Be an Owner not a Renter

This last weekend our church hosted a conference called Impact.  The focus of the conference was to help us to see how we can impact SoCal.  We had speakers from our 5 sister churches get up to share about this idea.

I think the concept that really stuck with me was the idea of being a renter vs being an owner.  I have lived most of my life in rental homes, and so I am very aware of what it is like to be a renter.  You often are not as concerned with the condition of your home, unless it is something that inconveniences you personally.  You are willing to overlook some of those cracks and dents in the walls, the slight slope on your floor, or even if an outlet is not working.  As a renter you are not concerned because you know that it will be a place you will at some point leave.

Now I am not saying that if your are a renter you don't care at all, but certain things do not bother you as quickly.  You do not jump to fix every tiny things in your home.  You sometimes let things slide.

Because of the Lord's goodness I have also had the privilege of getting to see my family own a home.  Home ownership changes the way you view things in your home.  Even the smallest of problems become something you want to fix.  This is due to the fact that this home is YOURS, you want the house to last since you might always live there.  You see the potential of the home if you take really good care of it.  That home becomes the place you make memories that will always be there, and you fill it with things that are important to you.  You even take out insurance to protect your stuff when you might not have when you were renting a home.

The message that was preached off this concept was pointing us to our own lives.  We often live our lives like we are renting the situation we live in. For example we go to Elementary school but are always prepping for middle school, then from middle school to high school, then from high school to college, then from college to job, while we are in that job maybe we are prepping for marriage, babies, or even a better job.  We are always moving toward the next big thing in our lives.

I am not saying that we should not look forward to the next great things that God wants for us, but this lifestyle often help us have excuses on why we do not get involved in our community or our world.  We give the excuse that we will do it later, or we will be able to serve better when we are more stable.  We just keep putting it off.

I think that really hit me hard.  I know that I have used that excuse more than once.  I am often a renter of a community, and not trying to act like an owner of the community.  If I was an owner I would get more excited about serving that community, and also be more passionate about getting involved in the problems of my community.

I know that right now we are in a time of humanity that there are so many causes that each of us know about to get involved with, and that can get overwhelming.  However how often are we asking what is happening in my own back yard?  The great thing about taking ownership of where God has you planted is that ownership will ripple out to others in the community, and then to their families then so on and so on.  When we thrive where God plants us we will see change in the greater world and community.

A great example of this is a woman named Henrietta Mears.  She decided to use her teaching skills to help grow her community in Hollywood.  She started helping run a Sunday School program at a church and from that program she saw over 400 people join Christian Service with one of the most famous being Billy Graham.  Her willingness to be an owner of her community help to raise up people who have had a much bigger impact.  She did not have to have special skills, she just used what God had already gifted her with.

I do believe that on top of supporting our Home community we are also to support the Global Community.  This might mean going physically and/or emotionally into some places that are not comfortable.  This might mean we have to stretch ourselves to stop being worried if it is safe or not.  God never promised us safety, in fact he promised us we would face hard things.  He loving told us that we would never walk in it alone, and he would walk with us.

This might mean being friends with someone who we scared/unsure of, or opening up to people you don't understand.  It might mean moving your family into a community that is not the best, but it is the place that God wants you.  Maybe that means you have to talk to that person at work that everyone ignores or shuns.

All this to say we have to be open to be the owners of the community locally and globally.  We have to open to God asking us to move or change our minds about what we hold dear.  Being open to loving people unconditionally no matter what they have to offer you or what you think of them.  Seeing yourself as the pastor of your community, job, and neighborhood.

The Lord Moves

In this last year God has been amazing!!!!  I mean He is always amazing, but this year I feel like I have seen God move so much more.  I know in some of my other post I have told you some of the things God has done.

In these last few weeks so many things have happened to remind me that God cares about the my small things.  He cares not only for my needs but also my wants.  He wants to give me things that make me happy and not just things that make me survive.

One big example is God provided me with a ticket to Disneyland and money to eat at Disney.  I never thought that I would have enough money to walk into Disney.  Being able to walk into the park was an amazing moment.

This is a big thing that God provided, but there have been countless little things that have reminded me of God love for me.  Just the other day I was driving and feeling a little down, and then out of the blue something pulled me out.  That thing was the smell of wood burning...it was super hot out so no one would be burning wood.  It was like a tiny reminder of feelings and emotions of joy and laughter.  Then not two seconds later was the smell of fresh cut wood, again one of my favorite smells.  It was 9:30 pm so I am pretty sure no one was cutting wood.

I was so surprised to smell both of those smells, and they only brought me joy in a time of feeling a little out of sorts.  These small moments help me to remember that I can always find moments of God love in the little things.

It makes me have faith for the big things.  This summer I am getting to go overseas to talk about God's grace and love.  I know that in this time I will get to see God move in amazing ways, and see His love for me just as much as His love for others.  I also know that the finance to go are in God's hands.  I am praying that God moves in the lives and hearts of those that give, and those that we will be sharing with. 

"Perfection"

So in the last few weeks I have begun to realize a few things about being an adult...I know, I know I have been an adult for a while, but I am a bit of a slow learner.

The thing that I have really been mulling over is the idea of being perfect.  I know in my own life I have struggled with feeling that I was not good enough because I am not perfect.  This plays out at times in my faith.

I have lived often feeling like I had to be the perfect Christian spending time with God everyday, always serving, and setting the perfect example for those around me.  While all of these things are very true, and I should strive for those things. The thing that has me thinking is many Christians do struggle with these things, but we often do not talk about it.

As I talk to some of my youth students I have begun to realize that at times the younger generation might not feel like they can closely follow God well, because they cannot attain this "perfection" that they believe they see.  As I began to think about it, I have also lived much of my life feeling and thinking the same thing.

I have looked at my own life, and think I couldn't be perfect like those around me.  Then I find myself comparing my own life and my own ability to the abilities of those around me.  I become discouraged in the fact that I am struggling when so many around me seem to have their lives together.

I think we as the church must challenge ourselves to open and honest, with those around us, about what we struggle with.  No this is easier said than done.  People are scared that they might be judged or pushed out for their honesty.  This is also where the church must show the same grace that that Lord showed us.

In this honest, we are not just sitting in our own mess, but trying to move forward in the things God has for us.  When we are honest in our community our community grows in trust.  We also see God moving in everyday ways.  It is great to hear the stories of God moving in crazy ways, at the same time it is great to see how God is moving in the day to day aspects of our lives.  We need to honest in the fact that we have not arrived, and that we struggle daily to follow our Lord.  We will never stop struggling in one way or another, but we will become stronger walking in faith with God.   

Life is slowing down!

So life has finally started slowing down!!! Since I moved to LA I have been working almost non-stop!  Last year I was working 4 different jobs at one point.  I have been pushing myself to get so much done in the last few years.

At the start of last week, I quit my job at Office Max and am now only working at the church.  I have been able to actually take some time for me, and to slow down to work at the church well.  I know that this season is going to have some difficult times, but these last few weeks have been great!

I know it has been a bit since I posted a blog, so let me give you a few updates so that you can see how great God is!

First like I said earlier is I am working at a church.  I have loved getting to work with the youth students in the youth group, and the challenges that have come with it!  Most of my students have grown up in the church, so it is challenging to sometimes help them see God in new ways.  The great thing is my students mainly want to learn, and they do have a pretty awesome understanding of God.

Second I am doing a Discipleship Training School (DTS) at my church.  This program is similar to the YWAM DTS program, but it is run through our church.  In this time was are walking as a class to help each other see God in great new ways, and to have a stronger commitment to what we have been called to.  I am excited to see what this school will bring in my life with God.  We are in the school for 9 months, and at the end of that we get to take a trip overseas to help us practice the things that God has been challenging us to.  I have not heard yet where I get to go, but I am excited to hear what God has in store.

Third I am doing a Discipleship House.  We are a group of 5 women living together and challenging each other to live healthy lives and to live in the way that God has called each of us.  In that we are pushing each other to walk out of any areas of our lives that are disconnecting us to God, and to encourage each other in the areas that we are strong!  I know that this is not a super normal situation to live in, but it has been amazing to see this community grow.  We are laughing, crying, and being open with each other.

I know you are done reading this and thinking this is a slowed down life?  This is a much slowed down life, and I am so excited for it!  Thank you so much for all your support in this time in my life, and I hope that you are all in great places with the Lord as well! 

I am enough!

So I know it has been a long time since my last post and tons has happened since then.  I will give you the quickie version before I go on with this post.

1)Went to India
2)Came home to California
3)Went to Oklahoma and Bought a car
4)Drove back to California
5)Got a job as the Youth Director at my church here in Pasadena, CA

Whew that was quick!  Now on to the real blog post.

So in the last few months I have been really dealing with the ideas of being enough for what God has called me to do.  This all stems from me looking at those doing ministry around me and seeing them doing much better.  It also comes from my skill set that God has graced me with. I sometimes wonder why God did not ask me to be a doctor or a scientist or a soldier or etc.  Why am I not something more valuable than an actor/artist?

I have found myself sitting around wondering if I should go back to school to do something more impressive, or something that can make a bigger impact on the world than just being an artist.  Then enter God stage right!

God has been reminding me that while those other jobs are amazing and awesome, what God has called me to is just as amazing and awesome.  What he has called me to is just as amazing because he has called me to them.  These other jobs are also great and amazing, but they are not my tasks.  They are the callings of those that are equipped  for them.

That is not to say that I could not do those jobs, but I am not fully equipped to do that work.  I think this is something that all Christians need to be reminded of.  I sometimes fear that we push some jobs to the front, and almost consider them better.  The thing is that we are all called by God, and that we are not doing any of these jobs in our own strength.  We are all depending on God to see the success that we have.  The only part of this process that should be gaining the glory is God alone.

We as the Church need to remind each other that all of our jobs are important, and challenge the stereotype that says some jobs are better.  We need to celebrate the victories of all the body, and we need to stand next to those struggling.  This does not mean that we are all called to be the same, but we are called to support the body fully no matter the job they have.

Alone am not enough, but the Lord says "I am enough."  We need to surrender to that and allow God to work in the gifts and skills he has given us.

I know I'm late...

Hey all,
    So I know that I have been in South Asia for almost 4 weeks and have yet to update you on my life.  I know that you have all been waiting for so long for this, and you almost could not live without hearing about my time here.  I will try to keep it brief, and then you can ask me for more info if you want.

   My trip here was very uneventful.  The team arrived safe and sound, and we started right to work.  On most of our days we had language lessons, and meetings about what to expect in the culture.  We also started learning about storytelling, and how it has been used in the world to talk about the Lord.  I loved getting to learn storytelling, and even got to create my own story.  We also had many other tasks to work on.  One of the most amazing was going to a leprosy colony to help clean wounds of those living there.  I was excited to do something very tangible to help.

    After two weeks in that part of the country we moved on to our next location aka "where I am now".  Our team has been working on getting training materials ready for workers here.  Some of the workers are taking on extra training to be able to do their jobs better/quicker so we are helping make the tools needed.  We have also gotten more language lessons so that we can better communicate with those in this culture.  The time that we have been in this city has been great, and helped to truly show what it would be like to live in South Asia long term.

   One thing that we have/will get to see in both of these cities is the translation of the Word of God.  We have even gotten to meet with some people that are sacrificing everything to translate the Word into a language that needs it.

   We will be in this city for a few more days then we will head on to our last location.  There we will spend some time debriefing, and taking time to evaluate the wonderful skills that we have picked up on this trip.  There is so much more that has happened, but I know that you guys have lives outside of my blog.  So please return to your houses and be of good cheer.  If you want to see photos of this adventure just check out my Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/mel.s.chambers

It's the Final Countdown!

So right now I am sitting in my last class on the Pasadena campus of Fuller Theological Seminary.  I have spent the last two years running around sometimes like a chicken with my head cut off.  I have pushed myself to the edge at time, and then had some loving friends shove me away from that edge.

The class that I am sitting in is the Capstone course for my program, so it is the summation of everything that I have learned.  It is interesting to see how far the thoughts I have had about God have changed over the last few years. (disclaimer: I still know and trust God, and all my new thoughts are extremely Biblical)

In much of my life I have had a very small view of God enough though I have seen God move in such mighty ways.  I in some degree have felt that I could control situations better than God could.  I would say that I was trusting Him, but then in truth I was leaning on the things that I knew.  I just thought that I was giving my all so that any situation I was in would work out.

In the last few years God has lovingly put things in my path to prove me wrong.  Nothing he put there was super overwhelming, but it was just enough to push my buttons of control.  I needed to be reminded that I did not have the ability to fix anything on this Earth without the power of God in me.  This brings me to a new truth that I am having to cling onto: "I cannot fix things, only creator God can fix his Creations."

I am having to remind me that I am walking in the light of God, and not the light of Mel.  When I try to walk in the light of Mel then I always find myself at the edge trying to not fall off.  At that time I normally run directly to God and start freaking out that I am feeling alone and lost.  However God was there the whole time standing with me.  He allowed me to walk somewhat blinded, but always with a buffer of protection from Him.  Sometimes that buffer was my friends that kept me in line with God, or sometimes it was those times of suffering that brought me back.

I have been so challenge by this idea.  I love that God has always brought people into my life to show me more of God's love for me.  I know that I still have tons to learn, and know that I will be learning the rest of my life.  I am so excited to say that I am loving God even more daily, and walking more boldly and confidently in Him.

So here is a photo of some of my friends I am graduating with, and that have fed into my life.

Thank you for being willing to read my musings, and sometimes my ramblings in life.  I am excited to be finishing my last quarter on campus, and then I will officially finish next quarter after my time in South Asia.  I will then be seeing God move in great ways.