waiting... for the One who brings a new song

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry.

He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure.

He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.

psalm 40:1-3

*waiting...to become child-like

Jesus associates child-like eyes with our ability to see the kingdom of God in our lives and the world around us. On Saturday I invited the kids at ROJ to make Christmas cards to go with the gifts that we are giving to residents of a local teen homeless shelter. I told the ROJ kids that these children will not be spending this Christmas with their moms and dads.

The card below reflects child-like kingdom vision, where the only reason that a child would not be with their parent(s) on Christmas is because they were somehow lost and unable to find their way home.




The hope we share in Christmas is that a lost and broken world, rife with the troubles of tattered personal relationships, shattered dreams, financial worries, disease, death and despair; would find rest and peace in finding her way home through a baby who lies in a manger.

waiting...on the world to change

I think John Mayer has humanity pegged in identifying our inability to change the world on our own. You can be an armchair critic, a passionate and zealous advocate, or and indifferent clod. None of these will change the world.

The good news for the world is that we don't have to change the world because Christ already has! This is why we celebrate Christmas, because the light that causes darkness to hide has entered the world for the sake of the world.

Our challenge as those who have heard this news is one of faith: to believe this God-directed change is underway and that Christ is in charge, to identify where this brightening of the world is happening, and participate as we live into this changing of the world.

Such a life of faith ushers in peace and joy as we join in a conspiracy of change that gives life and hope to a waiting world.

waiting... with the voice of the homeless

I gave away my first glovebox bundle last night as we headed downtown to a concert. Three things about sharing this gift are stuck in my mind. First, the man’s voice saying over and over again “thank you, thank you, thank you” as we pulled away from the curb. It is a voice that will stick with me for a long time. Second, what seemed like a scene in slow motion as I was watching him in the side view mirror as he intently examined the bag and then looked up in wonder as we were driving away. And third, how the Christmas music seemed to touch me in a deeper part of my being.

Kinda weird huh?

Click here to visit the Love in the Glovebox website and see how you can share love one stoplight at a time.

*better days through forgiveness?

What do you want for Christmas this year?

"Boxes wrapped in strings and empty things?" Or something more? Something bigger? Something more meaningful and deeper?

Can we have a better Christmas through the gift of "faith, and trust, and peace" as we strive to live a life where the world begins anew with the "one poor child who saved the world?"

And you asked me what I want this year
and I try to make this kind and clear
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
and designer love and empty things
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I need some place simple where we could live
and something only you can give
and that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
and the one poor child who saved this world
and there's ten million more who probably could
if we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
and somehow stop this endless fight
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

'cause tonight's the night the world begins again