Archive - On Mission RSS Feed

Community – Jenni Clayville

October 21, 2010 in Community, Community [series], Faith, Family, Guest Blogging, Life, On Mission with 22 Comments

Jenni’s story inspires me in what community is and should be.  It is a story full of grace and redemption.  I’m inspired also by how she’s opened her home and heart to people she’s met on Twitter and blogging for months at a time.  Jenni’s blog.  Jenni’s Twitter.

If someone told me that I would have found some of my closest and most trusted friends via social media 5 years ago… I would have laughed in their faces.

I’ve always had friends. It’s always been important to me to be surrounded by people. But no matter how surrounded I was, I usually felt pretty alone. However, I believed as long as I was surrounded, then at LEAST I would look normal… whatever that means.

It wasn’t until I confessed my BIGGEST MORAL FAILURE, did I begin to realize how alone I really was.

Besides about 5 friends, the friends I had, or use to have, around me no longer seemed interested in being around me. I’m not sure if it was because they were hurt by my decisions, didn’t want to be associated with such a public sinner or if it was because they just didn’t know what to say. Whichever way, I totally understood and counted it as a consequence to my poor choices.

I was alone. I was hurting.

But then God.

God took this time to not only reveal loving friends I never new existed, but He showed me who my real friends were. My true “besties” rose to the surface. And guess where many of us had met?

… ON EACH OTHERS BLOGS AND ON TWITTER.

These people not only prayed for Brian and my restoration, but they called, emailed, texted and encouraged us. There were days I wasn’t sure I had a friend in the world. Heck… my husband didn’t even like me. And I deserved it. And at those darkest moments, Trish or Tam would call. Or Crystal would text. Or Diane would DM me (just to name a few). And I knew…

… Though I was lonely… I wasn’t alone.

Last May, Brian and I renewed our vows. Our ceremony was intentionally VERY small. We only invited the people we felt were instrumental in our healing process. Our angels.

For the first time ever, I feel filled and surrounded more often than I feel alone. Life is SO different now.

“Human life in common is only made possible when a majority comes together which is stronger than any separate individual and which remains united against all separate individuals. The power of this community is then set up as “right” in opposition to the power of the individual, which is condemned as “brute force.”" ~ Sigmund Freud

Community has nothing to do with what is around you as much as it includes WHO has infiltrated your heart.

Community is who you let in.

Community is a reflection of you when you finally choose to be real and honest about who YOU are.

Community is what you were born to be.

The rest of the series:

Tammy ……… Alece ………Elora ……… Jen Sparks ……… Jenny Schmitz

Community – Elora

October 20, 2010 in Community, Community [series], Faith, Family, Guest Blogging, Life, On Mission with 17 Comments

I think Elora and I are sisters from different mothers.  We share the same heart for those far from God, those in poverty and orphaned.  I’m not sure when or how we connected – I think she commented on my blog & then I checked her’s out and never left.  We text, we email, we twitter.  We almost met in real life a few weeks ago until some other things happened <insert :( here>.  One day we will meet, New Mexico cannot stand in our way. ;-)   Elora’s blog.  Elora’s twitter.

Sometimes, when I’m talking to other people, I hear how crazy it sounds. I see the questions in their eyes. You have friends….online? And I get it. I get the ridiculous bent of their eyebrows as they fight laughing at me.

But I also get they just don’t understand.

The truth: My husband & I are part of a community of believers where even though we have never met in person, if at any point a need arose, we’d be there in a heartbeat.

Why? Because we’ve experienced the unquestionable generosity of these friends more than once.

Last year, Russ & I went through a period of time where everything around us was going haywire. Without any warning, we found ourselves in a state of limbo where spiritually we knew what God wanted of us, but physically? We just didn’t see any way. And then Russ wrote this post. He didn’t write it in order to spark a catalyst of compassion on our behalf. He wrote it out of honesty and conviction.

Within 24 hours, our community of friends gathered around us and began to support us through this difficult time.

Our friend Dave Ingland, whom we met on twitter earlier in the year through Idea Camp, posted a challenge on his blog – asking for prayer & support on our behalf. We didn’t even realize what was going on and before we knew it, we were receiving text messages, DM’s, and @reply’s from people all over the US letting us know we were in their prayers. Later that week a donation was sent to our paypal with the exact amount we would need for bills. We never even asked – never even considered praying for God to do something. We knew we were in a place where faith was essential, but the thought of people online coming to our aid just didn’t cross our mind. But God’s provision didn’t stop there.

Later that month, a friend we knew through Invisible Children who read Russ’ post sent us the cash she found in her purse. The day we got her letter in the mail, we spent the last of our cash buying prescriptions at the pharmacy. Opening the letter and finding the exact amount we just spent was one of the richest moments of our marriage. I remember reading her words of encouragement and feeling God’s presence – hearing Him whisper, “I’m here. Keep going.”

And we did.

Russ & I knew before this the power of online community. We knew, through events like The Rescue, what can happen when people join together and use social media for good. We never experienced it personally though – and at such a neck-breaking velocity. Suddenly, we looked at eachother and realized, “oh. so this is community. This is what it looks like to give so someone else can have…”

Since the spring, we’ve grown considerably. Not only has God revealed to us the power of online community, He’s blessed us with an incredible in-house group of friends who challenge and walk hand-in-hand with us daily. As I’m writing this, I’m texting my friends, planning a pancake supper with one of our kids & his mama and tweeting at people from across the country – encouraging them in what they learned at church. Never before has the church had this capability to connect at such a constant level. It’s exciting.

And challenging.

When we came back from Africa this past summer, my heart suffered for weeks. I mean, there were things I experienced I probably won’t ever find words for – and it showed. My blogs frequented the topic and danced around the trip, trying to find the perfect way to describe the change in my heart. My tweets revealed my struggle with culture shock – the discrepancy between our excess and their need – it was just too much. And while I was at home, it was bearable. I knew I could call one of my friends who understood and we could go grab coffee. But then I left town for a teachers’ conference…and where those around me wouldn’t understand because they weren’t there – my friends online stood in the gap. Not a day went by without an e-mail or DM or personal card (thanks, Prudy) encouraging me and lifting me in prayer. Processing a trip is difficult enough with other people – but it’s absolutely impossible doing it on your own. Without my friends coming together and praying for me, I’m not sure how I would have made it through that week.

I know there may be a few people who won’t ever understand our relationship with these people we’ve never met. I know we still may receive odd looks when we share the latest story of someone who we’ve been connected with through twitter  staying at our house. But…we’ve grown to accept the furrowed brows and shakes of the head with a grain of salt. Once these people experience the encouragement, prayer, support and genuine concern we’ve experienced – and once they witness the stories coming from around the country of people joining together to make a difference – then they will see the possibility.

The rest of the series:

Tammy ……… Alece ………Jenni Clayville ……… Jen Sparks ……… Jenny Schmitz

Community – Alece

October 19, 2010 in Community, Community [series], Faith, Family, Guest Blogging, Life, On Mission with 98 Comments

Alece is one of those people you instantly fall in love with.  Her story is full of heart break and beautiful growing redemption.  She has connected with people across oceans and state borders.  From living in small South African Villages to major metropolitan US cities. Alece’s Blog.  Alece’s Twitter.

It’s so normal to me that I don’t even really think about it anymore.

Most of my friends are people I met online.

Although I’ve gotta be honest… Using that phrase ”met online” bugs me. It seems to diminish or devalue the experience and the friendships because of the negative connotations it holds for so many.

I never make distinctions like ”online friends” and ”in real life friends”. There is no delineation between them. A friend is a friend, no matter where or how we met.

The friendships I’ve built over the internet are every bit as real, deep, and authentic as any I’ve ever built face-to-face.

Maybe even more so.

Because I articulate myself better in writing, I’m quicker to dive into weighty topics over Twitter, email, and blogging than I probably would in person. Then once that groundwork is laid, it’s a whole lot easier for me to carry on that conversation offline.

Authenticity breeds authenticity. And while there are those who misrepresent themselves online, the majority of people I’ve gotten to know have proven themselves to be genuine.

Being real makes others feel safe to do the same.

And that’s how great friendships get built.

My life is full of them. And I am so incredibly grateful.

I have more friends now than I’ve ever had. I don’t say that to try to sound popular. (Because, trust me, I’m not. At all.) I say it with a shake of my head and disbelief in my voice. I can’t seem to find the right words to convey how astounded and humbled I am by the relationships God has gifted me with.

Because they truly are a gift.

And they have carried me through the most difficult season of my life. Even those people I haven’t had the chance to hug yet.

Honestly, as long as we’re bringing our true selves, it doesn’t matter if we get together in Starbucks or in an email.

Friendships are about connections of the heart.

And hearts hang out in the strangest of places.

Check out the rest of the series:

Tammy

Community – Tammy

October 18, 2010 in Community, Community [series], Faith, Family, Guest Blogging, Life, On Mission with 19 Comments

I’m hosting a series this week and the first part of next on community found through social media (Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, etc.).  I’m super excited about each lady that is posting here this week.  They are remarkable in their own beautiful way.  One I’ve met and the other five I can’t wait to.  I believe that God has allowed social media to serve as a place where community is fostered.  Please welcome these ladies as they share their experiences and feel free to share your thoughts each day. – Prudy

Tammy is someone I find quirky, and someone I think of as more my age than her nearly 4-0 (5 yrs of difference so I guess we’re kind of the same age).  I have a great deal of respect for this lovely lady.  Tam’s blog.  Tam’s Twitter.

I live in a small town. A very small town. It seems everyone knows everyone here. If you were born here…you die here. If you weren’t born here, you came here to retire…then die. ;)

The living is simple, relaxed, slow-going. It’s a conservative community with pockets of liberalism that typically is not received well.
.
That’s just life here. I’ve grown accustomed to it, but have never embraced it. I grew up in Southern California where there is a myriad of lifestyles to behold. Thousands of differing opinions in a group of 3 people. Risk takers at every turn. And I have missed that for many years.
.
In 2007 I started a blog. It didn’t take much time for me to meet people. A handful of bloggers kept returning to my little piece of the web and, honestly, I thought they were crazy. Why on earth would they want to talk to me? After some time it occurred to me… We all see something new, something different in one another, something we want to learn more about.
.
I started craving the differences. Appreciating them. Digging into them. Learning from them. Suddenly, all I have been missing for so many years was at my fingertips. One of my first friends was an Atheist I met arguing with on an Atheists Blog. Seriously, I must have been slipped some brave pills in my orange juice. He and I are friends to this day.
.
Perhaps it was because I let my guard down. Perhaps it’s because we all do here. Sure, there are some who are all a facade. And those ones are spotted rather easily. But you know when you meet a genuine friend on the net. There’s a connect. An instant bond. It’s unexplainable really. They become an extension of your family.
.
We have had nearly 30 different people come through our home whom we’ve met online. Some say that is crazy. We say it is perfectly normal.
.
Each and everyone we’ve met “IRL” or online have added something special to our family. They have encouraged us, challenged us, surprised us, gifted us, embraced us, loved each of us for who we are. Not all of us have the same view of God, the Church, politics, outreach, social justice and so on…and that’s okay. We sharpen each other. We’re not carbon copies. We stretch one another…learning to appreciate and embrace differences while valuing the impact we can make in this world. A very big world the internet has brought together, made to be within our reach, in ways I never thought possible.

The rest of the series:

Alece ………Jenni Clayville ……… Jen Sparks ……… Jenny Schmitz

The One – Guest Post

September 23, 2010 in Faith, Family, Guest Blogging, Life, On Mission with 0 Comments

As I write this I’m currently at about 10,000 feet and jetting through blue skies and across chocolate milk colored terra firma & green patch work quilts.  My desk is a seat tray and a small cup of Diet Coke rests in a cradle designed specifically for small cups.

Shawn and I spent the last 48 hours with friends, celebrating the grand opening of their church.

I’m honored to be guest blogging today for Mary Jo.  Read the rest of my story here.

Paying Penance

September 22, 2010 in Faith, Family, Life, On Mission with 14 Comments

I’ve been saved for 18 1/2 years and fully believe that we are saved by grace alone, nothing else is required.  However, I continue to believe the lie, that I must pay penance.  I must suffer for my sin.  I read in a book recently a phrase to the effect that forgiveness demands suffering.

I found myself relating.

I feel as though I must suffer in my repentance, in my being sorry.  This affects not only my faith but realms outside of my Christian walk.  If Shawn and I have an argument my brain switches to I messed up I deserve for him to be upset with me.  If I make a mistake at work and get in trouble I switch into I deserve the retribution that is spoken, I should have known better.

……….             ….and I wallow there.

It affects my day and my relationships.

I’ll be honest….a lot of this comes from skeletons hidden in dark closets.  Things that I have trouble getting over, or should I say maturing in.

I hold on to these insecurities, these lies because in a weird twisted way they make me feel better.  I feel as though I’m making payment.

Even  though I could never pay, and the debt is already paid.

How do we move past the lies?

I ♥ Compassion

September 21, 2010 in Compassion Int'l, Faith, Family, Life, Nikita, On Mission with 0 Comments

One of the biggest changes I’ve seen in my life from walking this going on 4-year journey of waiting, changing, waiting, readjustment, waiting has been God’s revamping my attitude of those in poverty.

What started out as a small flame erupted into a burning desire to rescue those in poverty when we started sponsoring Nikita.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it till the day I die, sponsorship changes YOUR life.  Allowances you made before, you’re no longer willing to make.  Your perspective changes.

I love what Compassion does.  I love how they minister to not only the children who are part of their services but their whole family.  What touches the child doesn’t stop the moment the leave Compassion’s Child Development Centers.  They carry it home held in precious little hands & hearts.  I love how as I sleep at night this beautiful young lady is being ministered to spiritually, physically, emotionally.  I really do ♥ Compassion!!

As I wrestle with just how God will accomplish my dream to be a rescuer I do what I know I can right now.  I sponsor and both Shawn and I are praying about one or both of us becoming Child Advocates.

Do you sponsor?  If so what organization, and where does your child(ren) live?

Moving Away

September 10, 2010 in Faith, Family, FEAR, Life, On Mission with 8 Comments

I find it most intriguing that fear has been at the forefront of my mind the entire 8 months 10 days of 2010.  I didn’t choose a word to live by or model my life after like Alece’s Risk or Mandy’s Childlike.  It seems that a word chose me:  FEAR!

So if fear chose me, I need to choose faith.  I need to choose TRUST.

God is doing awesome things, leading in amazing ways in both my life, Shawn’s life, and our marriage.  Frankly…it’s scary.  Because I don’t know what lays beyond what’s right in front of me.

I don’t want to live a life that has me dragging around fear like a chest full of concrete.  God doesn’t want me existing in fear, I think that’s why it keeps coming up.  With each whisper of fear…He whisper’s, “Trust.  You can do this.  Just trust.”

So…the question I want to ask is how do we move away from fear?

I wish it was a simple 5 point answer, but I don’t think it is.  Yes, the obvious answer is just trust God, but anyone who has experienced fear knows that is easier said than done.

Today I’d like to discuss how we move past fear.  Scriptures, quotes, etc. that have ministered to you to be defined by courage rather than fear.  I’d also like to take this time to pray for each other and the fears we are each experiencing.  We are instructed to walk with each other, to carry each others burdens.

You guys are a great community to be a part of.

Fear Part 1, 2, 3, 4

Defined by Courage

September 9, 2010 in FEAR, Guest Blogging, Life, On Mission with 5 Comments

I’m excited to have the first ever guest blogger here.  I’ve learned a lot from Sarah over the last eight months.  I was turned on to her blog by Lindsey Nobles.  Over the last few months Sarah has been tackling her fears head on.  You can check out her VLogs on fear here and here.

Defined by Courage

The older I get the easier it is to dismiss real fear as personality quirks.

“I don’t DO waterslides.” She says as she covers up under a towel and sits her rear end on a bench.

“I’m just not a party planner.” She whines when someone volunteers her for a job that she does not want to do.

“Oh, no…I’m not good in large groups of women. I prefer one on one conversations.” She explains when she’s invited out.

But in reality, it’s all just fear. Fear of silly things like heights and speed. Fear of the pressure to perform under time constraints. Fear of the exposure of not being the “life of the party” and having no one laugh at my jokes.

Fear. I guess in the past I’ve allowed it to define me.

I’d rather have courage define me.

I’d rather be the one that someone invites BECAUSE she’ll jump of the pier and get her clothes and hair wet. I’d rather be the one that races her eight-year-old to the top of the waterslide to see who will be the first one down. I’d rather look at responsibilities and performance issues in the face and say, YES, I will do it and I’m not afraid.

It’s much more fun to have courage define me rather than fear.

Fear keeps me quiet. It keeps me stationary. It keeps me glued to the earth when I should be moving forward.

Fear even keeps my personality slowing trudging toward the retirement home someday where, God forbid, I fall asleep in my wheelchair scared to leave my assisted living room.

Oh yes, I will get old someday. And I may be tempted more and more to dismiss my fears and misgivings as just “who I am”. And yes, I might fall asleep during dinner when I’m 98.

Instead I want to be that courageous old lady who gathers you up and says, “Let me tell you a story, because I’ve got hundreds of them.”

I hope that who I am learning to become is a woman defined by courage and not defined by fear.

Sarah’s Twitter / Blog

Fear: Part 1, 2, 3, 5

The Haunting & Unrelenting

September 8, 2010 in Faith, Family, FEAR, Life, On Mission with 18 Comments

The haunting…

As I mentioned in my review of Permission To Speak Freely yesterday I loved the book.  The night I started reading it ended up being a difficult night sleep-wise.  I got only about three hours of sleep total.  As I laid there tossed from my left to my right to my stomach and complete 360′s my mind wandered to fears.  Fears I have.  Fears that don’t necessarily keep me up at night but haunt the crevices of my mind.

I wandered down stairs and got my journal.  I wrote out these fears.  I needed to put them down on yellowish paper with black/blue ink. They haunt me.  I don’t know how to escape them.  Some of them are bigger than others.  All of them are real.  They speak to my life right now.

The unrelenting…

I wrote in Monday’s post that after some circumstances that I walked in fear over, that God gave me courage.  However, if I’m going to be honest those circumstances which I haven’t left still bring out tremendous fear.  Even just Sunday night conversations with Shawn brought my fears to the brim.

The problem with fear, is we know reality.  There have been many times that I’ve had to trust God.  There was no other option.  Three weeks before Shawn and I got married I got laid off from my job.  Not usually the way a new couple plans to start their life together.  We spent the first three months of our marriage having to trust God to provide.  It wasn’t easy.  I remember crying on his shoulder because I couldn’t find a job, and should we go get food from our church’s Manna Ministry.  Despite our own fears God provide.  We paid our bills, met our rent on time, and at times had money left over.

I wonder where the disconnect happens.  When we have evidences of God’s faithfulness, yet we still choose to live in fear.  Fear that we won’t be able to pay our bills, fear that God is asking us to do the unthinkable, fear that we will never be healed.  The list goes on and on and on.

Your turn, confession.  I want this place (PrudyChick.com) to be a place that we can be open with one another.  I want you to feel free to speak freely without fear of being judged by me or other readers.  Today I want you to share your fears.  I’m not talking ones like being afraid of spiders or snakes or the dark, but the ones that haunt you and don’t relent.

Also don’t forget to enter to win a copy of Anne Jackson’s book Permission To Speak Freely here.

Fear Part: 1, 2, 4, 5

Page 2 of 4«1234»