swallow up these present joys? As adults we have to guard our hearts against this. For those of you who are teens, you need to develop the habit of praying over your future but making a choice not to worry about it.

Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first his Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be give to you as well.” Matthew was talking about food and clothes, but I realize as I seek the Kingdom and the presence of God to abide with me, I will see God doing more than I could imagine.

There is more joy, more courage and strength for the future when Christ is what I seek and not the things I can attain.

My new year's resolution for 2012 is to yell out, “I’m living the dream life!” as often as I can. I want to be like that little girl joy-riding on her bike, celebrating what my Father in Heaven has done for me each day.

-Elissa