Threading the Needle

Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. 
Luke 22:24

I've been white water rafting several times on the New River in West Virginia. (I even have video of me swimming the end of a class 5 rapid, while everyone else stayed in the raft.)

One of the rapids is calling Thread the Needle. It's likely just what you picture - two large rock columns in the middle of the river, with rapids going between and around them. When the conditions are right, you can float on your back through the rapid. The goal is to go easily between the two rocks, but it isn't quite that easy.

When I read this verse today, I thought about this rapid and the parallels it provided.

1. You can't go through the narrow middle unless you first choose to get into the river's flow. The guide simply offers this as an option. Some people stay in the raft and go around.

2. A life jacket is a neccesity!

3. You are in the river and on your own. This is no team effort this time. In fact, there is no effort at all - you just lie back, keep your feet pointed in the right direction and enjoy the ride.

Lastly, even though everyone starts in the same river headed the same direction, not everyone will thread the needle. It makes a difference where you are in the current's flow. In order to go through the narrow middle, you have to position yourself in the current that goes through that way. If you aren't paying attention, you may end up in a current that steers you away from the middle or may even crash you right into one of the rocks.

Jesus Christ is the needle threading rapid. Got your life vest on? Feet pointed toward Him? It's an adventure for eternity.

Don't We Already Know This? (Unpacking Parables)

Several months ago I started writing out the words that Jesus spoke in a notebook. I will admit that I got sidetracked for a bit of time and just recently started again, but isn't it like God to have a purpose in even that? Right before I began writing the parables of Jesus, I read a book called Scouting the Divine (check it out) which brought a deeper revelation to some of the words I was reading and writing down. 

The following is my interpretation...

Matthew 13
New International Version (NIV)

The Scene: On the hillsides of Galilee, hundreds have walked up from the village to hear this man Jesus speak. Much has been mumbled and rumored about him, this new Rabbi with students who failed school the first time. They came wondering if they would see one of his miracles. They came wanting to know how to make religion easier. Perhaps some even came in skepticism and cynacism to disprove him.

They sit, wanting to be close enough to hear his words but far enough away that he won't notice if they dose off. Jesus steps to the front as the late comers stumble up the hill. The disciples assist in getting the children running around to settle in a bit and shussing the bustling conversations.

They are attentive and Jesus begins...

The Parable of the Sower

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

"Huh???? We all plant things of one nature or another, even if just for our own family."
"Of course we don't plant seed where it won't grow! Why would we waste good seed?"
"Hey Matthew! I've been farming land since before this young man was born. Does he think I'm stupid?"
"I thought he was going to teach us about God. Is this just his common start intro?"

During the mid-morning break after hearing the confusion, the disciples wanna know why too.

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables

“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

It's so simple, it's easy to miss.

There is an intersection I stop at just about everyday. There have been a couple times I've pulled out to make a left turn to find a car right there even though I stopped and looked. I realized that I was looking further down the road at what was coming in the distance, but failing to look and pay attention to what was right there in front of me.

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Farmers know their fields and the areas with good soils and bad. They may still plant in the harder areas but use less seed than areas where they know the harvest will be good and healthy.

God alone knows the soil quality of our hearts.


After the break and sidebar with the apostles, who are now listening to Jesus's stories but also watching to see those in the crowd who might beginning to understand these things. Jesus continues with the next story, as everyone eagerly anticipates that now he'll do or say something spectacular.

Jesus continues.

The Parable of the Weeds

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Good wheat results in grain seed that can be stored and used in a mulitude of ways. Sometimes what looks like wheat ends up being just an empty husk. Unfortunately, the farmer cannot tell the difference until it's time to actually harvest the wheat. In order to tell, the farmer must grab, squeeze, and crush the wheat to find out whether there is seed or not.

God alone knows how much time we need until harvest, when we are revealed as fruitful or a false facade.


The woman are starting to get a little bored at this point, all this talk about farming.  But Jesus wasn't about to exclude them. He was ready to draw them in as well.

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

"Yes! Finally something we can relate to. Now maybe we will understand what he is talking about." 

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

 "Huh? Is that all? There must be more explanation than that? We know yeast gets kneaded into the dough, but we don't understand how that relates to this kingdom you are referring to."

Jesus knows that small things, whether seeds, thoughts, or actions can have significant impact for better or worse.

God takes the smallest offerings and they become exceedingly large.


Not wanting to the merchants in the group to feel excluded, Jesus offers them a story too.

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

"Yes Jesus, we understand finding a good deal, but selling everything for one item no matter how amazing is crazy. It works better if you just sell the minimum and keep as much for yourself as possible. One pearl might be fine, but it's still only one. Maybe the sun is getting to you, Jesus."

God wants to be our one prized possession.


Of course Jesus wouldn't forget his friends Peter, James, John & Andrew. Speaking the language of the fishermen, he tells them again.  

The Parable of the Net

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

"No one wants a distugting, diseased fish. That's just common sense, but the rest of it sounds really harsh, like being chewed up by something terrifying."

God will live with the righteous and leave behind the rotting.


“Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied. (really?)

He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

As the people begin to head home they are perplexed by the day. They feel mentally tired, but aren't sure why. It feels like they are missing something. Perhaps one turns to another and says, "That was a waste of a day listening to stories. We already knew everything he told us, it's what we do everyday."

Jesus desperately wanted them to understand and know the Father the way He did, but most of them never would. He spoke to them based on their personal experiences. But, he knew if they couldn't see God in the everyday around them, all the mysteries and miracles wouldn't change their hearts. He taught using what they already knew to help them understand the kindgdom of God now on earth.

God who is perfect in every way created this earth in such an intricate way that everything points back to Him and his kingdom. The Bible tells us that man is without excuse because creation testifies of God's presence, he doesn't just mean the beauty and creativity of it. He means the way plants grow, how fish are caught, how bread is made, and even in business deals. How can we not see the hand of God in everything!

God teaches us about Himself in the everyday things.

Meet the new family addition

Charles Musumba



This 18 year old Kenyan is my new correspondence sponsor child young man. He is one of 5 children in the family. And like every African boy, he enjoys soccer and running. Most of the adults in his community of 30,000 are unemployed. I hope Charles will not be another number added to that statistic.

I am super excited to begin getting to know Charles and what his hopes for the future may be so I can encourage him in them. Because he is older it is more likely his letters will be more detailed and written by him directly.

Personally, I think he looks a little like Wayne Brady and that purple doesn't seem to be his best color :)

If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship visit Compassion Int'l wesite and find your new family member.

Why I celebrate Christmas

This morning I was contemplating God’s choice to send Jesus as a baby who grew up to be a man – always God incarnate, destined to die and become the Savior for mankind. 

As babies we are utterly dependent on someone care… Jesus was too.  

 Let that sink in for just a moment – 

God became entirely dependent on human care.

 

Have you fallen and skinned your knee? …. Jesus has too

Have you shed a tear, or two, or lots? … Jesus has too

Did you ever have to obey your parents even though you knew it wasn’t the best decision? … Jesus did too

Have you lost a parent or someone close? … so has Jesus

Have you ever felt misunderstood or that no one really knew you? … He did

Were you ever hurt? … He was more than we will ever understand

Do you need to forgive? … He does

Christmas is a joyous time; a time of gratitude. Behold unto you this day a Savior is born! He shall be called Emmanuel, God With Us. 

Oversees somewhere in a red-light district brothel is a young woman who’s been used and abused too many times to count, not that she’d want to remember any of them. Her daughter is still miraculously with her. 

Young enough to be spared the greater evils, but not for much longer. The brothel owner knows she’ll bring a pretty penny. This woman wants something better for her daughter and yesterday someone offered hope of a better future for her and her daughter. She doesn’t think there is any hope for her, but she’d do anything for her daughter…

A few nights later the child arrives at the address on the business card, alone. She is crying, begging for someone to go and save her mom.  As they approach the brothel owner and ask to speak to the woman, they are told she is busy but the woman appears behind the doorway. Beaten. Bruised. Bloody. Barely able to stand. Their hearts break. Somehow she manages to slip a small piece of paper to one of them. 

The brothel owner is furious that the child is gone. But she’s smart enough to let one child go at the risk of being discovered by the authorities and losing everything. The one who holds the slip of paper heads home. Opening the paper scrap she reads the quickly scribbled letters.

For my daughter’s freedom it was worth it.

The one holding the gift of sacrifice weeps. For the woman… for the child… for herself… for all humankind. Love is the greatest gift of all, and Love paid the price. 

For her. 

For me. 

For you.

It wasn’t just a piece of human experience the Son of God shared with us. He chose to experience it all, from being knit together in Mary’s womb to being tortured and hung on a cross.  He knows us and He cares. He rejoices and grieves right alongside of us. 

He reminds me. 

For your freedom, it was worth it all.

That’s why I celebrate Christmas.  

 Merry Christmas!

More Adventures with United, Airports, and my Diet Coke

You’ve been dying to ask this, I just know!    

      

How did United Airlines do this time?

Well… Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale…

Full of anticipation of the adventures that we would find in Haiti later that day when we arrived in Port-au-Prince, we boarded the United aircraft along with the others destined to travel with us. Awaiting us was the flight attendant assigned to greet us with a smile. I don’t know how it started, but we joked about keeping me content by serving me diet coke and he kindly offered to give me a can right then. 

Thankfully, we were not jammed packed into the tin can like Siamese sardines and there was plenty of overhead bin space. Surprisingly a few minutes early we begin to leave the gate and JD turns to me and says, “Wow! That was a relatively painless and easy United experience” (or something along those lines). And then we stopped and the pilot informed us that there was a mechanical error with the plane that was being looked into. JD and I look at each other and sigh… “Really!?! Again?” At this point I begin to pray and drink my diet crack coke, I think. 

After a short wait, the pilot informs us that whatever the problem is has “fixed itself” and we are cleared for take-off. Yeah…. I think. “Hopefully you were actually in on that fix Jesus.”

We made it safely to Port-au-Prince without further incident and I didn’t even take another diet coke when they went by with the drink cart, even though we did chat with the great flight attendant again.  

Fast forward to the end of the week and we are back in the Port-au-Prince airport waiting for our flight back to the States. The time on our tickets says the flight is scheduled to leave at 3:06pm. Around 2:30pm a garbled announcement is made (something that sounds like the woman is eating the microphone) that our flight is delayed and we will board as soon as it lands at 3:50pm. (although I did have one of my most favorite moments during the time. You can read about it here) We’ve now been at the airport for somewhere around 4 hours. At 4:30pm it appears as if we have begun to board… sorta. First we have security. Again. 

For the 3^rd time. Bags are searched, drinks are confiscated, and everyone gets the radiation wand treatment. Then… you can walk out to the plane. 

We finally get on the plane, one of the last few and find some cubby holes for our carry-ons. Right near our seats, who do we see but our happy flight attendant friend! I say hi and he remembers me – the diet coke girl. Yes. And can I have one as soon as possible, delays make me cranky- especially on United flights. We take our seats hopeful that we will soon be on our way, looking forward to a shower on the other end of this flight. And we sit…. And sit…. 

“We just want to let you know that one of the fuel pumps isn’t working. They are trying to fix it now. We appreciate your patience.” I am running out of patience and I have no diet coke this time, cause even if I had bought one in the airport, the security guard would have taken it away.  JD looks at me and says, “If we have to stay here tonight, we’re screwed.” “Yep!”   

And we sit… 5:30pm. We would have been almost landing in NJ by now. Now, even my normally go-with-flow resilient friend is agitated. You know it’s bad when…  Add to that a group of loud obnoxious women who go from sprinkling holy water to drinking the little bottles of wine. Hey! How did they score that and my favorite flight attendant hasn’t brought me a can of pop?!  “Well, they can’t get the pump fixed, but we can still take off with other five. We are just trying to get the appropriate paperwork filed so we can take off. Should only be another 15-20 minutes. Thank you again for your patience.”  I’m getting antsy, along with everyone else and trying to keep JD calm. At least the women seem a bit more sedated.  “Well folks, seems like the pump ‘fixed itself’ and we are clear for take-off.” Sounds familiar. Jillian pipes up at this point, “I don’t think that makes me feel much better.” We agree. But at least it doesn’t look like we are spending the night with our eyes open in the PAP airport. 

 At some point, we actually do get in the air. But my diet coke still isn't coming as we have turbulence. Can I get a break here?! Finally! Finally! After waiting TOO many hours the drink cart comes by and we politely ask the other attendant (we didn't have the cool guy) if we could have the whole can and not just the cup. She graciously obliges. The rest of the flight is fairly uneventful as I drift between watching a movie and resting.

The next afternoon I board the little commuter plane that will take me home to Detroit. We are off with no hiccups and the beverage cart comes down the aisle... this time I settle for just the little cup of pop. I am content with that. I drink it down and am about to throw my cup away when the flight attendant comes up to my seat and asks, "You had diet coke, right?"  "Um.... Yes." "Would you like some more?"  "Sure!" She walks back with a 2/3 full can of diet coke. I look at her and ask, "Did someone tell you about me?" She looks confused and says  "No." She explains that we are the last flight of the day and she would just be throwing it out. So I explain the story with the cool friendly flight attendant who gave me the can on the first flight and then remembered me on the way back. Maybe he had given her a heads-up. Still, it was odd that she picked me out of the whole plane full. I smiled. 

God knew. He is good and so is my diet crack coke. 

But God is infinitely better!!

Home from Haiti: A Scrapbook

It was a short whirlwind of a trip to Haiti and I've been back a couple weeks now, but unsure of really what to say about the trip. Most of what meant anything to me is trapped inside sensations and emotions changing me that words cannot describe. So I'll let the photos tell the story and use my words to share a few moments that stood out to me.

The slums of Port-au-Prince
Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

There was a sense of overwhelming heaviness and desperation in Port au Prince, that was even in contrast with the area of Haiti in which we stayed. It actually hurt my chest just driving through and seeing the people and the conditions in which they live.

A school

Photo: JD Richardso

Photo: JD Richardson

  This cutie stole my heart the first day. As the students were filing into the church, we were shaking hands and giving high 5's. This flirt stopped in front of me and kissed his hand before taking mine. I smiled and quickly drew my hands up to my heart. He turned around and gave me a smile before heading through the door. If only he were just a little older...

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Handing out bags of rice at a nearby church

Jillian snuggling with one of the orphans

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

 Coloring with the kindergartners was an experience. This little boy Kensly didn't want anything to do with me at first and started crying. While the tears stopped once I pulled him on my lap, I couldn't get him to crack a smile no matter what I tried. In contrast, every time I looked up this sweet thing gave me a huge opened mouth grin (see photo below) When I was able to walk over to say hi, she leapt into my arms and didn't want to let go.

Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

Mr. Cool

Jillian and her sponsored child Medgina
Photo: JD Richardson

Medgina's house

Medgina's grandmother
Photo: JD Richardson

Photo: JD Richardson

3 month old baby Sunday
this made me very happy

Photo: JD Richardson

I have such a connection to the ocean, I even dress in the colors of the shoreline I am on
Photo: JD Richardson

Last night... hanging out with the orphans again

  Several people have asked me what one moment stood out the most to me or was my favorite. For me it wasn't anything we did on the trip, but a beautiful experience in the airport waiting to go home.

At the gate, we were sitting next to this woman who was reading the bible. JD asked her what she was reading and then she shared with us that she had just buried her precious mother 3 days prior and how deeply her mother loved the Lord. She showed us photos of her mom and the family. Then we returned to our quiet waiting. We were quiet, but the gate area was ridiculously loud with the crowd of people. In the midst of the din, our new friend begins to sing out loud "My Jesus I love Thee" in French, or Creole (It all sounds the same to me). I joined in with the English words. And there was light in the midst of that dark, heavy place, and I felt God's presence.  More than anything else this moment resonated deeply in my soul, and not surprising that it involved music, and reminded me of how wonderfully connected the Body of Christ truly is. And that worship has no cultural or language boundaries.

It was the perfect segue to leave Haiti and return to the States.

Sunrise on the way back to the airport.
Au Revior!