I have been back in Iowa for 2 1/2 years and it has been longer than that since I last blogged. Often when life changes such as a move - old ways get lost. I feel as if this is the time to begin blogging again.
I still hold the same vision of my purpose and the purpose for the church which is to help others see glimpses of the Kingdom of God or God's preferred future. It seems to be needed more today than ever before. The church appears to have been left behind by the world. There is violence everywhere. Wars continue. There is an unrest.
I believe my main purpose is to help the world see that there is hope. Often after Christmas it is difficult to hold on to that hope as we march in to the new year. That moment that happens at Christmas Eve worship when everyone is holding a lit candle, the lights are turned off and silent night is being sung - that moment is magical. The light of Christ reflected on the faces is full of hope. If we could only hold on to that the rest of the year.
The reality however is that we live in a broken world. We are broken people. Often we like to hide our brokenness pretending we are perfect and all is good. If only we could claim our brokenness and boldly show the world how we have survived. Hope would be given to others just knowing they are not alone.
There is an art form used with broken pottery called Kintsukuroi. The broken pieces are put back together with a mixture containing gold dust. The result is often times a piece that is even more beautiful than the original piece.
This art form is a reminder that each of us are made more beautiful through the brokenness we have experienced if we have let God use those breaks. God does not cause our brokenness but God can help us to turn it to something other than a jagged edge.
The most beautiful people I see wear the scars of their brokenness. In those broken places they have grown stronger and wiser and closer to God's preferred future for the world.
Where are you broken? How has God used your brokenness? How could God use your brokenness to bring hope to others?
I still hold the same vision of my purpose and the purpose for the church which is to help others see glimpses of the Kingdom of God or God's preferred future. It seems to be needed more today than ever before. The church appears to have been left behind by the world. There is violence everywhere. Wars continue. There is an unrest.
I believe my main purpose is to help the world see that there is hope. Often after Christmas it is difficult to hold on to that hope as we march in to the new year. That moment that happens at Christmas Eve worship when everyone is holding a lit candle, the lights are turned off and silent night is being sung - that moment is magical. The light of Christ reflected on the faces is full of hope. If we could only hold on to that the rest of the year.
The reality however is that we live in a broken world. We are broken people. Often we like to hide our brokenness pretending we are perfect and all is good. If only we could claim our brokenness and boldly show the world how we have survived. Hope would be given to others just knowing they are not alone.
There is an art form used with broken pottery called Kintsukuroi. The broken pieces are put back together with a mixture containing gold dust. The result is often times a piece that is even more beautiful than the original piece.
This art form is a reminder that each of us are made more beautiful through the brokenness we have experienced if we have let God use those breaks. God does not cause our brokenness but God can help us to turn it to something other than a jagged edge.
The most beautiful people I see wear the scars of their brokenness. In those broken places they have grown stronger and wiser and closer to God's preferred future for the world.
Where are you broken? How has God used your brokenness? How could God use your brokenness to bring hope to others?
