It has been interesting the past few weeks with some unusual but good experiences.

Several weeks ago my friend Adam talked about an experience that he had on a plane with a guy sitting next to him while he was reading They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball. Well I too was on a plane coming home from Lubbock, Texas and was in the middle of reading that book and an interesting conversation with the guy beside me (after the in-flight movie of course which was Music and Lyric…). The guy considered himself a Christian but not really a consistent “church goer” and we talked about church and what made this thinking of liking Jesus and not church and a lot of other things. He was glad to see that there were Christians who still had an open mind and that there was a feeling of authenticity and real wanting to change in people who follow Jesus. Kind of sad that he had to feel glad about that and it wasn’t already happening but I’m glad he walked away feeling that there was good being done in the name of Jesus.

A couple weeks ago I was working with some of the guys at our church who are involved with a Bread Ministry. This works in conjunction with a ministry called “Amazing Grace” which is a ministry that gives food out to the needy in the surrounding Wilmington area (I think also reaches up into the Philadelphia area). Every week these guys deliver food and bread to around 600 people. This is just our little group at our church…this is not the whole Amazing Grace ministry…I have no idea what they reach all together. Anyway, I enjoy going with the guys and giving out the food because you get to talk with some great people and plus I like being with those guys. I never thought that I would be hanging out with 60 and 70 year old guys on most Tuesdays but I love it! Anyway, at one stop we get about 20-30 people who come out at one spot to pick up stuff. This is a very run down, poor neighborhood. This is a neighborhood that COULD be nice but has been taking over by drugs and violence. There are a lot of single mothers or grandmothers raising kids there and they feel they don’t have a voice in the community. They seem to be making improvements but just as it seems to be getting better a shooting or something like that happen. Anyway, on this Sunday I met an older lady and I was giving her some Diet Peach Tea that we were giving out. It came in a 24 pack and I felt bad that this lady would have to carry it (she seems feeble) so I offered to carry it across the street to the back of her house. She was quite grateful. As we walked, she was talking about herself and I was telling her a little about me. As I was putting the tea down, she says to me “Could you pray for me”. I said “Of course. Is there something specific?” She said that she was struggling because her daughter had died last week of a cocaine overdose. I was taking back. I was not expecting to hear that. She began to tell me stories and how life was. I saw the hurt in her eyes. The next stop I spoke with a lady who worked at Fort Dix and was saying that if the terrorist attack would have happened she would have had a 4 year old abandon daughter if she would have been killed. Again, mind-blowing story…. Then at the next stop I talked with a mother whose son just died 6 months ago in prison of AIDS. Well all of these stories at once knocked me for a loop. I was out of it for most of the day and really the next week or so. I had a lot of thoughts going through my head.

Then this past weekend, I spent the weekend at Camp Sonshine, which is an overnight camp for kids with special needs. This was my first year being officially involved with the camp. My buddy for the day was named Julian. He was 5 years old. He had a lot of emotional problems and some mental disabilities but 2 years ago he was taking out of an abusive home. He has some emotional problem because of this. But I was trying to picture abuse on a 3-year-old child. I got chills thinking about without meeting Julian. Then I got to spend the day with one of the coolest kids I have ever met. We hung out, went swimming together, swung on the swings, played on a moonbounce, watched a Veggie Tale movie, danced around, laughed, and rode a horse together. We had a blast! After the camp fire Sat. night I had to head home because I needed to be back at the church on Sunday morning. We high fived and he gave me a hug and said Julian said, “thank you” to me (which was something that him and I practiced all day because the theme was being thankful). I got in the car and cried. I cried cause I made a new friend. I cried cause I wanted to hang out with Julian more. I cried cause I wish I could have done more. I cried because I felt bad that Julian had to experience abuse at such a young age. I cried because Julian said thank you and hugged me when he didn’t have to.

So why do I say all this. Well for me it was perspective and evaluation time. Questions like “What is ministry about for me?” and “What do I want my life to be about?” came to mind. I knew I needed to stop and reflect and engage what had happened because for me, these were holy and sacred moments that could not be taken lightly. This was about me and how I want my life to be lived out daily and these events were going to help me grow more into that person. Through these experiences I got a glimpse into the wacked out world we live in. It makes me sad and frustrated. But I also got a glimpse into the other side of it…. what the world looks like when we make a try to partner with God in what he is doing in the world. I saw the darkness of the world but I also saw what light can be brought when you have a conversation with someone, or you pray with some, or you stop and make a difference in someone, or stop and for one day make someone feel like they could do anything. It’s a matter of priority really. Where does that kind of thing fit in your life? Are you willing to let God move you to do those things? Take a moment and stop and look around you. Where is God working around you? I heard a great quote on Sunday that our minister Steve Mahoney said at Newark: Ministry is the person in front of you”. Take a moment and look around and see where God is working. You may get a glimpse into a better world and a better way of living that will last forever…