Journey

Last night I attended Q Commons.  There was an overwhelming amount of thoughts, ideas and reflections shared in a span of two hours.  While I had a lot of thoughts and feelings swirling around in my head, I left with one word in the forefront: journey.

I feel like this word has been particularly significant in my own life lately as I start to recognize, and have the courage to act on, promptings from the Holy Spirit.  I think most of us have a tendency to run our own lives.  We don't stop long enough to listen for the Holy Spirit, or even on the off chance that we might stop to listen, we aren't all that sure that we actually sure we want to go on the journey we're being invited on and we decline the invitation.

Every prompting from the Holy Spirit is like another voice command from your GPS, inviting you to come along, to experience life to the fullest.

I have a coffee mug at work that I purchased about 10 years ago at a Christian women's conference.  On one side, it says Journey, on the other is Jeremiah 29:11

  

This verse has become some what of a battle cry in the evangelical world.  We find it comforting when life gets uncertain and we're not quite sure where to go next.  We find hope when it feels like things are spinning out of control.  I think all of these things are good, but they completely miss the contextual meaning of the verse.

As I was thinking about this on my drive home last night, I was eager to open up my Bible and dig into what was going on before and after this verse.  It is very clear immediately, who these words were meant for.

These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)

Jeremiah, a prophet, was delivering words that God had given them to people who had been sent to a foreign land.  God was giving them plans for their life in this place of exile, where they would be for a while.

For thus says the  Lord : When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. (vs 10)

The people that these words were meant for were living in an foreign land, Jews among gentiles.  What I found in verse seven was particularly interesting

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the  Lord  on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (vs 7)

Interesting.  This same word, welfare, is used instead of prosper in the ESV translation of Jeremiah 29:11.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the  Lord , plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.  You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the  Lord , and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the  Lord , and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. (vs 11-14)

Even more interesting to me was the note in my Bible on this word.  The Hebrew word being used is shalom, meaning complete peace and well-being for a group of people.

I was profoundly impacted by the fact that their welfare, their peace, their future, their hope, was dependent on the welfare that they brought to Babylon.  They had to first bring blessing to the Gentiles before God would bring blessing to them. 

What if we brought this back?  What if our prosperity, wealth, health, future and hope was only as promising as it was for everyone in our community, how would that change things for you?  Would things look better?  Would things look worse?

The opportunity to bring peace, welfare and hope among our neighbors is endless.  I needed this reminder that this journey, this faith, it isn't about me.  Sure, it markets really well when we swing it that way, everyone wants to improve their life, ensuring the best for themselves and their families.  Evangelical churches today have gotten really good at selling the God of personal gain, but I feel God calling us back to be a people not concerned with our own welfare, but the welfare of our communities. 

This brings a sense of solidarity, of wholeness, of being one.  It allows us to see our neighbors as someone created in the image of God, regardless of their beliefs, culture or attitude.  God isn't just concerned about the welfare of Christians, he is concerned about the welfare of EVERYONE. Period.

This requires action.  This requires building bridges.  This requires relationships.

I recently read something by Brennan Manning in the book, A Glimpse of Jesus: The Stranger to Self-Hatred that has stuck with me.

Biblical compassion, combining heartfelt emotion with active relief for the suffering, transcends psychological personalism and privatized pity to enter into the very heart and mystery of God.  Clearminded, hard-hearted, and softhearted, Jesus revealed in his ministry of mercy the face of the compassionate God.

To be like Jesus requires us to act.  Thinking about the outcast, the widow, the poor and the powerless does nothing.  We are called to action.  

I challenge you today, just as I have challenged myself, to listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit, listen for God calling you on a journey.  Listen for the opportunity to bring welfare and hope to someone who needs it desperately.  When the opportunity comes, accept it, trust it, go for it.  Dive heart first into the chance to enter into the heart and mystery of God, you won't be disappointed. 

Continue Reading...

God is Good, ALL THE TIME!

Wow.


It has been a day.


I'm still collecting my thoughts, and although so much of the day seems like a blur, there is so much good.


I really wasn't sure how today was going to go, I think you all know that.  But we had the fun added extra bag of nerves that comes with a 4 year old who was throwing up most of the night.  All I knew was that he kept waking up crying and James took care of him every time.  I asked James during the middle of the night if he knew what his deal was and he just said no, then when I woke up, he told me the truth.  So far he's the only one that has been impacted, so we're hoping it was something he ate.


I headed out the door at 6am and James drove me to the church where we were having a pre-race worship service.  We were waiting in a line of cars to turn when my stomach started doing some pretty terrible things so I bailed and found the nearest porta potty.....just in time. 


I got so many fantastic hugs and well wishes at the church.  I even got the chance to hug and meet up with a friend from high school who was also running (and she CRUSHED it by the way - Nice job J.B....I know it is J.S. know, but you'll always be J.B. to me).


Worship was fantastic.  One of my teammates delivered a fantastic message on Isaiah 40:31, it captured so much of why I felt God was calling me to run this and I was in tears, soaking it all in. 


After worship we headed over to our team photo opportunity, where I also got more great hugs.  After the photo it was time to drop our bags and get in line....even more hugs!  Seriously, Team World Vision is a life changer for me.  I don't think I've ever grown to love a group of people outside of my family more than I love all of my teammates.  While we were lined up, the same teammate who delivered the amazing message stopped to pray over me, it was much appreciated and needed.




After waiting around for a while, we were off.  The first 10 miles were easy and went by really quickly.  After that, things progressively went down hill.  Miles 11 through 19 are kind of a blur, but the spectators, they are amazing!  If you ever want to restore your faith in humanity, run a marathon, or spectate a marathon, complete strangers cheer REALLY hard for you.  At one point, I think it was around mile 11 or 12, I passed by a man who cheered really loud for me, and then when I got passed him, I could hear him telling the other people he was with that he was just so proud of me.  I've never met this man, he knew nothing at all about me, but to hear a complete stranger say he was proud of me made me cry big giant tears.


I was so excited to see my family at mile 16, I was starting to feel pretty rough at this point, so it was a treat to see all of their smiling faces. 

There is a great story behind this.  Earlier this spring, I read the DOs and DO NOTs of running a marathon by The Oatmeal.  I said I was gonna need someone to hold up a sign of Godzilla at mile 11 and my husband delivered.  Go read it, you'll laugh.

After crossing over the Franklin Bridge at mile 19, my quads started cramping really badly.  I honestly didn't know if I was going to make it, but I took some of my Margarita Cliff Shot Blocks (they are a gift from God) and it seemed to help a bit, but the cramps would come back every once in a while.  Miles 19 through 22 were really, really rough.  At mile 22, I saw a familiar face for the 3rd time.  My friend Kari asked if I was going to do this thing and I said, "I'm really not sure, my legs are cramping really bad."  She encouraged me to keep going and said a bunch of other really great things that I can't even remember anymore, but it was so incredibly needed in that moment.  Shortly after I passed by her, the cramps were gone and didn't return, and the song "Oceans" came on.....and I knew God was with me.


I kept looking at my watch and doing the math in my head to try to figure out if I could keep my pace going to get to the finish line in time.  With each mile marker that passed, it seemed possible, but only if I pushed myself really hard, which was getting increasingly harder with each step.  


When I turned the corner to start heading towards the really long hill to the finish line, I saw Bradley, the guy who leads Team World Vision - Twin Cities, running towards me.  He said - "You've got this, you're going to finish this thing."  I think I was too tired to really cry, but I was feeling all kinds of emotions at that moment.  Shortly after he joined me, I saw Scott, my team's coach, who just got done running 26.2 miles coming to join me as well.  Scott ran injured, so to have him come back and run me into the finish line filled me with overwhelming gratitude.  When you run with a team, it is about so much more than you finishing the race.  Both of these guys demonstrate Jesus' sacrificial love so perfectly, I'm lucky to know them.

Me and Scott Post Race

Eventually, I made my way down the hill and saw my family and every so slowly made my way across the finish line.  It was amazing.  At least as amazing as something can be when your legs don't want to work anymore and you have blisters the size of Paris on your feet.  (FYI, Thorlos, you suck!)

All I was looking for was to cross the finish line and not get booted off the course.  Done.

I got my medal, my snacks and made my way through the finish area to get my t-shirt and I saw some friends from the team and got some great hugs!  As I was on my way back to the Team World Vision tent, I saw my friend Sinead.  We got to share a quick, tearful hug after we both finished our first marathon.  It was beautiful.  Honestly, I think I would have thrown in the towel on this marathon thing so long ago if she wasn't encouraging me.  I think she believed stronger than I did that I would finish this thing, so it was so wonderful to see her. 


When I finally made it to the tent, I got even more hugs and eventually a piece of cake.  I got to take some pictures with my family and compose myself before making the journey back to the car.....just a few blocks is really far.


When I got back to the car, I turned my phone on and saw that I had a text.  I was speechless, shocked, in awe and just stared, crying.  Someone anonymously gave $500 towards my goal, water for 10 people!  If you gave this donation and you are reading this, YOU ARE A HERO, you put the icing on the cake for this day.  I just hobbled along for 26.2 miles, but you and all of the other donors made crossing that finish line and all the pain I was (and still am) feeling completely worth it. 

By the way - even though I'm at 100% and the race is done, you can still give!  You can still be a hero and change a life.


I know that the only way I was able to complete this was with all of the prayers and love that has been poured out on me over the past few weeks.  I know I'm not always great at giving it back, so please know that it was very much appreciated.  For every one of you that gave me a hug this weekend and said that you were praying for me or that you could relate to my story - THANK YOU!  I love you all! 


Finally, HOW AWESOME IS OUR GOD!!!!


Seriously, I think about all of the ways that he has guided me over the past 2 1/2 years.  I don't doubt for a second that he was preparing me for this day.  There are just way to many things that connect so perfectly.  Back in January 2012, I promised God that if he would help me battle my addiction to food and help me get healthy, that I would do it for His glory.  Today was all God, he orchestrated every last bit of this day and I will forever be grateful.  He has proved once again to be faithful, and my faith is so rock solid right now. 


So much more I could say, but I'll save it for another day.  Thank you all!

Continue Reading...

Unstoppable

Tomorrow is the day that has been on my mind since January.  Nine months I have waited for this day, just as I waited for each of my precious babies to be born. 


I wanted to write something super inspiring tonight, but my head isn't clear enough.  There are all kinds of thoughts swirling through it.  So I'll just reflect on a few things.


This morning, my husband ran the TC 5K, it was his first race and he did a great job, I'm super proud of him.

The finish line for the 5K is the same as the finish line I will cross tomorrow, so I found myself getting pretty emotional a few times.  I have crossed it once before, in 2012, when I did the TC 10K.

I remember when running 6.2 miles seemed impossible.  After training for a marathon, 6 miles is a "shorter" run.

I am feeling a lot of emotions right now, but I think the most prevalent is excitement.  I believe so strongly that God is working through all of this, I can't wait to see what he does tomorrow. 

I've been reading two books lately that I feel have really prepared my heart for the journey I will take tomorrow.  A Glimpse of Jesus: The Stranger to Self-Hatred by Brennan Manning and Unstoppable by Christine Caine.

I highlighted so much in both of them, but I wanted to share a few of the quotes that have been on my mind as I prepare for tomorrow.

"When a disciple's every response, word, and decision is motivated by compassion, he has "put on Christ" and walks in the way of integrity.  Biblically, compassion means action." - Brennan Manning

"When we learn to focus on who God is rather than on what we are not, we see that it is God who is working in us to do the very thing he has purposed to do in our lives.  As we learn to run the race, accept his batons, and submit to his training, God's work in and through us is always growing and increasing.  Christ in us becomes an unstoppable force in our lives and is spilled out into the lives of others."  Christine Caine

I couldn't think of more appropriate words for what the last nine months have been about.


I would still greatly appreciate your prayers.  Mostly for my mind to stay positive and my focus on God and why I am running.  My right hip, left foot and left knee are all still a bit achy and sore, so I'm hoping that any trouble they give me tomorrow can be pushed through.  Pray for our entire team, I have grown to love the people that I am running with, I am just as excited for them to run and finish tomorrow.  Pray for the people who are being blessed with the water we are running for, that they would feel the love behind it and know that they are valued and loved.  Pray that it would be so completely obvious that God is doing something big here.


If you want to track me tomorrow, you can sign up here: http://athletetracker.cloudapp.net/ - I am listed as Tamara Kasal.

Thank you all so much for following along on this journey.  I look forward to updating you on the race!

Continue Reading...