Amazing Grace - Lessons for today

I love the movie Amazing Grace. And recently when watching it again I noticed a couple things I want to emulate about William Wilberforce.

1. His good friend spurred him on. Willam Pitt became Prime Minister during the period Wilbeforce was up against slave traders in Parliament. His friend indulged his thoughts and ideas. He brainstormed along side him and even did some work while Wilberforce was out sick for a period of time. Without his friend's help in soliciting votes, the law might not have passed. His friend was instrumental in his success and in his life as a freedom fighter. Pitt believed in Wilberforce's call to this mission and sought to propel and help him as much as he could.

2. He had a mentor. John Newton provided wisdom, guidance, and the needed push to keep Wilberforce going in a life of politics. Wilberforce wavered with pursuing a religious life rather than a political one and needed supporters who had his back throughout the tumult of getting the motion to law.

3. His spouse challenged him. While he didn't marry until in his late 30's, he did so to a woman who was already behind his cause. She encouraged his persistence and reminded him what he'd accomplished thus far.

4. He persevered through physical  illness and carried the burdens of many he'd never met.It's believed that William Wilberforce suffered from ulcerative colitis which was only treated back then with opium. It was stress-induced and with him most of his life. In addition, he was plagued by nightmares of slaves in their slave quarters on ships.

These choices and relationships were critical to him fulfilling the mission God gave him. He was surrounded by God's love in the form of these people who provided challenge and support at just the right moments. I recently heard the president of International Justice Mission at the Justice Conference. Gary Haugen spoke about how the work of justice "is long and boring" and the great persistence of the people who work with his organization. It's not a glamorous thing to do, but it's a worthy thing to do. I think about that phrase often - the work of justice is long and boring - it is reflected in the life of William Wilberforce, Lincoln and many others who allow the work of justice to sink deep into their souls. Thank God for them. May we all learn from their work and grow in our ability to persevere as God seeks to use our lives for His glory and to love a world that doesn't acknowledge him.

Wine, Resumes, Margins and Metahpors - Oh My.

Do you ever stop to think about what you want to be like? Stop to mediate on what God has uniquely gifted you with? I hope so. When I do, I usually reflect and see things in my life that don't reinforce the "me I want to be" (thanks John Ortberg) Recently the word margin has been ringing in my ears as I scramble to increase my productivity in work and life. I need more margin but I also want to make good use of the life space I have.

I edit resumes all the time. I mean all the time! And I've come to have my preferences when it comes to formatting - .7 margins, 11pt font, no extra spaces after paragraphs, the black circle bullets, etc. These preferences have purpose - increase readability, attractiveness, inviting, clean and concise. In my conversations with students I find I have to help them reword, prioritize, and eliminate excess, unrelated or superfluous words.

Right now I need a life resume review :) I was told many years ago to "work smarter not harder" and have tried to hold to that ideal and create healthy work boundaries. So far, I think I've done this rather well. I have consistently maintained a social life while adjusting to my work life after college. I've even found myself helping others face this reality. I've made hard choices in how I spend my time. I've done it.

The thing I notice now is - while I have done it, it doesn't just stay done. I have to stay on guard by sneaky margins and misplaced punctuations.

Tonight I attended a talk from author Doc Hendley who is founder of Wine to Water, a nonprofit that provides clean drinking water to people all over the world. Tonight he spoke primarily to college freshmen who read his book as the summer read. It was a fun environment full of earnest and hope. The students had good questions and were engaged in what he had to say. He was clear that he's just a normal guy who chose to try something and it turned into this nonprofit that has helped thousands of people and perhaps even saved their lives. His passion is obvious and each time he quotes a statistic on access to clean water or the realities of not having it, I get choked up and have to bite my lower lip to keep from confusing all those around me who aren't getting emotional. Something just resonates within me and I know the Holy Spirit is doing something. I have wanted to go to Africa for a while and in the past year God has brought me more and more opportunities to explore others stories, learn more history, see films and read books regarding Africa. I even know some people who live there. When Doc spoke about his time in Darfur and Uganda, he had a few slides of photos. Each one I saw my stomach clenched and I just kept thinking - I need to go and see it. I just do.

Right now I am in the in-between of 1. knowing I need more margin to give the Holy Spirit more room to move and 2. living in overdrive pursuing things that are important, but maybe not MOST important. Steven Covey always talked about "keeping first things first" and it's so much easier to say than to do. As soon as I want a break from being intentional, my priorities get skewed and my life gets rearranged into something not worth writing about. I want to go to Africa before I'm 30 (or at least have the money and the date arranged by then). I want to do it now because I think it's somehow part of my story. I've LOVED the travel God has brought to my life and every time I go someplace new I'm changed a little. I need more margin to allow room fro God to change me more into the "way I was made" (thanks Chris Tomlin).

Until next time. Oh and you can bet I'll be buying some wine from Wine to Water soon :)

Injustice Shuts Its Mouth.

I attended a gala last week. When I first heard it was a gala, I thought, how lovely! I'd been reading a lot of old English literature and I pictured a Pride and Prejudice type event. I invited my friend Tara and we planned to attend.

We arrived at Castle McCullough after a full day of work and enjoyed the sites and sounds as we bid on silent auction items (Tara won a painting) and listened to musicians. The program was a fundraiser for World Relief and to increase efforts to fight human trafficking. I honestly can't remember how I first found out about this event, I've just been telling people I follow a lot of "this kind of stuff" on twitter and like it on Facebook. The "kind of stuff" I am referring to are social justice issues and causes I care about.

The tone of the evening was hard to describe. But here is my attempt.

Maybe intense? - A survivor of trafficking courageously shared her story including more than a decade of forced prostitution, coercion by her pimp and drug addiction. I think everyone had tears in their eyes.

Maybe  inspiring? - We heard Spoken Word and a lament which point us back to God's faithfulness and love for His people.

Maybe hopeful? - The CEO of World Relief, Stephan Bauman shared his vision for a world free from slavery and reminded us of Wilberforce and the things we've accomplished thus far. 

Maybe igniting? - I spent a couple hours in a room full of people who care about making a difference in our world today. I ended up at a table with the former president and a regional director of World Relief. I signed up for a taskforce and found this other event I may attend soon. 

I've shared with several friends that one day I'd like to run or create a nonprofit and thus far have been looking for those clues God has so graciously revealed over the past several years. I think this even was perhaps a clue. I'm excited for this catalyst and want to keep seeking God's face for what He may be leading me toward. 

Stephan Bauman shared Job 5:16 as part of his vision and as our call to action. Let us pursue God and his love for all people so that injustice shuts its mouth!

According to the UNODC, Human Trafficking is a crime against humanity. It involves an act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a person through a use of force, coercion or other means, for the purpose of exploiting them. If you're wondering what World Relief (in High Point NC) does, check out Human Trafficking Advocacy

And to end things well, check out one of the performances Micah Bournes did at the event:

Lent - Sacrafice - Calling - Captain Planet :)

This Lenten season I've been following the World Vision ACT:S Relentless Acts of Sacrifice series that has emailed me weekly challenges that help me to consider sacrifice and incorporate it in different ways into my life. It's been overwhelming and awesome. I've participated peripherally and have saved everything so that I can continue to consider all the components they've compiled. It's great stuff.
One thing I watched tonight was a video on this week's theme: Sacrifice What Calls You. As a career counselor and someone intensely interested in our calling as Christians, I watched :) I want to share it with you because it's one man's story but he has some awesome points to ponder. And he uses great metaphors :) Here's one.

"I was disapointed by my calling and the perfect metaphor was Monty from Captain Planet."

It's a Vimeo and you can watch it here




And for an overview of this week's challenge (and some great comments by activists on calling) see this one

I want to be more like these people and look for ways to use my gifts, job, life, choices to pursue justice for our world in light of Jesus' love and sacrifice.