connecting

nothing's wrong.  everyone is healthy.  josh adores his job.  i've actually managed to work some during this super-slow time of a photographer's year.  all is well.

but i just haven't felt much like chatting it up here on our little corner of cyberspace lately.  i'm dealing with some things personally that have had me a little blue.  add to that the events that are occurring right now in haiti (which greatly diminish any piddly issue i may be facing), and i just haven't felt very chipper.  last week, as i sat at my computer and watched the events unfold throughout those first few hours, in all honesty, what i saw seemed very abstract and surreal to me.  and i felt disconnected.  i really struggle with things that seem so big -- so overwhelming -- and i tend to freeze in the recognition of my inadequacy to handle something so huge.

but over the past few years, god has taught me something really neat.  when you pull back the veil of supposed reality, i believe the "recognition of my inadequacy" has actually been satan's lie of my inadequacy.   i believe that he would love nothing more than to paralyze the church with thoughts of "what good can one person really do?" or "i don't have much to offer" -- or even worse, an apathetic view that's birthed from feeling disconnected.

a quick glance in my bible's concordance highlighted over 100 verses directly related to the poor, the destitute, and those who've been orphaned.  there's no denying what god's stance is on those who are hurting, and he lovingly commands his children to minister to those in need.  so as a christian, i have a tremendous responsibility to live out the heart of god.  the whole world isn't mine to save.  all of haiti isn't mine to heal.  and the full responsibility of feeding the children of africa isn't squarely on my shoulders. 

but action isn't up for debate.

our efforts might feel negligible in the sea of needs we see everyday, but here's a truth i pray i never let go of: the gifts of one person here make all the difference in the world to one person there.  haiti, uganda, ethiopia, or the hurting neighbor across the street -- lord, make us people of action.

and you know what?  i've found that the cure for "feeling disconnected" is to connect.  yes, i know that sounds hokey (even lame, perhaps), but it's been wonderfully true in my life.  there was a time years ago when the mention of children in africa with real needs and real hurts stirred little more in me than a fleeting moment of sorrow -- maybe a pouty face or two.  but i began praying for god to "break my heart for what breaks his", and our family started to act intentionally.  god graciously answered our prayers, and he guided us toward a path that has radically changed our lives.

your ministry may not be the same as ours.  god may use your gifts in completely different ways than he's used ours.  but as his children, he has gifted each of us, and he longs for us to act and connect.