ministry through new eyes and new insight

It's amazing how the people in your life shape who you are.  This can be such a great thing, and it can also be a dangerous thing.  Who God shapes you to be is what matters.  There is and will be a different opinion from each person you ask.  I've learned to genuinely be myself.  This can be easy and it can also be impossible.  The me God created me to be is constantly changing, growing, evolving, and being shaped slowly, creatively, persistently, into the woman God created me to be.  A book I'm reading right now, by John Ortberg, called, "Me, the me I want to be, becoming God's best version of you," is about this subject.

Two wonderful women called me strong today.  I admit, I know I'm strong.  I believe everyone is strong in ways and everyone has certain weaknesses.  I definitely have both.  A weakness of mine, is that I constantly need to be surrounded by people or else I feel lonely.  This comes with the territory of being a quasi-extrovert.  This weakness can also be a strength.  Through people comes encouragement, at least through the people I choose to hang around.  Encouragement in my faith and/or encouragement by challenging my beliefs.  I love this, and I thrive on this!

Wisdom. Wisdom is knowing not to be limited by set rules that seem to be in place.  Wisdom is challenging and questioning everything.  Even those things you are sure you will "never" change your mind about.  One of those things for me is God.  I have never questioned the existence of God, but I have questioned attributes of God or reasons why God allows certain things to happen.  Such as, "God, why did you allow Priscilla's baby to die?"  Or, "God, why did you allow my sister to stray away from wanting to talk about faith?"  There are so many things I question.  So many things I don't understand.  I've come to accept that I don't have nor do I want to have all the answers.  I want to say only God has all the answers, but do I really know that God does?  I know God knows everything.  God knows what goes through my head every second of the day.  God knows my weaknesses and my temptations, even more than I recognize them.

What can I learn from this?  I've learned it's okay and healthy to question and struggle with things.  To challenge and embrace new ways of thinking.  To being open to listening to non-Christians express who they are and what they believe, and as a Christian not portraying an image that I know nor have all the answers.  Because, frankly, I don't.  And anyone or any organization that claims to know all the answers should be treated with skepticism.  I can stand by what I know to be true.  I can listen knowing my foundation, knowing my roots, and being willing to minister to people by stepping into their culture, whether physically or verbally etc.  Being willing to take risks, to step outside my comfort zone, to search outside the box, and being grounded in my faith and beliefs in God.

Thank you Nadine and Diana for challenging me this afternoon.  Thanks for your listening ears.  Thanks for telling me that being a pastor can "limit" you and thanks for allowing me to disagree.  Thanks for allowing me to share about the gospel.  Thanks for teaching me about one's "inner light."  You two have lights shining so bright from within you, it's hard not to have your lights consume the people whose lives you've touched.  Mine included.

Visiting someone in the hospital, being spirit-led, listening to God's voice, worshiping through song, dance, art, music, creativity, laughing, or however else one wishes to worship, seeing visions, prophesying, speaking in tongues, praying, reading, spreading and preaching God's Word, loving people, teaching about God's love, counseling, listening to people, crying or mourning with the hurting people, laughing and rejoicing with those who have something to laugh about and rejoice over.... amongst so much else.  This is ministry.

"Love the Lord your God with all Your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  And love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22: 37-39

I challenge you to question, with an open mind.  Seek and search for the answers to everything, knowing your roots.  Think BIG.  Dream LARGE.  Trust in God.  LOVE!

What are some things you have questioned?
What things have you changed your mind about over time?
What has happened in your own life that caused you to ask God, "why?"
What does the word "ministry" mean to you?
What are you "afraid" to question?
What helps you "think big, dream large, or trust in God?"

a glimpse of hope

there are some days where i glimpse hope.  a talk with a pastor who truly cares about how i'm doing.  a talk with a professor who goes out of his way to help me out.  in the midst of the business of life, i find joy through the smallest things.  a two hour phone conversation as the highlight of my day.  talking about things more real and important to me than anything.  knowing god's plan is at work in my life.  and knowing it brings me great joy and anticipation.

i live my life with hope.  hope for my future.  that i will glorify god in all i do.  hope that my future is successful and my love and passion for life remains strong.  there are days when i feel like giving up, but hope conquers this feeling.  god's grace is sufficient.  long periods of dry seasons are so tough.  but when the water quenches the thirst i've tasted for so long, it replenishes my soul's inner thirst.  to be filled with the water life requires is to be filled with god's love, grace, and mercy.

god truly listens and answers prayers.  i cannot imagine my life without god, my true love.  the love of my life.

through the friend that will never give up on you.  the friendship that will never dwindle.  through the friend's love hope will kindle.  through the new beginnings of a life brand new.  through the hope that god gives to you.  may you trust his works.  trust his sight.  trust that he will bring you light.  the hope i place in god alone.  will remain forever known.  more than anything in this world, i love you lord.  i thank you god for i've been adored.  by you, oh lord, who has rescued me.  who forgives me when your way, i cannot see.  through fragmented sentences i give you praise.  i love you lord, all of our days.  amen. amen. amen.

Homosexuality: Acceptance and Love within Christianity

Camp over the last four summers has shown me truly unique and interesting people. A handful of these people are gay and lesbian. These are my friends, amazing Christ-centered individuals, who love God and are joyful leaders beyond belief. I have had the opportunity over the last few summers to talk with four of them about their sexuality. After one of them told me that he dated girls earlier in his life, I told him I didn't understand that. Why would he date girls if he was not attracted to them? He told me, "Kelly, you have to understand. It's not easy being the way I am, it's difficult." It's so different from the ways of the world. Each person I talked to who is gay or lesbian, has told me one clear thing. It is not a choice. "How could God create people gay though?" I wondered. One of my pastors brought up a good point. "They did not choose to be this way. Why would people choose to be so opposite, so backwards, so different from everybody else?" The world does not understand their ways, their differences...

This is such a gray area for me. I went to Westmont College, a small conservative Christian college (1,200 students), but grew up in the fairly liberal ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America). My parents are conservative on the issue of homosexuality, my sister liberal on it. I, on the otherhand, am still figuring this issue out for myself. I used to believe that being a homosexual was a choice. Now after talking to my gay and lesbian friends, I believe it is not a choice. I am a straight female and I'm comfortable with my sexuality. I am and always have been attracted to men. All I can do now is love and accept the homosexual person for who they are. Should I try to change them? No. Should I condemn their behavior? No. Should I judge them? Of course not. I don't know if this issue will ever be clear cut in my mind.

Like the issue of should women become pastors? That one is black and white for me. Obviously, yes! Women are amazing pastors. Although many of my conservative friends disagree, sadly! Should homosexuals become pastors? In the past I may have said no. The Lutheran Church now is discussing and has been for some time, whether or not practicing homosexuals should become pastors? Why not? Even if homosexuality was a sin, and I'm not saying yet if it is or is not, we all sin. What would be the difference in hiring a person with an alcohol addiction, or a compulsive liar? These are sinners. We all sin.

So, is homosexuality a sin? The Bible says in Romans and 1st Timothy that it is. The Old Testament also says it is. Who can argue with the Bible? Then again, it states that women should hold their tongues and not speak in church. Back then it was because they were "not educated" as well as the men. I have also heard the argument that men should be "the head" of the church, or "the head" of the family, therefore, in the church family, some believe women can be in ministry as long as they are not the head pastor or senior pastor. A professor of religion at Westmont College told me, "Why stop there? Why let women be pastors, but not senior pastors?" Look at how many women are on the church council, or who hold positions in the church. Pastors, Sunday school teachers, youth directors, and so much more! Times have changed. There are so many examples of strong, influencial women of the Bible. How can you say they should not lead the church? Excuse my rant and tangent. If I'm this passionate about women being able to be pastors, then why not homosexuals too?

Now, back to homosexuality. This is an issue I have pondered all my life, going back and forth on so many thoughts about it. I would think to myself, "It's a sin. It isn't a sin. Well the Bible says it's a sin, so it has to be. But these people, these Christ-centered, God loving people are telling me this is the way they were made. Is it a choice? God could not have created people gay. My friends and every homosexual person I have talked to say that this is the way they are. They have not chosen this. They were created this way. And, I know God loves them just the way they are."

That's what we need to take from this. We should love and accept homosexuals just like we love and accept everyone else. Some hide the way they are. Why? For fear of rejection. For fear of being the topic of gossip. For leaders in the church, for fear people would leave the church. We welcome you in our church, the ELCA. Come, learn about the Good News of Jesus. Come, just as you are to worship! You are a precious and loved child of God. You are perfect the way God made you. May the peace of Christ be with YOU always. YOU being every created person.

Please comment. I am completely open to hearing what you think and have to say. I invite your open and honest opinions.

Camp 2009!

Leadership staff training has been a blast.  The people here are great and I love being able to see the people I've become friends with the past three summers.  People here really open my eyes to love and acceptance.  There are people here I would never be friends with had it not been through camp.  Some people are crazy and loud, others soft-spoken and gentle, still others full of humor.  I would go through and tell you about each person and their amazing qualities, but that would be a long list, and irrelevant to non-camp people.  So instead I would love to tell you about how God is working through camp and through the people working here.

We have come up with amazing ways to make camp new and exciting this year.  I see God through the joy, excitement, energy, and passion of the people here.  It's like we are creating a new world for the kids, a world where they can be themselves and be loved just the way they are.  A world where they can explore and go on adventures.  A world where becoming closer to God and learning about Him is considered cool and the social norm.  This is how God created the world to be.  We were created to worship God and in turn, to have an everlasting relationship with Him.  Relationships do not come without difficulties, and highs and lows, but our relationship with God is not one where we should ever break up, or become complacent, although this does happen.  It's awesome to hear God's voice, and camp is one of the places where God speaks to and has spoken to me.  It's late so I'm going to bed, but by next post I hope to share a personal faith story of why I continue coming back to camp.

What special place do you always go back to that reminds you about God or a spiritual experience?

What are some important relationships in your own life that you would never want to fade?  Can you apply those qualities to your relationship with God?

How has this world been an adventure to you?