Jan 4
So facebook is pretty cool. It allows you to connect with people from a million years ago. It also allows people from a million years ago to quietly watch your life.
With a few hundred friends, admittedly I cannot stalk them all. I used to spend hours and hours keeping up with people on facebook and myspace - so much so that I would sink into a pretty sad hole on numerous occasions not long after I moved here 3 1/2 yrs ago. It is a blessing to be too busy to do that now - and to have gained an ounce of self-control so I can shut the computer when I’m seeing more of other people’s lives than is healthy.
So - I dont know what’s going on in my friends lives. I’ve blocked prolly 75% of my friends from my feed so I only SEE the stuff I might want to be distracted by so I don’t get distracted by things that lead me to places that will not bear fruit. (I’d highly suggest this plan to anyone who suffers from Facebook ADD!)
So here’s something I’m noticing. I am getting a lot of attention from people who used to know me. A lot of awesome compliments and comments from folks I went to high school with or college with. I am getting affirmation from people who’s shadow I walked in for years. I hear things like “I can’t believe what you’re doing!” “You’re doing such awesome things!” “You’re kicking ass in Chicago Sher!” “It’s inspiring to see what God’s doing through you!” etc, etc, etc etc.
So tonight I finally figured out what my response is. I have previously awkwardly said thanks and quickly gone into offline status. I didn’t know what to say.
Tonight a friend made one of those comments to me and drew a connection to the dryness she felt in her own life and ministry. This was a woman who loves Jesus and has had a long and fierce journey with Him. A real passion for people and ministry. Seeing my life here in Chicago via facebook has her sensing the dryness in her own life and ministry. What do you say to encourage someone in that kind of situation? How do you respond to that? “Oh yeah, sorry life sucks for you, but you’re right, I’m loving my life and God’s blessings are all over the freakin place here! Good luck to you!”
Ummm… no.
So what do you say?
What I ended up saying to her was this; “Thanks. I hope people are encouraged to fall on their faces before God because that’s all I know to do.”
It dawned on me. I don’t want to inspire people to love the homeless. I don’t want to inspire them to good works. I don’t want to inspire people to read every Henri Nouwen book written or to read Oswald Chambers every day.
I want to inspire people to Fall on their Faces before Jesus Christ and cry out for His mercy and salvation.
Because:
My only hope is my submission to Jesus.
My only hope for healing.
My only hope for passion.
My only hope for faithfulness.
My only hope for righteousness.
My only hope for purity.
My only hope for stability.
My only hope for fruit.
My only hope for discernment.
My only hope for power.
My only hope for compassion.
My only hope for provision.
My only hope for peace.
My only hope for rest.
My only hope for hope.
Falling on my face. Kneeling in the shower. Crying out in my car. Sobbing by my bedside. Speaking boldly with Christ’s authority against the enemy.
The good fight Paul calls it.
Fight the good fight.
Paul says to Timothy:
You, man of God… pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called…
So, to those of you who are watching - thank you. Thank you for your support, love, encouragement, prayers and for sharing life with me. Our stories are mingled…. and I have been shaped by you.
As you watch, my earnest prayer is that what you see and observe, read and watch will do NOTHING less than draw you to a position of submission before Jesus Christ.
It is ONLY through the falling, kneeling, crying, sobbing, speaking boldly - that Jesus has manifested fruit in this life. It’s a daily fight and I charge you as Paul charged Timothy - Pursue your Lord with all you have in you - Fight as if it’s the only means to survival - because, indeed, it is.
Dec 26
Yesterday Sarah and I arrived in Uptown around 9am. We greeted Joseph, he went to do some Christmas yoga and we set up our post in the front of the sanctuary while folks began to fill the seats and get out of the cold rain that fell most of the day!
For the first hour or so, it was just plain awkward. I am not going to lie. It took a LOT of guts to push through and welcome everyone, to pass out song sheets and force as much eye contact as possible. I knew there was hope as some greeted me back, others were simply gracious and took the music sheets.
For the first few hours we sat on our stools in the front of the sanctuary and sang, read Christmas books and poems, and told the Christmas story. As the Sanctuary began to fill more and more, the awkwardness began to wear off and participation increased significantly! Finally I got word that there were two who wanted to sing solos! At the beginning of the third hour, one of the men sang Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. After that, a lady sang Silent Night. Then, then man said a few words, and sang a beautiful Gospel song that moved the audience like nothing else. His song was a song of gratitude. It expressed pain, loss, frustrating, etc - but a foundation of gratitude to a good God. It was POWERFUL. That video will be posted soon I hope!
After that, a lady named Gabriel asked if she could sing a song, and began to sing “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” I was stunned and thrilled! She didn’t know the words, so Joseph and I got some hymnals out of storage and passed them around as we sang together;
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Are we weak and heavy-laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.
Christmas in Uptown 2009 was a beautiful investment in the Spiritual nurturing of a community longing for the consolation of that Friend. I pray God continues to use us to help usher folks into the only Friendship that wont dissapoint, as He does in our lives as well!
Dec 22
Last night on our way home from Union Station, we decided to experience Chicago’s Christmas skyline. We took Lakeshore Dr. till it ended, turned around and dropped by The People’s Church in Uptown.
The four of us got out of the car and I quietly and carefully opened the doors to the church, sneeking my friends in to see the site of what I was reluctantly agreeing to create - a Christmas morning service for the Community.
The night before, Saturday night, I had come to a familiar place with the Lord where I found myself on my knees submitting yet again to His will for my life and the story of Uptown. I had not been confident to plan a Christmas service on my own - coming from a musically gifted and professional family of tremendous ministers, I never had the confidence to develop my own ability. But here I was, with an opportunity to lead an entire community - hundreds of homeless men and women into a deeper encounter with Jesus - if I could just get over it. So Saturday night I got over it. I told the Lord I was available.
So as we are sneeking into the church (I have keys, but it’s 8pm, so it feels sneeky!) we realize someone is already there - the pianist is filling the auditorium with beautiful music. A wave of relief fell over me - I knew this guy was my secret to figureing out what Christmas would look like!
I hurried to explain to him who we were and tell him how eager I had been to meet him! I told him I heard he plays for the Christmas mornings while the homeless community waits for their lunch to be served. He eagerly asked us, “Do any of you happen to sing?” WHAT a Divine moment! I jumped in and explained to him I had been planning to lead the congregation in songs, but had no instrumental help, and that together we could figure something out! Honestly, it was an instant bond! We began to lay a quick plan and he even gave me a music book to take home saying, “I guess I can trust you with this.” :)
Within 20 minutes Christmas morning in Uptown took shape! Something I had been casually lifting to the Lord, anticipatinf His direction for WEEKS was finally revealing itself!
Tonight I returned to Uptown to further discuss the service with Joseph. When we left last night, I hugged Joseph, so today when we arrived, he greeted me with a waiting embrace! He wasn’t too interested in talking about the service, he assured me he was a professional and could sight read anything! He encourged me in MANY wise ways to structure the service with his classical selections, secular carols, religious carols, scripture readings and other Christmas readings. This man was FULL of thoughts, he just needed someone willing to lead them into reality!
So after 10-15min of talking about Christmas, Joseph offered to give us a proper tour of the place! A proper tour means we saw behind every locked door and went in every crawlspace and down every hidden stairwell in this ENORMOUS 1925 building! It was an absolute ADVENTURE!! Joseph was thoroughly enjoying every moment of his tour too!! He prided himself in being able to navigate the six floors of the building as well as the two half floors! Honestly - that place takes on a whole new demention having seen all that is housed there! We toured for nearly an hour! Literally!
After our tour, we returned to the sanctuary and listened to Joseph run through the basic stories surrounding his mother, father and his 8 brothers and sisters. He fit himself in the story line as well. I asked him the obvious question, “So did you ever marry and have kids?” to which he grinned and said; “no, I’m gay. Couldn’t tell could ya?” Ha! This nearly 70yr old man who works in a hotel from 6am-12pm and practices Motzart and Bethoven and other classical masterpieces from 2pm- until late into the night - daily - who knows the ins and outs of a building probly as old as his oldest sibling; this man had zero guard up as he revealed part of him that no doubt he has learned to be very cautious sharing with strangers. What an honor. An honor.
I’m eager to work with Joseph on Christmas morning - to facilitate a service for the Community that celebrates Jesus’ birth but ushers in His loving presence and healing Spirit.
“To the Greatest Glory of God!”
Dec 21
Yesterday while visiting with friends at Union Station, I saw a face I had been missing since the summer! Chris was back! I filled the great hall with sounds of my excitement and surprise and rushed over to embrace my friend.
I got to know Chris slowly last Spring. He was with Chuck outside of Union while Chuck sold his papers, sitting on the window ledge. During the winter his feet began to have some serious medical issues and we encouraged him to go to the hospital. Eventually he went to the VA (he’s a vet) in Northern Chicago where he’s been for months. I had missed seeing Chris, but I assumed not seeing him around was a good sign, so of course it was with mixed emotions that I greeted him yesterday.
After our embrace I noticed a fraile elderly lady with a cane sitting on the bench beside where Chris had been. My heart lept as I tried to fit the pieces together. Chris introduced me to his mother, Lorraine; “She’s here to take me home for Christmas.” He explained. I sat with her, honestly having to fight the urge to scoop her up and place her in my lap like a small child. She told me, “I need someone to help me decorate my Christmas tree!!”
Loraine lives at the end of the northbound suburban train line - practically to WI. She had just arrived at Union to get her son and turn around and go back home for the holidays. She told me she was 22, but then proudly declaired she was really 89, and would be 90 in January. 89. 89 years old, and this precious, FIESTLY (as I was soon to learn) woman had traveled over an hour by train to gather her 50-something yr old son up and take him back to her senior home for the holidays.
I was in awe of every moment I spent with Lorraine and Chris. I knew what I was experiencing was holy and packed with meaning and emotion. One person has a life-time of memories and feelings, but two people - family - that equation is simply too jam packed to do more than sit in awe of. Two lifetimes of interwoven pain and joy, celebration and mourning.
Loraine wanted a cigarette (she’s been smoking since age 7), so the three of us ventured outside and had a smoke while Lorraine told me how she had pioneered what today is called Head Start - an early childhood development organization. She told me about her 8 children and about Chris’ learning disability that originally was diagnosed as mental retardation. She expressed how as a mother she knew her son was not retarded and how she fought to help him and other children who she now knows suffer from dislexia.
As we were getting up to go out for a smoke Lorraine said something about me trying to convert her! I genuinely laughed at that one! I hadn’t said one thing about Jesus or faith or anything! Praise the Lord that His Holy Spirit is at work before, during and after we step on the scene of someone’s life!
One of the guys who knows Chris pretty well got his phone number and address at his mom’s house. She told him to call before he comes and she’d put the tea pot or coffee pot on depending on what he likes! I made sure I got in on that invitation and am eager to find a way to travel out to spend time with this precious woman.
One last thing Lorraine said to me - as I began to walk her to her train, her son Chris out of ear shot for the first time and she said, “this breaks my heart. I want him to get out of here.”
It’s an honor to hear the heart of this mother. It’s not pretty, and I want to “fix” it for her. I can’t fix it, but I can listen to her broken heart. I can hold her hand and hug her shoulders. If even for 30 minutes on a Sunday afternoon in the Great Hall of Union Station.
Nov 8
We met Devolin nearly a year ago - in Union Station wearing capris in the cold of winter. He’s a flamboyant black man.
We saw Devolin for the first time since last winter in Uptown the end of September - I literally told him “Devolin you look empty! like someone stole your soul!!” I don’t think much before I speak…. He was living in a nursing home in Uptown, he managed to tell us. I hugged him, and remarked at how good it was to see him so far from where I’d met him!
Last monday while I was walking around the neighborhood inviting people to “Roots” (what was to be our first service for the Uptown Community) I ran into Devolin again! I was delighted, and his soul looked like it had returned, so I congratulated him (again, slow to think). We ended up walking around town together for a while, just enjoying the day.
something is really off with Devolin. But somehow I try to pretend it isn’t. And we just strolled. I invited Devolin to ROOTS and told him I couldn’t wait to see him again.
I just got a phone call. From Devolin. He called himself Alfi, but I knew his voice. His voice was very shaky and he asked if he’d missed ROOTS and he was apologizing a ton. I assured him he didn’t miss it but we’d canceled it. He wanted to know when it was going to happen again - and he was really still worried he’d missed it. I told him I was sick, and we had to postpone it till sometime in December.
anyway - that call ended and in the following 20 min I received 4 more calls from Devolin. None of which I answered, and received 2 voice mails where he was telling me he was praying for me and so glad he didnt miss roots and was sorry I was sick and stressing he was praying to the Lord for me.
Devolin is a dark individual. He’s not light and simple. He’s dark and twisted. Well maybe he isnt, but he does not come across as safely altered. He’s a little frightening.
That same Monday I strolled with Devolin, I talked IN LENGTH to a Muslim man who allowed me to read his very private Journal. The week before I had first met him and he was writing in the first pages of this journal. I inquired and he said it was very secret. It was a code. A secret code. I accepted his need for privacy and somehow launched into some passionate discourse on my love for Moses and his willingness to meet with a dangerous and Holy God while the Children of Israel missed out, cowering in fear. He began then, to tell me how Muhammad was the offspring of Moses. It was very confusing to me, but he was passionately explaining these ancient “truths” to me.
Here he was, a week later, eager to let me read this secret code.
As I began to read, I was shocked to see how much his code was about Moses. It was about Jesus. It was about the characters I had been talking about the week before!
This notebook is the first draft of a book he is writing with the secrets found in ancient Arabic. I listened for a very long time while he attempted to explain these things to me. I couldn’t help but wonder about his stability. Wonder about my own safety. Wonder about his passion for Islam and his distaste for Christianity.
Yet I invited him to our service.
Part of me felt too afraid to do this. Felt it would be safer not to tell him about it. Even if I wouldn’t be in danger, what on earth would this man get from a worship service? His mental state seemed very uneasy and his religious beliefs unalterable. So why invite him?
The Truth is - no one can be sidelined or overlooked. All are welcome. Right?
If that is not at the foundation of the Church then the Church is not founded on the Gospel.
All are welcomed. All are invited.
I have no idea how a “service” of sorts can impact the life of Devolin or this Muslim man. The reality is it is not my job to MAKE an IMPACT - but to BE an IMPACT. I don’t see a lot of hope for either of these men. I don’t for see them to regain much ground mentally. But I do believe the Holy Spirit can move in anothers’ spirit in ways we cannot see and cannot measure.
I am so often brought back to our dear Adam Jordan who we loved and visited for nearly a year in a nursing facility. There were times we thought Adam understood we were there - times we thought he was communicating with us. But ultimately, Adam had suffered severe brain damage. It wasn’t up to us to logically communicate the Gospel to Adam - it was our job to LIVE the Gospel and allow the Spirit room to minister to the heart and soul of Adam.
I believe the Holy Spirit is at work in Uptown. I believe the Holy Spirit is loving some deeply unloved and neglected places in Devolin and my muslim friend.
Next time I write - I’ll have to tell you about the dear couple - Verna and Pete whose hospitality while living in a shelter overwhelms me!
Lord - Uptown is yours. Sher Sheets is yours. Do what you will through willing vessels. For Your Glory. Let it Be.
Oct 13
White Men Scare Me
Two weeks ago Becky and I went to Chicago to spend the day with both communities in UpTown and Downtown! We were handing out invitations to the pie party when I saw Terry coming my way. Every time I see Terry I cringe. There is an immediate distrust and anger. He is an older white guy who is an addict and dealer of heroin. For some reason the white men on the street make my skin crawl – especially those who are heroin users. The only reason I can pinpoint is movies growing up. I think scary street men – like the real creepy ones (not just the dangerous ones) were always white. Black men don’t seem creepy to me. White men – very creepy. Weird. I know.
The past several times I’ve seen Terry, I’ve tried to connect with him in some way – at least by saying hello. When I saw him on this afternoon, I stopped him to invite him to the pie party. He was pretty high, accepted the invitation slowly, then began to walk over off the sidewalk to show me something. I was nervous, then he said “I want to show you my arm.” At least I knew I was gonna be safe, but I don’t handle gross things real well, so I was still nervous. Terry shows me two arms full of infection. I was horrified – honestly wondering if this man would lose his arms – possibly even his life. I told Terry he needed to get to the hospital, and eventually decided just to take him there myself. His hands were filthy and he kept showing people… he needed to get cleaned up and attention soon.
Becky was with me, so together we drove Terry to a local hospital where we took him in and started the emergency paper work. I was shocked when I asked Terry for his birthday and he said; “today.” He was serious. It was his 54th birthday. This fact launched me into another passionate discourse on how obvious it was that God wanted him to have abundant life and not kill himself with his addiction. Terry listened and agreed. He was the remarkably polite and upbeat the entire night – especially when you consider the kind of pain he was in.
After he was officially checked in and waiting for his turn in the ER, Becky and I made our escape. We sat down to dinner at a local Indian restaurant and debriefed what we were experiencing. This man whom I really disliked and distrusted was sitting in the ER on his 54th birthday with severe infection in two arms and other places, and it was because I had taken him there. God gave me an opportunity I couldn’t pass up to help a man who my heart was cold towards.
We picked up a $10 burger and fries from a near-by bar and took it back to the ER with us. It was Terry’s birthday burger! Half way into his burger he got called back to the examining room. We quickly made friends with the other patients and nurses in the room. One of them took me on a walk to find the Coke machine cause somehow I’d forgotten to get Terry a Birthday Soda to go with his Birthday Burger! I found expired cupcakes in the vending machines too, so I got a package of those and the girl who’d walked me there offered to use her lighter as the candle! We came back to Terry and offered him the cupcakes with a song! The whole room sang along. It was a really fun moment.
We stayed long enough to make sure Terry was getting a bed and then we left. On the way back we called his mother per his request. I was uncertain making this call…. How on earth the mother of a 54 year old would feel receiving a call at 10pm the night of her son’s birth? I knew she’d immediately be concerned, so when she answered I tried my best to reassure her that Terry was ok. Then I explained the situation. This phone call was one of the most difficult conversations I have had with someone – similar to the time I told one of my closest friends that someone she loved had committed suicide. And just like that moment months ago, I was deeply grateful to be the one to make that call. I knew Terry’s mother was deeply hurting - had been for decades. I knew this call brought to life the pain she’d been feeling all day on the birthday of her oldest child. I knew nothing I could say would make things better. So I prayed for her. I prayed with her – cause this woman sure prayed with me! I encouraged her – told her what a remarkable mother she was to still have an open heart for her son. I told her that regardless of what choices Terry makes – the mere fact that God can deliver him if he accepts it makes our God worth glorifying. We praised Jesus together – not for what He was going to do but what He can do and what He wants to do and what His Spirit is fighting for in the life of Terry. What a comfort to know there’s a battle being fought by our Lord.
Later that night one of my pastors donated several outfits for Terry, so the next day Chelsea and I went to see him in the hospital. He was a different man. Having come off his high, he seemed humiliated. No eye contact was made and little was said. We got there just as he was being discharged. I could tell Terry had already made plans to return to the streets and his heroin addiction. I didn’t force the subject at all, just asked if someone would care for him where he was going. He said yes. I laid out an outfit, kissed his head and told him I loved him, and we left.
Terry came to the pie party and I greeted him with a hug! I introduced him to my parents and the only mention I made of that day was an apology for hugging him too tightly.
Watching Terry from a distance that day, eating pie with dozens of others barely registered on my radar. I feel like I should have some significant feeling or frustration but I don’t. Terry needed medical help. Terry needed friends on his birthday. Terry needed to celebrate his life. Check, Check and Check. He has to make his own choices. My goal for Terry isn’t that he gets clean. It’s not that he gets off the street. I don’t even know if going home to his mom is a good idea. All I do know is I desire Terry to know Jesus. The Holy Spirit is alive and active people!!! We don’t have to do His work! If we are Jesus to people – His Spirit will MOVE them! His Spirit will KNAW at their hearts! His Spirit will compel them to submit and surrender. It is my job to preach Jesus – the hope and promise we have through the death and resurrection of Christ and the personal identification we as Christ-followers make with that in our own lives. THAT is what we do in Chicago.
A little over a month ago our friend Adam Jordan died. See previous blogs for that story. This was heart breaking, not because he had passed but because it was now the end of a long journey we had gone on with this man.
When I found out I was with one of my pastors. He asked me; “Sher, do you know if Adam was able to make a decision for Christ before he passed?” My answer surprised me. I didn’t care. I didn’t even wonder. It wasn’t that I had some assurance or knowledge of Adam’s spiritual state – I had no idea. Yet I wasn’t even curious. I finally responded; “I have no idea. But you know, I am confident that Adam encountered Jesus a TON over the last year of his life. There’s no question he had many opportunities to respond to Christ’s love and invitation.”
In being vessels of the Holy Spirit and bringing the Good News to people – it is so easy to go overboard with our responsibility. It is also easy to hold back and simply care for people without pointing them to Jesus. Finding that balance is difficult but will happen if we submit ourselves to Christ and allow Him to humble us. Allow us to love people like Terry whom we would much rather allow to pass by. Allow us to be there with Terry without making him a project or part of a goal. Only Jesus can keep us balanced – and only when we submit to Him.
Oct 12
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Two weeks ago Becky and I went to Chicago to spend the day with both communities in UpTown and Downtown! We were handing out invitations to the pie party when I saw Terry coming my way. Every time I see Terry I cringe.
Oct 5
Happy Anniversary!
For one year there has been a consistent presence around Union Station on Sunday afternoons. 3-5 hours per Sunday for a year + mulitple week day visits = hundreds of stories. Dozens of lives changed more into the likeness of Jesus. A Community being transformed through relational investment. 3-5 hrs a week. For a year.
Pie is a metaphore. Pie could really be coffee. It could be checkers. For my dad it was socks and underwear. When I took dad into the city this week for the first of his 3 visits, I had a laundry bag full of “Christmas packages” (my dad looks like Santa) for him to hand out to some of the guys in the neighborhood. My dad is a phenomenal minister, but much more comfortable in the mountains of PA than in the big city of Chicago. So I gave my dad “pie” to help build relationships with this community. And it worked!
There are 4 stages of pie I would like to explain a little to help you grasp this imagry for all it is worth!
Serve - When we Serve pie, we are crossing a barrier, stepping over a divide, branching out into uncharted territory. Serving might look literally like serving pie from behind a table in a food line. It might look like buying a sandwich for a guy on the street. Serving could look like giving someone a ride home from church or giving a gift-card to your pastor for Pastor Appreciation week. It could even be giving your mom a day at the spa. Serving doesn’t require much, but gets you started in a direction that could transform your life if you proceed.
Share - Sharing pie means you get involved! You sit down with your own piece of pie and interract with the one you just served. You spend a little bit of time hearing their story, sharing your own. You begin to see the identity of the person on the other side of that barrier or uncharted territory you just charted! Sharing could look like sharing a meal with the guy on the street you used to give money to. It could look like cooking a meal in your home for your pastors family instead of the gift card. It could look like getting manicures and pedicures WITH your mom. Sharing could be over a cup of coffee or a service project. Sharing could be raking leaves or shoveling snow. Inviting someone along on the normal tasks you already participate in. Sharing could be playing ball.
Supply - Supply simply means sharing consistently. THIS is the MOST transforming stage in “Pie.” It is during this Supply stage that authentic relationship is built. In the Great Hall and on the stairs of Union Station, “pie” was Supplied. Yes, we brought coffee every week. Yes, sometimes we had shoes or sweatshirts or blankets. But what was REALLY happening was we were making OURSELVES available every week. We were bringing our lives and opening them up to the community week after week after week. As Christ-Followers - THIS is when Jesus is let loose. Let loose IN us an THROUGH us! It’s awesome to “serve” - to let Jesus out in spurts - but to SUPPLY ourselves is to SACRIFICE our feelings, desires, opinions, safety, comfort and investing in PEOPLE for the glory of God. Supply NEEDS to happen in our homes. It NEEDS to happen in our small groups. It NEEDS to happen in our church. Through Suppling relationship in Union this past year - SO MANY of us have seen our other relationships change and mature and heal and grow.
Set Aside - I love this stage. There comes a time during the Supply stage that you are actually able to Set Aside “pie.” You have Supplied it for so long that the relationship stands on its own. No longer do you need a bridge. you have officially formed new ground - common ground - and you can stand in a real, authentic relationship. It is when you Set Aside pie that you accept the pain of rejection and forge through because you are comitted to the relationship. You have bought in.
Serve - Guess what! This “pie” thing is a cycle! When we are engaged in this kind of thing, eventually the opportunity comes to Serve Pie again! Either together, or through the muscles you gained building this relationship. Ernest served pie yesterday. He didn’t literally - but he walked around his old neighborhood. He sat down with his old buddies. He shared with them how he was changing - how his life was being transformed. He came back to these guys as a whole new person and began the process of building a NEW kind of relationship.
I am so proud of Ernest.
At least 5 guys said they were going to Way Side Cross this week! I don’t think they will, but the reality is, they long for the freedom Ernest is living in and fighting for. They long for that. Ernest, by returning to them and starting the cycle again, is inspiring life change. It’s awesome.
So… who can you bake a pie for? Who are you astranged from? Is it someone in your neighborhood? Maybe it’s someone of a different culture or religion. Perhaps it’s a different demographic, they’re older or they’re younger. Maybe it’s a different social class. It could be someone in your own home and the barrier is one filled with pain and brokenness. My challenge to you is to gather the ingredients for a pie. Bake it. Muster the nerve to serve it. Take that first step. Serve them. Once you’ve done that, Sharing pie will be a lot easier. And then… you know the rest….
And here’s the power of it all:
Jesus is God’s pie.
God bridged our relational gap by sending Jesus - Serve
Jesus called his Disciples - Share
Jesus’ ministry with the 12 - Supply
Jesus’ Death - Set Aside
The Holy Spirit being unleashed through the Church - Serve
Pie is the Gospel. That’s WHY we do this. It’s how the Church is called to live. We are NOT to simply bake pies and give them. We are NOT to be content behind a service line. We aren’t. As Christ Followers we MUST continue on the cycle - although the reality is it will hurt, it will chizzel away at us, it will mature us and it will bring loss into our lives. But we MUST live like this as the Church - if we are going to be the Church.
But it start in the kitchen. In the prayer closet. Between you and Jesus.
Go to Him. Ask Him for the recipie. Ask Him for the ingredients. Ask Him to set the temp on the oven. Ask Him - and He will. He will. He wants to. He chose you to do this. It’s His will. It’s His plan for the world.
Sep 7
I almost missed out on a wonderful Labor Day experience!
This mornin 4 of us gathered in the CCC parking lot to carpool into Chicago to spend time with the folks in UpTown. As we drove into the city I told the story of our presence in UpTown to Jay and Sarah; it was their first time vising UpTown.
Somehow I’d forgotten today was the annual UpTown cook-out provided by the Peoples Church! After hanging out with a few of the guys outside of REST, we headed down the street to the park where a softball game was already underway!!!
It didn’t take long before we were able to jump in the serving line and help the handful of volunteers serve food to the literally hundreds of homeless men and women.
I was the Chips and Cookies lady! and I LOVED it!! I got to grab one bag of Lays chips and one bag of Famous Amos cookies and hand them off to each person as they passed!
Sometimes someone would not have any vegetables on their plate, so I would refuse to give them their cookies and chips - just to get a reaction, then, of course, i handed over the bags! That was fun. It was also fun to tease a few by telling them they had to be sure to finish their corn and green beans before they enjoyed their cookies! That went over pretty well - I even got “yes momma!” a few times… so that was fun!
It was an experience I’ve never had before. Well at least not like that.
It was really difficult to stay behind that line! I tried so hard to connect with each person as they passed…. but was overwhelmed by how many stories kept passing by! I wanted to know them all, but knew my idealistic self needed to just resist the urge and take in the experience.
I learned a few things.
* I like serving behind a line. I like making jokes and having a personal moment with each person that would allow me.
* I do not like being stuck behind a line. Billy came through the line - Billy reminded me of Beaker from the Muppet Babies. He was deaf and very wild with his arms. I like Billy. He went and took a seat in the “volunteer seating” (the only seats provided) and was yelled at to leave. He sat down beside the empty chair and set his drink on it. :) I like Billy. I kept looking back at him, he was right over my shoulder. He would make a wild gesture at me with his fork, acknowleging that he saw me glancing his way. When I got to take a break and eat my BBQ, I headed over to Billy and tried to chat with him a bit, but he was leaving, so I got his name (he spelled it with his finger on the chair), gave him mine and he went on his way. I hope I get to spend more time with Billy. I want to love him. I know that sounds weird - but I have to be honest and admit that although I have a heart to love the unloved, I’m preduiced in it. There are plenty of marginalized people that I do not find it easy to love. Billy was an automatic fit. I think it’s cause he had a lot of things working against him and he allowed me to engage with him. Cause, again, to be honest, I’m pretty insecure too.
* There’s politics everywhere. It was very difficult for me when attitudes began to be shown, 2nds served, and entitlement rearing it’s ugly head…. to sit back and keep dishin up BBQ chicken (i moved from the chips and cookies to the chicken after my lunch break). There were about three significant arguments that took place around the park. There were people I was forced to show favor to (giving them more) because they were friends or family of people in charge. There were a few I saw two or three times declaring it was their first time. I identified one man who claimed it was his first time by saying “no sir! I remember those chest hairs!!” That shocked him and he couldnt argue with me - so we both laughed and I gave him the same portion as I would have had it been his first time. I wasn’t there to enforce rules, but I’m always an advocate of truth….
* I can’t measure need. There were well dressed families and young people that I’m pretty sure came in line for a free meal. Then there were folks who I wonder how often they are able to eat in a week. That was difficult. Being the person who gives out portions, it’s hard to give a double portion to a cousin of someone, and tell a desperately needy man he can only have on chicken leg for his second trip through the line, especially after loading the plate of some young woman who lives in a nearby condo. But I was distracted by the portion size and was almost missing the real reason I was there. Need is more than physical.
There’s an opportunity to begin a worship service in this community. As I handed out cookies, chips and BBQ ribs and chicken, I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d have the opportunity to build relationships with Billy and Sydney, Glenn and Golden. I wondered if they’d attend a worship service. I wonder still.
Today I saw the community of UpTown pass in front of my face. I teased them about eating their veggies and getting their watermelon. Being “stuck” behind the food line was a good change of pace for me. It allowed me to see the community in a new way. It allowed me to step outside of my relational focus and see a bigger picture.
After we were done, we headed back to the church to get our car. I went into the sanctuary to use the bathroom there before we left and spent a little bit of time sitting on the stage looking into the huge theater. I didn’t pray anything specific, just layed my heart before the Lord again. Just surrendered my thoughts and understanding to make room for His, one more time. I sat there and rested in the Lord.
Jesus, lead on!
Sep 3
Becky Wampach had that statement as her facebook status after she heard the news… and I laughed out loud!
Today, Earnest, one of our longest-known friends from the street community in Chicago, checked himself into Aurora’s WaySide Cross Ministries.
Earnest Went to Camp!
Julie, one of the girls from CCC, started joining us in Chicago sometime around March. She’s a fantastic lady who has been completely open to the Lord’s transformation of her heart and life. One of the tools He has used has been her relationship with Earnest. From Julie’s perspective, Earnest has been Jesus to Julie and from Earnest’s perspective, Julie has been Jesus to him!
Their conversations the past few months have focused a lot on Earnest’s desire to get off the street and free from his alchohol addiction. Julie loved and supported Earnest, purchased him a train ticket, but let him know when he was ready he would be ready. She urged him in many ways not to go to WaySide because of their relationship but because he was really ready to get sober.
Yesterday Julie’s facebook status was a quote from Earnest: “It’s good to be seen.”
Today I was at my new job - opening a Starbucks in Montgomery. I got off at 10:30 and headed towards 88 on my way to Chicago. As I was on the road I got a text from Becky - Earnest had called her that morning, he was @ WaySide, but she didn’t know his last name and couldn’t confirm with the Ministry when she called.
The road from my Starbucks to I-88 goes RIGHT BY WaySide…..
I texted Becky and told her I would drop by and find out what was going on.
Sure Enough…. Earnest was sitting in the front window filling out his paper work. I tapped on the window and grinned at my friend. I walked in and we embraced - both of us grinning!
For the next hour and half I sat there with Earnest while he filled his paper work out. I read his rule book and teared up a few times. I provided a bit of a commentary as well….
“You get to go to Sexual Purity class!!! WOO HOO!!!!”
“I’m jealous Earnest, you get to go to Bible School!!”
“Earnest, I’m tearing up just thinking about how your life can be transformed!!”
“Wow, imagine Earnest how many of the other guys will follow you - you’ve stepped out and set the bar!”
“Promise me this Earnest - if you fall in love with Jesus, don’t become a jerk about it!”
The people in the office were all smiling at me and wearing their questions on their faces… I offered a slight explanation only as I was preparing to leave. I wanted to simply be Earnest’s friend. I was SO proud of him!!
As he filled out his paperwork I texted a bunch of the Young Adults, I twittered and I updated my facebook status (I love my blackberry!)! I got several responses and shared the community’s support, love, and encouragement with Earnest as my phone kept receiving them!! We laughed at each one.
Finally, Earnest was taken back to be interviewed. When he came back, I asked “so how did it go?” He said; “well, someone has to look through my bag and then they’re gonna show me my room.”
I asked again; “Wait, so you got in??” And then Earnest erupted! It was so cute - he awkwardly grabbed for my hands and just shook them with joy!! I smiled so hard my face hurt!
As “security” made him open his bag, I noticed something different than when the last guy had been searched. Without going into detail, I believe what I observed was a homeless man being handled at arms length. I forgot Earnest is “a homeless man.” I mean, I smelled it the moment we embraced, and as he sifted through his bag, the are around us was full of the smell… but Earnest is Earnest. He’s an addict checking into rehab. I didn’t realize he was still going to face discrimination there. But bless his heart he handled it SO well!! He joked back with the guy, taking his barbs with lots of grace!!
Earnest is truely broken and humble.
He told me he left Union last night and cried like a baby the whole ride. He was afraid because he was going somewhere he’d never been. He wanted to keep his train ticket for a memory, but the conductor took it. He got here and was too late to check into WaySide, so he walked around for hours - said he found some streets in Aurora, but that’s about all - and slept in a bus stop. He’d been up since 3am.
At one point, in complete Earnest style, he bent down to his bag and offered me a pop. He usually has a couple RockStars or Amps in there, but today he had Coke Zero. I laughed at the irony of Earnest always offering me a drink!
After he got admitted, it was time to be shown his room, so that meant momma Sher had to say goodbye. The men there said; “ok, you gotta hug and kiss your wife goodbye now.” I gave them glares and stood to hug my friend. As we embraced I prayed he would find freedom - prayed he would find encouragement and strength not through our relationships - but through Christ. I prayed Earnest would know the fullness of Christ’s love.
And I left….
So full of joy, pride, anticipation and amazement.
I gave Earnest the phone numbers of like 6 of us young adults, and found out visits must be approved through his RA - but short visits should be a problem between 5 and 7:30 at night.
If you want to visit him, let me know and I’ll give you his full name so you can call and schedule a visit during those times.
I know what Jesus can do with a person submitted to Him…. I know….. and I am excited because of that.
feel free to share my joy!! :)