Let me first begin by saying that I will be preaching to myself in this post.

We all have passions.  We all have gifts and abilities.  More often that not, these talents directly align with our passions.  Funny how that works…

I’m passionate about music, especially writing it.  I love the creative process of a song coming to life from a simple thought.  While I’m clearly not the best at writing music, I have found that I enjoy it, and the songs themselves don’t sound horrible.  Of course, I’m a little biased when it comes to that.

I’m also passionate about helping the least of these- particularly concerning the issues of human trafficking and extreme poverty.  You can read some earlier posts on these issues by starting at the beginning of this fairly young blog.

I’ve been fortunate to play some of my music in order to raise awareness for the human trafficking problem in Phoenix, which is a much larger problem than people think.  This has caused me to think a lot about how I can use what I’m gifted at to help with the issues that I’m passionate about.  It would make sense to use my gifts that way.

It’s probably the reason I was given the gift in the first place.

You have gifts and passions.  All of you.  And because of that, you all have the potential to be a part of God’s much larger story of redemption on this little planet we live on.  Of course that also means that we get to live a better story as well.

We’re called to.

If you’re afraid to put yourself out there because of fear, I want to encourage you to take that step.  There is much more at stake here than our feelings.  Remember, we’ve been given these talents to use them, not bury them in the ground.

So, I ask you (and me) : What’s your passion?

And, more importantly, what are you (we) doing to invest in them?

Our talents are just as valuable as a million bucks. Sure, if you’ve been blessed with a lot of money, give away.  But, if you’re not a millionaire, give of yourself.  You’re worth more than you’ll ever think.

Folks,we must do something.  There isn’t a lack of need in this world.

We need only to look around.

*NOTE*  Some of you who read this blog are doing some amazing things for the Kingdom of God.  I’d love for you to share what you’re doing as well.  Perhaps there are those that are unaware and would like to partner with you.  Plug away shamelessly in the comments.

image: sam

How about going here?  I would encourage you to either get tickets to go if you’re near Nashville or watch online (how cool is that).  And, if you’re able to, donate towards relief efforts in Haiti.  I realize that it’s been long enough now that it may just be a fading memory.  But, please remember the people of Haiti.  There is a lot of work left to do, and they need you and I.

So, take the time to enjoy some good music that’s about something so important, would you?

We’ll hear from CS Lewis next Friday, but this is too good important to pass up.

Have a good weekend.

Kate is six.  And, I don’t know about you, but those eyes are telling me a story.

She has an aggressive brain tumor that is ravaging both her body, as well as the hearts of many around the world who have followed her story.

I ask that you would please pray on Kate’s behalf.  Pray for amazing things.  (1) Pray that God would completely baffle the doctors with the disappearance of the tumor.  (2) Pray for Kate’s parents, Aaron and Holly, that they would have peace, comfort, clarity & wisdom through this difficult time.

Starting today, little Kate will have a year’s worth of chemotherapy administered in six days.  Since her body will be stripped of so many cells, she will need to undergo a stem-cell procedure that use healthy stems harvested before the treatment to rescue her.

As you can probably imagine, this will be a grueling period of time for little Kate physically and emotionally.  She will be isolated for several weeks to avoid infection, which has got to be horrible for such a little girl, let alone that she has a severe brain tumor.  Please pray that her heart be protected through this time, and that she know that she’s not alone in this.

God, in His infinite power, has the ability to immediately heal little Kate, so let’s ask Him to do just that.  However, if His timing is different, let us pray that He use the sufferings of this family to bring glory to His name.  And, let the McRae’s story model to us what it means to suffer well for Christ.

Please visit Kate’s caring bridge site for updates, as well as her site for more information.  Blog about her, twitter about her [with #katemcrae as the hashtag], post something on Facebook to your friends with a link to her site-use your sphere of influence to get as many people as possible to pray on behalf of this little girl.

God hears the cries of His people.  Let’s not grow weary in praying for Kate.

Here we are just over a week removed from the unfathomable disaster that struck Haiti, and I have to saythat I’m still unbelievably heartsick over this.  Perhaps numb would be the appropriate term to describe me this week in regards to Haiti.  If you have the time, please take a look at the devastating pictures from the Boston Globe: Haiti six days later. 

I will warn you that these images are nothing short of both gripping and challenging.  I mean, can you imagine someone you love being among the piles of bodies in a mass grave?  I know I can’t.  You can do one of two things when seeing these images…

Shut down or react. 

The first option is so easy to do.  Questions like, “what in the world can I do?” and “would anything I could give make any kind of difference?” are common among us all.  It’s hard for me to think that my small amount of money could do anything in a country who’s citizens either died or became homeless. 

The second is obviously more difficult.  Giving to the point of being uncomfortable is just that…uncomfortable.  But, to put it bluntly, it’s Biblical.  Jesus never said it would be comfortable.  I need to remember that. 

I blogged about Haiti needing us last week, and with each day the need increases tremendously.  Would you consider doing something to help?  Anything will.  I can promise you that.

January has been declared “National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month.”  There was a call to highlight local organziations/ministries that are fighting this problem.
Today I will highlight Streetlight Phoenix, an organization here in Phoenix.

Streetlight is an organization here in Phoenix who is rescuing child prostitutes and rehabilitating them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  They are set to open up a campus around a safehouse in the city in 2010, which will immediately double the number of safehouse beds in all of the U.S.  If you read this blog and are in Arizona, would you consider checking Streetlight out, and perhaps donating to it?  They also have some volunteer opportunities as well if you want to look into that.

The president of Streetlight is a pastor here in the Valley.  The goal is to partner with churches around the city to join in with the fight.  I like the idea of different churches putting aside their differences, denominations, worship style, etc. to help the least of these.  Can you imagine what that would look like?

Let me know what’s going in with regards to this issue in your town or city.  I’d love to know about it.  Perhaps you would consider writing a blog post this month to highlight an organization even.  That’d be great, too!

Feel free to link to your post (only one link or spam filter will catch it) and share it.

Perhaps if we saw signs like these we’d have less of chance to ignore a rampant problem…

Today has been declared National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.  Were you aware?

President Obama proclaimed last week that January 2010 to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, calling for greater public awareness of the problem.

An estimated 27 million people worldwide are trapped as victims of human trafficking.  The black market slave trade is lucrative, worth an estimated $9 billion a year, according to the FBI.  One million children are new victims of forced prostitution, and 200,000 American women and children are at high risk for being forced into the sex industry. Human trafficking has become the fastest growing criminal activity in the world.

We must do something… And we can.  There are many ways that we can combat human trafficking, and many organizations that are doing something to fight it.  If you’re looking for something to get involved in, I would highly recommend that you contribute your time, talent and resources to make a difference in the lives of those at risk.

It happens closer to you than you think.  This is not just an third world problem.  This is happening in your city, no doubt about it.  Human trafficking is a crime that takes the voice of so many.  It is commanded that we become a voice for them.

Have you looked into trafficking statistics in your town/city? If so, do you know of any organizations fighting against it?

If so, I’d love to hear what they are so I can list & highlight them here.

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image: FCAHT

As most of us in the United States ponder over and over what we have left to buy or how many gifts are enough for our loved ones, millions of people wonder if tomorrow will be the last day they take a breath.  Global poverty is on a level so freaking huge overwhelming that it will kill thousands of people long before we are settled in to watch Lebron vs. Kobe.

More after the jump…

So, I wanted to offer my assistance in helping you with any last minute shopping you may have.  And it is this:  One Day’s Wages.  ODW means just that….a day’s wages of your annual salary.  They even have a calculator on the site for you to get an idea of just how much we’re talking about here.  It essentially comes to 0.4% of your annual salary.  Of course, you could give less or more, depending on where you’re at.  But believe me, anything goes a long way here.  One hundred percent of your donation goes directly to organizations making a huge difference in our world.  You can even pick where it goes.  Any of the projects are extremely worthwhile.

I am extremely excited about joining in with ODW in the fight against global poverty.  I think you’ll find that you will be too.

Merry Christmas!

top image: sam

I’ve grown weary of all of the negative media.

It reminds me of two truths:  (1) Food Network is quite possibly from Jesus, and (2) this world is messed up, y’all.  It seems as if there’s a better chance of Paula Dean not using butter in a dish over something good actually happening in the world these days.
It’s easy for me to believe that this may just be all there is until Jesus returns.  It’s easy to shake my head in disappointment and sit back, both depressed that things are the way they are and hopeful that one day things will be different.

But you know, we are really called to turn the world upside down today. To bring Heaven down to earth.  To bring the opposite of what we find around us these days.  It seems to me that there are too many people waiting for Heaven.  Waiting for things to be “right.”  I believe God wants us to start that process now.  Sure, we’ll never do it perfectly, and sure, we’ll make mistakes.  But, we’re not on some joy ride while we live out our days here.  God has cast us in his story of creation’s redemption, and in that we have the great privilege to come together and begin to bring Heaven downward.

Bold steps need to be taken.  Bold prayers need to be prayed.  The ways of Jesus must be priority, and our ways need to take a seat.  St. Francis of Assisi said a very bold prayer asking for strength to give of ourselves to meet the needs of others.  Perhaps you’ve heard of it before.  But, let’s make it more than something we can quote and echo the prayer for ourselves.  Think of the situations you’re involved in that require these things of you.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born into eternal life.

Let’s take hold of these character traits and show Jesus to each other.  It may just be bold enough to overthrow Food TV as the only thing positive.

image: sam

Today is World AIDS Day, and I’ll have to be honest with you… I don’t think about the issue of HIV/AIDS near as much nowadays than before.  I think it has a lot to do with my age.  I was still young when Magic Johnson’s diagnosis was revealed (remember that?), and most of the media chatter either blamed needle sharing or promiscuity as causes.  I’ve long thought of it as an American safe sex issue, and not an issue of it being the worst killer we have ever seen in this world.  I had no idea of a world in which some 33+ million people have died from it.  How do we mourn the loss of that many people?  How can we make a difference?  I currently give 8 bucks a month to Compassion International’s AIDS Initiative, which provides care for those affected with HIV/AIDS, as well as providing preventative information to folks in AIDS-affected areas of the world (Africa in our case).  I know for a fact that I blow 8 bucks every time I enter Chik Fil-A, so this is not a huge cost for most of us.

So, what can we do?  Sure, we can talk about it, raise awareness on blogs and tweet ’til the sun goes down.  But what about doing?  Wouldn’t it be so much better to be known for that?  Read the post over at One Day’s Wages for some great information on World AIDS Day, as well as a challenge to do something about it.  It’s much, much better than my ramblings.

After all, talk is just that.  Talk.  Let’s being to start doing something, shall we?

The brainchild of celebrity photographer Jeremy Cowart, Help-Portrait is a movement of photographers, coming together in every major city, to use their photography skills to give back to the community.

On December 12th, photographers around the world will be grabbing their cameras, finding people in need, and taking their picture.  When the prints are ready, the photographs get delivered.

more after the jump…
The whole project is about giving pictures, not promoting your photography….imagine that.  :)

Head over to the site here.
Follow the Help-Portrait project on Twitter.
If you take pictures, go take ‘em on the 12th.  Let me know how it goes.  What a great way to serve!