I’m sure by now many of you have heard about the massive earthquake in Haiti.  Jay and I have been thinking about it non-stop for the past couple days.  The drummer from Jay’s dad’s church lost his mom that day, and thousands (possibly hundreds of thousands) of others have lost their lives.  Many are still buried under the rubble.  My dad was scheduled to go there on a work trip the following day…and I am so grateful he didn’t leave on the weekend like he usually does.  He is safe and sound in Canada, but other families have not been so fortunate.

My friend Karyn was expressing her frustration yesterday at how hard it is to empathize with and remember others around the world that are suffering because we are so removed from it here in our comfort and luxury. It made me remember something I learned a couple years ago:

Christians, who serve a God who they do not physically see, should be experts at standing alongside and remembering people across the world who we ‘do not see.’  We should apply our disciplines from serving an ‘invisible God’ to serving those in need who geography makes ‘invisible’ to us. 

So what does ‘standing alongside the invisible’ look like to you?  Praying more for the families who have lost loved ones in Haiti? Going on a team to help? Donating to organizations that are bringing food and water?

Let’s actively remember the people of Haiti this week as we go about our day in a world of comfort and luxury.

Michelle

This week I have been convicted of something.  There appears to be a trend in my life that I haven’t been disturbed by before, but now is beginning to bother me:

Spending time with God has become about me, not Him. 

I want peace, so I read God’s word. I want to vent, so I write in my prayer journal. I want to de-stress and gain clarity of mind, so I listen to worship music.

When was the last time I praised God for who He is and didn’t bring up my own agenda?  When was the last time I just sat quietly in His presence, silenced by His holiness and power?  When was the last time I wept at the touch of His mercy?

A friend of mine once said that she didn’t want to believe in God because she merely saw religion as a crutch.  I told her that we need God to be our crutch - we need Him to help us, guide us, give us peace and clarity of mind.  Dependence on God is a beautiful thing.  But let’s be careful that we don’t approach our “quiet times” with God with the sole purpose of having our prayers answered, our minds calmed, and our spirits nourished.  Let’s remember to worship Him for who He is.

Michelle

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. (from Ephesians 6)

When Jay and I were dating, I noticed something in this passage about purity.  I envisioned each part of the armour listed, and stopped for a few minutes to picture the breastplate of righteousness.  A breastplate stops arrows from piercing your heart and killing you on the battlefield.  It’s vital to survival.  At that moment I came to a conclusion:

Making Jay stumble in the area of sexual purity was like sending him onto the battlefield without a breastplate. 

This would include dressing immodestly, allowing ourselves to be alone in tempting situations, or saying something that I knew would send his mind racing.  Righteous living protects us like a breastplate protects a soldier.  Why would I take that from the person I love?

Ladies, if you are dating or engaged to someone, make it your goal to help them put their armour on.  Pursue righteousness and sexual purity in your relationship so that both of you can fight the good fight without succumbing to your injuries.

Michelle

On Tuesday night my friend Cat and I got to help out at a Christmas PJ party for Hamilton’s prostituted women.  Over 50 women came and we gave them all brand new La Senza pyjamas and slippers, did hand treatments, decorated cookies with them, played a pass the parcel game, and ate way too many snacks!  At the end of the night they each received a gift bag to take home, and filled out a Christmas ‘wish’ to hang on the tree.  They wrote down their wishes knowing that we’d be praying for them afterwards.  I met some incredible girls and women and had an amazing time. Here are some thoughts that went through my head that night:

–This is the only Christmas most of these women will get this year.
–Celebrating Jesus and spending time with family make Christmas my favourite season. These women will  probably be servicing men that night. No wonder they don’t like Christmas.
–There is a disproportionate number of Aboriginal women here.  It’s very clear that Native women and girls are falling through the cracks of society.
–There is nothing more delightful than seeing adults so excited about decorating cookies!
–There is nothing sexy about prostitution.  It is the face of desperation and exploitation.
–If prostitution was legalized, as many academics say it should be, there is no way any of these women would make the ‘cut’ and be hired to legal brothels. They are too beat up, drug addicted, and weathered.  They would not benefits from the supposed “rights” legalization claims to offer.
–It’s weird that these girls are going to work after this party.
–Why has God blessed me?  Why has he spared me and not these girls from such a life?
–How can I love people who have had such different life experiences?
–I am humbled that these girls don’t write me off as a rich white church girl, but are willing to accept my humble and awkward attempts to love them.

More than anything, I was so grateful that these girls had a safe place to spend a couple hours and be showered with unconditional love.  Like a reprieve from the hell that is their life.  Abusive pimps, cold weather, and unrealistic demands.  Drug addictions, fear of hope, and fear of authorities.  Judgment from Christians and non-Christians alike.  Desperation, bitterness, hurt, and resentment.

It sure is a good thing Christmas is about Jesus, the light of the world and the healer of all wounds. Let’s start living like HE is the reason for the season and shed off all the crap that somehow makes Christmas about US. Let’s live out the hope that we have this December…and maybe we’ll get to decorate cookies in the process!

Michelle

Did you know that shih-tzu’s are prone to getting cataracts if their eyes are not properly cleaned?  Jay used to clean his dog Toby’s eyes all the time in an attempt to spare him from such a common fate.  Lately I have been feeling like a shih-tzu with cataracts.

Spiritual cataracts.

I pray only until I get distracted. God gives me a glimpse of his heart and I forget what I saw mere minutes later. I get fired up about God’s word but only until I have to sit down to memorize it.  I long for more of Jesus until it costs me something.  I take a step in faith and then turn back in doubt. 

It’s like having cataracts.  Or an eyelash in my eye. I want to see clearly. I want to be focused. I want to have my eyes set on Jesus but I keep having to rub my eyes.  Everything is blurry.  I need glasses. Or surgery. Something. 

Anyone else feel this way? What helps you maintain your focus and clarity?

Michelle