The world in a day

I've experienced a lot in the last 24 hours.

But first, thank you for joining me in this season of transition. I know one or two of you are writers, and I am getting my ideas concretized for starting a mini-book, so any feedback or suggestions are most welcome!

Today was interesting. I am ending the day in a retreat center somewhere north of Atlanta (Georgia that is - not everything is in Texas guys). I am here for a week-long training on reaching Muslims. Plain and simple, this is the greatest Battle of our Age. We see it in the news daily in the form of fundamentalist Islam causing havoc and "peaceful" Islam making plans to build Mosques all over the US, including "Ground Zero". Yet what is underneath all this turmoil? Did 9-11 just happen out of thin air? Or is ALL of this a reflection of what is really going on beneath the surface of humanity - that cosmic battle of sin and self vs. Spirit and surrender?

Getting here was a microcosm of my current life. I don't have a "former life", but I think you know what I mean. I woke up and had a couple of hours with the family while checking on a wire we have scheduled to be sent to Kenya. Then hopped on a plane in McAllen and happened to see Phillip Askey, from Casa Hogar de la Montana children's home in Saltillo, Mexico, on the same flight. We caught up and I realized, "Hm, I've been meaning to contact him to see if Imagine can serve them in their mission. Thank you Lord for arranging it!"

Then in Dallas I had a long-enough lay over that I pre-arranged a meeting with a man named Kyle who works in Central Asia but happens to be in Dallas for the weekend. They minister to children with disabilities and their families and have remarkable doors opened to them in the country where they serve. But they need partners! They have a contract with the National Hospital to arrange surgeries for special-needs children. They have a fantastic vision to help restore families instead of perpetuating the abandonment of children who are not born "perfect". And they are modeling this with their own family of 8! I was encouraged by Kyle, who confessed he's come to the States "empty" in many ways, and I was challenged at the same time to work harder at building bridges of partnership that can help fulfill their visions. The potential impact on that nation is limitless... but where are the parts of the Body that are needed there? Who wants K-Stan????

Then I arrived in Atlanta, after some eye-opening reading on Cross-Cultural Partnerships on the plane. Even though I have "done it" for many years, with some level of success, I realized I still have SO MUCH to learn about the beautiful diversity of the cultures of earth and how it requires a special skill to know how to maneuver relationships across these cultures!

In Atlanta I was met by the Crescent Project staff, who asked me "what do you do?" I hate that question right now, (bleeding-heart missionary response is just not my natural thing) but to be honest, each time it is asked helps me to focus. So in short I said, "I'm a freelance Mobilizer" and lo and behold, they understood what I meant! Not only so, but they even went further and said we should explore working together Mobilizing churches in Texas to engage the Muslim world....

So, I am here for a week to learn. I am sure I will be bringing teams here in the future to also learn and prepare to engage in the battle of our age.

Just yesterday I was speaking to college students in the Valley serving one a three week mission. We hit on the amazing thought together that God invites us to live in His purposes, in His story, even though we all have the freedom to choose to write our own. Coming to this training makes me ask, "Am I relevant?" Because the answer lies in one simple reflection: "Am I living for God's purposes or for my own? Am I living missionally or am I simply existing for self-preservation?"

One story will endure. All others will be forgotten. And God is inviting us NOW to engage in His story, to be part of His work in redeeming the nations of the earth. What are we waiting for?!

I've experienced a glimpse of God's perspective on the world in a day. I'll let you know what else I learn this week!