Blind Faith?

In what do you put your faith? For as long as I can remember I have had a great sense of direction. When my great aunt was alive, she would tell stories about how, when I was just 3, I let her know when we were lost and driving in circles in New York City.

Well...confession time...today I was headed from my house in Columbus to see my sister and her family outside of Philadelphia. Dad told me to drive his car since it gets better mileage than mine and has the GPS. He swears by his GPS. So instead of doing my usual "Map quest" printouts, by blind faith, I decided to let Mildred (that's what we named to "lady" in the GPS) to lead me safely there.

To quote Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman", "Big mistake! HUGE!"

I turned on the car and turned off my brain. Mildred said "turn", I turned. Mildred said "exit", I exited. The next thing I knew, I was approaching Marietta - which is NOT along the route that I am supposed to be following. I called Dad. I won't tell you exactly what he said to me, but needless to say, I confirmed the route I was supposed to be taking.

I turned around (Mildred's detour cost me an extra hour and a half on my journey). She kept telling me to get off and go the other direction. But this time I had the details, was in contact with someone who had driven the route many times before, who I could call upon when confused, and knew the way I was supposed to be going.

The next 6 1/2 hours, Mildred kept trying to tell me to get off the road and go another direction. A couple of times I checked in with Dad to confirm that yes, I was still really going the way I was supposed to. And finally, FINALLY, I arrived.

How many times in life do we blindly go along, basing our thoughts, opinions, and critical decisions on what someone else says, on an article we read, a news report we see, an innuendo someone makes? I don't know about you, but I'm finding it more and more difficult to discern what our culture believes to be truth, and I'm not sure that I want to buy into its definition.

What do you put your faith in? Where do you consult to make sure you're staying on the right "route"? Might I recommend the Bible? It doesn't change, if you consult it - and let it - it'll direct your steps. It'll even let you know when you need to make a u-turn. If you have an opportunity to participate in it, I would encourage you to check out The Truth Project. It'll help to open your eyes and clarify your route.

(By the way, my nephew thinks that the reason the GPS kept leading me astray was because she didn't like her name...he has renamed her "Annie"...we'll see if the name change makes a difference.)

What is YOUR passion?

What is your passion? What keeps the wheels in your head going round and round...even when your body is saying "it is time to sleep"? I have been having a lot of those kinds of nights lately, and I think it is a direct result of all of the passionate people that I have been meeting and spending time with.

Take my friend, Karen Burkhart, for example. Karen has one of those absolutely spectacular voices that I think can only be described as a gift of God. One of her passions is to use her voice in celebration of her faith and to bring people into a time of praise and worship. Karen launched her debut CD this past spring - you can listen to some of it on her website! (Karen is from across our northern border and will find out on August 27 if she has won one of Canada's awards for Christian artists! GO KAREN!!)

Karen and I went to dinner the other night and through the course of our courses, spent time talking about a vision she has for developing a special time of singing and worship. A time where people can come together and sing and celebrate and praise and worship. A time where we're not bound by a certain number of allotted minutes for announcements, for offering, for the sermon...in order to get out of service in time for the next one to begin. A couple of years ago my church had a time like this as we were celebrating our Jubilee and bringing forward some pretty significant gifts. I remember leaving that time thinking - "WOW! I have no doubt that God was there and directing the choir of angels!" It was one of those goose-bumpy times when you knew something special was going on. (I'm by no means saying that I haven't felt God at church since then, that was just an example of one of those really amazing times.)

Ever since our dinner, I've found myself thinking about how often we allow our passion, our mission, our ministry, our faith, our ________ (you fill in the box) to become limited because we have only allotted a certain amount of time. What would happen if we just said, "OK, God. It's all yours. I've got other stuff going on, but I'm going to let you take the lead and I'm REALLY going to follow you. I'm going to resist the temptation to apply my definitions, my calendar, the limits of my mind."

What could...would...really happen if we were to get out of our own way and let His will be done? I know that I'm in my own way ALL THE TIME! Whether it be with my weight, my quiet times, my fund raising, my relationships...you name it...the #1 roadblock tends to be me.

Part of the reason for the name Into the Field is because I believe that we're all called to go out into the field to serve. The field is going to be different for each of us. For Karen it may be music. For Doug it might be with orphans. For my Dad it might be in prison ministry. The key thing is for us to go out.

I'd like to put forth this challenge...think about...pray about...what really is your passion? What is your "field"? Try to determine what are some of the ways that you are the "road block" and keeping great things from happening. Once you've figure some of them out, move 'em. Challenge yourself to get out of the way. Let go and let God. And see what will happen. I think we might all be surprised.

Oh..stay tuned...don't be surprised if Karen's vision and passion for a special time of praise and worship comes to be...I'll let you know...!

It's a Small World After All...

My nephews (and their parents) just returned from a fantastic trip to Magic Kingdom where they (ages 4, 6, 36, and 36) experienced all of the wonder and excitement that Mickey and his friends have to offer kids of all ages.

The 4 year old told me that one of his favorite rides was the beloved "It's a Small World." (Ok...are you singing the song in your head?). I've been thinking a lot lately about how small our world really is.

Two months ago I wouldn't have said that I knew anyone working with orphans. Now, I know four. It started with Doug who founded Orphan World Relief. Then I met Julie who founded doma. Turns out that Doug and Julie (and her husband, Dan) know a lot of the same people but had never been able to connect face-to-face with each other.

I was talking with my dad about my upcoming trip to the Ukraine (with doma) and he said that I should meet his friend, Alex, who grew up as an Orphan in Russia. Turns out that "Dad's Alex" is "Doug's Alex". (Doug and Orphan World Relief work with and support Alex's organization - The Harbor - in Russia.)

When Doug and I were meeting, he suggested that I get in touch with Vicki who has an orphan ministry for children with HIV/AIDS (Montana de Luz) in Honduras. I'm meeting with Vicki in 2 weeks. I want to see about introducing Vicki to Heart to Honduras (who is celebrating their 20th anniversary and with whom I participated in a short-term trip in January).

And I want to introduce Vicki and Heart to Honduras to Mike (who lives in South Carolina and who I met through another loop'd-loop connection) who has a ministry called Reading is Power which works to get books to rural Spanish speaking communities. (If you're going on a mission trip somewhere where they speak Spanish, Mike has developed these great "libraries in a box" which meet airline requirements for a 2nd piece of luggage...might be a great gift for you to take with you to those you're going to serve!!!)

Phew...no wonder I'm feeling tired (in a very good way)...hearing the song repeat over and over in my head accompanied by images of the little children dressed in their native clothing...for such a big planet, it sure is a small world! Especially when you're working to serve others and live your life faithfully! How small is your world?

Celebrating? ABSOLUTELY

Today I am celebrating. One year ago today I left my full time job to more intentionally serve others on a daily basis. Into the Field was formally established on May 1, 2008, but on August 1, 2008, it became my "job". (I put "job" in quotes, because I believe that anytime you're doing something you love and are called to, it doesn't seem as much like a job, but rather a joy.)

I've been asked if I knew then what I know now about what was going to happen in our economy (think back to the balances in your portfolio in July and then October/November), would I still have quit my job. My response, "ABSOLUTELY".

Are my financial accounts a bit slimmer? ABSOLUTELY.

Has fundraising for Into the Field and some of the other ministries I'm working with been more challenging than I anticipated (primarily given the significant changes in the economy)? ABSOLUTELY.

Have I met some incredible people? ABSOLUTELY.

Have I stood in humbled awe of the amazing ways that people are serving others around the corner and around the world? ABSOLUTELY.

Would people say that I'm a happier person today than I was a year ago? ABSOLUTELY.

Am I excited to see what God has in store and where and how He'll lead me next? ABSOLUTELY.

God is good.