A few thoughts...

A few of you have watched the Starving Jesus documentary. I think there are mixed responses. I like the controversy! First of all I think it's a great documentary to get us thinking. The film seems to shift about half-way through and focus more on the struggles of the 40 day fast that these 2 guys are on. It also gives us a deeper look into some of the relational aspects of the friendship of these two guys and how they work out conflict, I found this rather intriguing. The essential message is to get off the pew and start reaching your community. I believe that this is at the core of Jesus' teaching......not so much the pew part but reaching the community, loving people, serving them. These guys are saying that the American church is lazy, maybe they are, but I live in Canada so really I can't speak about America. I think that there are lots of people who are lazy and who would rather be served than serve. I guess we all have our moments living in that mentality. However, I have had a bit of experience trying to recruit volunteers for church stuff and there are those people that serve and serve and serve and then there are those people that take and take and take and never give. I strongly believe that people need to serve. It makes them feel better about themselves and it promotes this feeling of unity, of community, of 'we're all in this together' and I think that's what the church is all about. I think it's easy to get caught up in our 'church' worlds and forget about the needs of people. This seems to be a constant challenge for me especially since I have grown up in the church and in a ministry family. We don't have to go across the world to serve. We can serve right where we are. I am blessed. I don't want that blessing to be wasted.

So do I think that the documentary is worth watching, yes, do I agree with everything in it, no, but watch it and draw your own conclusions.

I had more thoughts to share tonight but I really need to go study for my exam tomorrow.....I will write more later.

Yours Truly,
The Kindred Spirit

Are You Starving Jesus?

I just watched an amazing documentary. It's called Starving Jesus. Here's the link...
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8666536666361002682
It's all about getting outta the pew and into the community and serving. It's very thought provoking. I may blog more about it later but I gotta run!

Yours Truly,
The Kindred Spirit

I'm From...

This is a poem I wrote for one of my classes this term....I thought I'd share it...

I'm From...

I’m from six friendly faces around the dinner table.
I’m from a canopy of dreams.
I’m from a road of changing colours and soothing breezes.
I’m from it’s tearing up my heart when I’m with you.
I’m from 3 steps to church on Sunday.
I’m from tetherball and four square at recess.
I’m from I’m more liable to break a slate over your head carrots.
I’m from heartache at 16.
I’m from picturesque dreams of a black and white Big Ben.
I’m from the land of pretenders.
I’m from 4 walls of sunshine.
I’m from I love you never-ending.
I’m from Chesley Lake summers and cozy up beside the fire winters.
I’m from a place where I belong.

Depending on how well you know me....it could be open for interpretation =),

The Kindred Spirit

Take Everything I Am...

Well it's been a long night of studying for a test I have tomorrow and I am sure it will only get worse with exams coming in two weeks! I will be glad when school is done for the year. It was a beautiful day today, I was cruising with the window down and loving it and to top it all off the Sens whipped the Leafs tonight.....8-2.....it just doesn't get any better than that! I recently got the new Starfield CD called "I Will Go" and in case you don't have it yet, I highly recommend it. I have been listening to it all day. There is one song that just really resonates with me....the words are really what I want my life to be about. I will share them with you...

I Will Go...

To the desperate eyes and reaching hands
To the suffering and the lean
To the ones the world has cast aside
Where you want me I will be

I will go
I will go
I will go Lord send me
To the world
To the lost
To the poor and hungry
Take everything I am
clay with in your hands
I will go
I will go
Send me

Let me not be blind with privilege
Give me eyes to seek the pain
Let the blessing You've poured out on me
Not be spent on me in vain
Let this life be used for change

I wanna live for you
Go where you lead me
I wanna follow you

I wanna live for you
Go where you lead me
I wanna follow you

I wanna live for you
Go where you lead me
I wanna follow you

I love those lyrics. I am not really one of those people who has a huge desire or perhaps I don't feel a calling to go and be a missionary in a third world country (at least as of right now) but I have a huge desire to have an impact here in North America to the people around me, to the least of those. The mission field is the ground beneath my two feet...ya know. So when the song talks about the ones the world has cast aside I really want that to be the desire of my heart. Those are the people all around us who perhaps get overlooked or missed but yet have so much to offer. I have been blessed to be in a place of privilege and it is so easy to lose sight of the needs of people, of what their going through. I hope that the Lord will help me to have compassion on those people and those needs and give me eyes to see them.

Matthew 25:44 ~ Then they will reply, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?" And he will answer, "I assure you, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me."

I get caught up with myself, a lot. I am sure I make other people feel small sometimes and I am sure I overlook people. The very thing that this verse talks about I am guilty of. I want my life to be used for change, even if it's one life. May you give me eyes to see Lord and a heart to go where You want me to go......because I think there are lots of people here, in the Niagara Region, in Wainfleet, at Niagara College, wherever else, that feel small and insignificant and are hurting.

I hope that your prayer tonight is to be the clay within His hands,
Darc