Lifeline Action

Its easy to forget
We belong to the human race
Stuck to the end of a device
We would rather go on any social media and press like
Not enough motivation and conviction
to go out and turn that like into reality
Pouring out ourselves for the sake of another
We'd rather not be bothered
But Hope is not lost

A generation will rise
and realize
that if the world is to change
we can't press a button
make our fault and guilt go away

We need to unplug
acknowledge the person sitting, standing around us
in need
of a voice to speak in compassion and truth
of eyes to see beyond their current faults
of an ear to listen to their story and their hearts

Lifeline: Selfishness

Forcing things to be what you want them to be is selfish. We are such self-centered human beings. Take a step back and notice the motivation for your actions and you will recognize the selfish patterns that arise. From the smallest decision to the most important we are filled with thoughts of what we desire. We often are so blinded by our own wants we ignore the needs or emotions of anyone else around us. Thus often leading us to lose what we attempted to gain in the first place. This is most certainly true and most apparent for those of us who Love God.

Our will is almost never in tune with God's will especially when we lack a prayer life. How can we even know God's will if we are not having alone time with Him. Just like we can't get to know that awesome guy or cool girl (depending on who's reading this)  we have been dying to learn more about we cannot know God's heart and his will for our life if we superimpose only me time over we time with God.

Out of several weeks of reflection and of quiet time often leading to painful amazing moments of self-realization, I come to a conclusion: if we are to avoid selfishness we have to be honest with ourselves. But beyond the honesty is the praying for perseverance and strength to choose God, to choose to have his will supersede our own. Like I said its even in the small things and the mundane every day decisions in which our selfish heart resides we have to give to God's will.

Should I order the Big Mack and 20 piece Chicken McNuggets or just two or 1 wrap?
Should I go to the coffee shop and spend the money I am trying to save because God has called me to save for a bigger plan I cannot see at this moment?
Should I stay in and rest or keep going because I become afraid life is happening without me?
Do I say hi to the person who is passing me by or keep walking as if I never saw them?
Do I avoid the places in which I ultimately only go to fulfill my own desires while God clearly wants me to be somewhere else?
The deeper question of course is:

Do I ignore my calling to serve to serve myself?

God needs all of us and the sooner we start to recognize and see in what areas we are being selfish the sooner we'll be ready to be the transformative force our towns and cities need. But most importantly the closer we will be to getting lost in a better life with Christ.

Lifeline: Friend

Our friendship is a silver lining
Stemming from heartache

It was meant to be
that during this season of my life
I could be a friend to you and you to me

It was more than coincidence
but rather God's own providence
That when I thought I would not find anyone to understand
In my life I found you friend

Lifeline: Puzzle Pieces

When I was younger I was fascinated by puzzles. My first encounter was with the simple wooden school puzzles, but my very own first puzzle was about dinosaurs. For my five yearl-old self it was, hands down, the best puzzle of all time. Unfortunately, my mind cannot go back that far but I like to think I finished that puzzle in a mere day.

Puzzles transfix me in time and hours are like minutes and minutes like seconds.

Recently, my brother bought me a new special edition Thomas Kinkade puzzle of Beauty and the Beast. Oh Disney, in some regards you disappoint me, but Belle's character spoke to my heart at an early age. She became my favorite princesses because she loved to read and gave someone the opportunity to be loved and accepted. 

Now, as I sit down to begin putting this puzzle together and attempt to place each piece in its rightful place, I start to make connections between life and this processes. I think about how patient we have to be as we encounter each puzzle piece and as we ask ourselves where will it fit. In a like manner we have to be patient in life as we find ourselves in situations that are not clear. If we lack the patience to take our time and fit the pieces together carefully we are likely to damage each piece. Similarly if we try to make the pieces of our life fit together when they are obviously not meant to we risk encountering much pain. Often, in futile efforts we try to place a piece of the puzzle in the wrong place pushing it and jamming it in until the piece itself is rendered useless. Sadly, when we finally realize we were rash in our pursuit and attempt to take the unsuited puzzle pieces apart from each other we are left not only with one damaged piece, but all those around it. 

How many times don't we do that with our life? More times than I would like to admit, in my blindness and ardent desire to see the whole picture I have tried to make the pieces of my life fit in my own way without patience. I have opted to ignore all common sense and God's guiding hand.

So, it is better to take your time when you are putting the puzzle pieces together. Then, slowly but surely the puzzle will start to make sense and more and more of the puzzle will become one.

It is now my time to breathe and take in what is around me and focus on the beauty of life I often miss, so that even when there is pain and confusion and chaos in my mind I will take my time and stop rushing around just to see the whole picture. Glimpses are fun and getting some pieces wrong is not the end of the world, but if by being patient I can avoid not only harm to myself but to those around me then my pursuit will be to lay each piece in its due time slowly and gently.