*warning-I think this post is a bit preachy...and if it is such, know that it is only directed at myself. Think of this as a glimpse into the types of conversations Kait has with herself :)
I have found myself a bit discouraged as of late...consequently...these two questions have come to my mind...
Do I live in want?
or
Do I live in faith?
I never have really thought of them as opposite standing questions...but in the past week I have come to see them as such. Recently I have been reading a lot from Paul...and it seems many times, from many different letters...his message is "you have everything you need-go live!". It is a an admonition that my dad often reminds me of "Kait, you are ok. You have everything you need."
"You have everything you need."
You see, if I claim the faith that I profess to be true, then I am saying that in accepting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ I have accepted the gift of eternal life. ETERNAL LIFE! Not temporary life in the here and now, not life on earth, not life for as long as I can imagine...eternal, never-ending, infinity...life.
Not only that (lest some say "eternal life sounds more like eternal hell") I believe that the life on this earth will pass and those that accept what Jesus did on the cross will carry over into heaven. Into life restored as it was initially created. Now, I won't claim to know what heaven will be like...but I do know that the Bible talks about it being better than anything we can imagine. Let me tell you, I can imagine some pretty incredible things...and so...it will be EVEN more so!
In light of Jesus' sacrifice and consequent gift that He offers everyone, in light of my acceptance of that gift and expectancy of life lived now and forever...I, in a sense, am living in a game whose final score is already known. I am living in a story that will for sure end in "happily ever after". In light of all that...I have everything I need.
Sure, life might not be fun at times. It might be hard, be painful, be confusing, etc. but I know the final score. I know the end result. There is no wondering if the current pain will win, if the confusion will win, if the hurt will win...because I know, at some point it will pass!
I am sorry, I know this all sounds preachy...but I have just really been challenged to think about the way that I am living. I think I so often live as though the final result is still up in the air. I have found myself living in want-allowing the bumps of life to make me think that I DON'T have everything I need. But. That. Is. A. Lie. I have everything I need.
Sure, life does hurt and its ok to hurt. Sure, life is hard and its totally ok to acknowledge that its hard. But there is hope...there is always hope because ultimately, I have everything I need.
These excerpts from Pilgrim's Progress really struck me this week:
- In light of other influences trying to convince Pilgrim that he was in want...
"But the man put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, crying, 'Life! life! eternal life!'"
- A conversation that Pilgrim has with one of his companions while in the dungeon of Doubting Castle (after having been captured by Giant Despair)...
"Pilgrim: Brother, what shall we do? The life we now live is miserable. For my part I know not whether it is best to live, or to die.
Hopeful: My brother, remember how valiant thou has been heretofore? Apollyan could not crush thee, nor could all that though didst hear, or see, or feel, in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. What hardship, terror and amazement hast thou already gone through...remember how thou playedst the man at Vanity Fair, and was neither afraid of the chain, nor cage, nor yet of bloody death?...
Now a little before it was day, good Christian (Pilgrim), as one half amazed, broke out in this passionate speech: What a fool am I, to live in a stinking dungeon when I may as well walk with liberty. I have a key in my bosom called Promise, that will open any lock in Doubting Castle."
And so...I am choosing to live in faith.
I have everything I need.
Grace and peace and the third way,
Kait
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Piglets
* This is another article that I wrote for AOG World Relief*
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘piglet’? Maybe you think…cute or dirty or ‘oink” or smelly or funny or bacon. Surely, many different images, ideas and thoughts come to mind. Let me ask you this though…do you ever think ‘life changing’?
Under our comprehensive child sponsorship program there is a livestock component. This aspect of the program gives one female piglet to the family of each child being sponsored. The piglet comes with the responsibility of raising and breeding as well as eventually paying forward two healthy pigs to a neighbor (the same responsibility of paying it forward is expected then from the neighbors). Through the breeding of the piglet, families are able to generate an income. It’s the age-old story of giving a man a fishing rod rather than giving him food for a day. The livestock program is an empowering program that enables a family to generate income for themselves as well as help their surrounding neighbors.
About 50 pigs were handed out in the Dai Hung village a little over a month ago. Though each pig is precious and each pig is life changing…there were two in particular that we wanted to check up on when we re-visited the village last week.
A church in Australia raised the funds to hand out this particular lot of pigs…and when the word ‘church’ is used it isn’t just in reference to the adults. Two of the pigs handed out last month were funded by the kids of this church in Australia. Those two pigs were the ones that we wanted to check up on!
The first pig, affectionately named “Be Be” was given to a family with 6 kids. When we saw it last week, it was doing quite well having gained 5 kilos in 1 month! It happily grunted and sat in a pen as we came and observed. We weren’t the only ones to come and observe though-shortly after our arrival about 15 family and neighbors came and watched! Imagine, about 20 people in a small home all because of a pig! When the mother of the home was asked, “What will you are able to do now that you have a pig?” She responded saying that she will be able to help her family but also stated how excited she was that this pig would allow her to help someone else.
We found the second pig doing just as well, bigger in fact than the first one! The mother of this household has three children and was also left with her brother’s two children. Though life is difficult, hope and resiliency remain etched on her face. She spoke of looking forward to the pig growing bigger and eventually changing her family’s economic state.
“Piglet”- cute or life changing? You tell me. Not to say that a piglet can’t be both, only to point out the power behind such a small animal. It has the potential to generate income, to empower a family and to weave a community together in a web of mutual help- all of that from a pig.
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘piglet’? Maybe you think…cute or dirty or ‘oink” or smelly or funny or bacon. Surely, many different images, ideas and thoughts come to mind. Let me ask you this though…do you ever think ‘life changing’?
Under our comprehensive child sponsorship program there is a livestock component. This aspect of the program gives one female piglet to the family of each child being sponsored. The piglet comes with the responsibility of raising and breeding as well as eventually paying forward two healthy pigs to a neighbor (the same responsibility of paying it forward is expected then from the neighbors). Through the breeding of the piglet, families are able to generate an income. It’s the age-old story of giving a man a fishing rod rather than giving him food for a day. The livestock program is an empowering program that enables a family to generate income for themselves as well as help their surrounding neighbors.
About 50 pigs were handed out in the Dai Hung village a little over a month ago. Though each pig is precious and each pig is life changing…there were two in particular that we wanted to check up on when we re-visited the village last week.
A church in Australia raised the funds to hand out this particular lot of pigs…and when the word ‘church’ is used it isn’t just in reference to the adults. Two of the pigs handed out last month were funded by the kids of this church in Australia. Those two pigs were the ones that we wanted to check up on!
The first pig, affectionately named “Be Be” was given to a family with 6 kids. When we saw it last week, it was doing quite well having gained 5 kilos in 1 month! It happily grunted and sat in a pen as we came and observed. We weren’t the only ones to come and observe though-shortly after our arrival about 15 family and neighbors came and watched! Imagine, about 20 people in a small home all because of a pig! When the mother of the home was asked, “What will you are able to do now that you have a pig?” She responded saying that she will be able to help her family but also stated how excited she was that this pig would allow her to help someone else.
We found the second pig doing just as well, bigger in fact than the first one! The mother of this household has three children and was also left with her brother’s two children. Though life is difficult, hope and resiliency remain etched on her face. She spoke of looking forward to the pig growing bigger and eventually changing her family’s economic state.
“Piglet”- cute or life changing? You tell me. Not to say that a piglet can’t be both, only to point out the power behind such a small animal. It has the potential to generate income, to empower a family and to weave a community together in a web of mutual help- all of that from a pig.
Monday, April 5, 2010
breathing
The ability to breath is an incredible thing. Truly. Yet, when was the last time you stopped to think about it? Isn’t it amazing that something so central to life…something so central to every second of our existence can remain so far from our thoughts?
I have found a new appreciation for breathing-sounds funny, right? My attention and conscious thought was drawn to the act of breathing all last week…consequently I am more grateful and aware of it.
Monday of last week started like any other day but about half way through I noticed a pressure on my chest. It felt as though someone was sitting on me and my body responded in spasms of pain if I dared breathe too deeply. I remember thinking that it was a very odd thing but tried not to spend too much time on the issue. The pain and pressure persisted on and off throughout the week. I had been hoping that it was just a weird fluke thing and that it would take care of itself.
Thursday evening came around and I was scheduled to start a brand new class. Not a new course, mind you, a new class- 16 brand new to English 3-5 year olds. With 15 minutes left to go, I turned to my TA and told her that I could not finish as my breathing had gotten to the point of short gasps accompanied by tremendous pain.
I called a friend who picked me up and took me to the hospital. While there they did an x-ray and EKG, both of which yielded nothing. I returned home very discouraged and in a lot of pain. Three of my housemates were sitting around the kitchen table and quickly sat me down to be prayed over. During the prayer time, I experienced significant release in my chest and was able to breathe much more deeply than I had in hours.
We prayed for about an hour and then went to bed. That night was rough. I hardly slept and any little movement sent my back, chest and sides into spasms. Two of my housemates came into my room early, sat with me and prayed. Within about an hour’s time, there were 10 people in my room. Ten beautiful people who had come to pray healing over me. After we prayed for a bit someone said that they felt the need to worship so what did we do? We went and grabbed the keyboard from Audrey’s room and had a worship service right there and then in my room
Essentially, I think the chest pains were a panic attack like I have never experienced before. Through the prayers and petitions of my beautiful brothers and sisters, those both physically present and present in spirit, I was freed. I went from being bed-ridden, hardly able to move…to within a matter of hours, showering and going out for lunch.
Isn’t that what the church is all about?
People gathering together to call on the power and authority of the Lord.
People living life alongside one another.
People being healed.
People being freed.
More of the Kingdom of Heaven being brought to earth.
So…breathing. I am a fan.
And this Easter I awoke with a new gratitude for resurrection. Last week felt like a slow death, but the body of believers that surrounded me embodied Jesus. They called me out of death and into new life.
He has risen.
He has risen INDEED.
Grace and peace and the third way,
Kait
I have found a new appreciation for breathing-sounds funny, right? My attention and conscious thought was drawn to the act of breathing all last week…consequently I am more grateful and aware of it.
Monday of last week started like any other day but about half way through I noticed a pressure on my chest. It felt as though someone was sitting on me and my body responded in spasms of pain if I dared breathe too deeply. I remember thinking that it was a very odd thing but tried not to spend too much time on the issue. The pain and pressure persisted on and off throughout the week. I had been hoping that it was just a weird fluke thing and that it would take care of itself.
Thursday evening came around and I was scheduled to start a brand new class. Not a new course, mind you, a new class- 16 brand new to English 3-5 year olds. With 15 minutes left to go, I turned to my TA and told her that I could not finish as my breathing had gotten to the point of short gasps accompanied by tremendous pain.
I called a friend who picked me up and took me to the hospital. While there they did an x-ray and EKG, both of which yielded nothing. I returned home very discouraged and in a lot of pain. Three of my housemates were sitting around the kitchen table and quickly sat me down to be prayed over. During the prayer time, I experienced significant release in my chest and was able to breathe much more deeply than I had in hours.
We prayed for about an hour and then went to bed. That night was rough. I hardly slept and any little movement sent my back, chest and sides into spasms. Two of my housemates came into my room early, sat with me and prayed. Within about an hour’s time, there were 10 people in my room. Ten beautiful people who had come to pray healing over me. After we prayed for a bit someone said that they felt the need to worship so what did we do? We went and grabbed the keyboard from Audrey’s room and had a worship service right there and then in my room
Essentially, I think the chest pains were a panic attack like I have never experienced before. Through the prayers and petitions of my beautiful brothers and sisters, those both physically present and present in spirit, I was freed. I went from being bed-ridden, hardly able to move…to within a matter of hours, showering and going out for lunch.
Isn’t that what the church is all about?
People gathering together to call on the power and authority of the Lord.
People living life alongside one another.
People being healed.
People being freed.
More of the Kingdom of Heaven being brought to earth.
So…breathing. I am a fan.
And this Easter I awoke with a new gratitude for resurrection. Last week felt like a slow death, but the body of believers that surrounded me embodied Jesus. They called me out of death and into new life.
He has risen.
He has risen INDEED.
Grace and peace and the third way,
Kait
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