Turbulent Peace. It’s a term I made up several years ago to describe a state of being in which I’ve frequently found myself. It’s a time when the circumstances and events externally surrounding a life are a tumultuous cacophony of turmoil; yet internally a deep sense of peace silently reigns.
My mother is a fount of great wisdom. Although we don’t always see eye-to-eye, and we have varied beliefs and opinions, there is one area in which she has made an amazing impact on the way I live. Whenever I’ve found myself at a convergence of two paths, racking my brain to determine which way to go, she has guided me to always follow peace: in the midst of decisions, in the middle of conflict and turmoil, while choosing between two evils, or two seemingly wise options, to always follow peace.
Scripture tells us that God is not the author of confusion; rather he is the Prince of Peace. When we find our world swirling around us, we can identify his direction and guidance by looking for that peace. It’s not necessarily the most obvious or logical choice, often it is the complete opposite, but we can recognize the path God would lead us to take by the sense of calm that accompanies it.
As I was talking this past week with a few of the people in our church, I saw the whirlwinds in their lives. The hurricane force winds and storms were circling around and every path seemed like a course of imminent destruction. But as we began to seek God’s direction, we felt a warm sense of calm begin to wash over us and we knew that God was there in the midst of our chaotic, uncertain world. It was his peace that goes beyond all of our human understanding.
Once again, it was a reminder that when we find ourselves swallowed up in a tornado of life and we’re warily looking out our windows watching pieces of our life swirl around us, we can find God in the middle of our storm. If we ask, we will always find his peace… sometimes turbulent peace.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Iqaluit, Nunavut: A land of beauty and mystery
Yesterday I completed my monthly ritual of looking up online statistics to verify that my blog was up and running consistently. As I was whipping through the stats of people who had visited my site, I came across a location that caught me off guard: Iqaluit, Nunavut.
Realizing that this visitor was from the remote regions of the far north in Canada, I was excited and thrilled. I’ve had people from all over the world trip onto my site: from Europe, Africa, and South America. But this was the first time I’d found someone who was from one of the small, coastal communities of the North Atlantic Sea.
As a person with a strange love for, and interest in, Arctic villages, I want to say a special welcome to you – whoever you are. Being an Alaskan myself (with a latitude quite close to your own), I can only image that your region is beautiful, your climate extreme, and your people warm in the coldest of nights.
I hope you drop by again, for I’m certain there is much we could learn and share about each other’s worlds.
Realizing that this visitor was from the remote regions of the far north in Canada, I was excited and thrilled. I’ve had people from all over the world trip onto my site: from Europe, Africa, and South America. But this was the first time I’d found someone who was from one of the small, coastal communities of the North Atlantic Sea.
As a person with a strange love for, and interest in, Arctic villages, I want to say a special welcome to you – whoever you are. Being an Alaskan myself (with a latitude quite close to your own), I can only image that your region is beautiful, your climate extreme, and your people warm in the coldest of nights.
I hope you drop by again, for I’m certain there is much we could learn and share about each other’s worlds.
Monday, October 02, 2006
End of the Spear
Over the past week, I’ve felt an increased awareness of God’s stirring, guiding me into a new and welcome direction. While I’ve felt his pull before, as he always seems to do, this time seems brand new. I’ve prayed and fasted, studied and cried for an awakening, and I believe he’s beginning to answer my call.
All week long my mind has been captured with thoughts that lead me far beyond my present life: I’ve received a new burden for people I tolerated, a deeper vision for the supernatural and fresh hunger for the word of God. My drive is not predicated upon what God can do through me or for me, nor am I motivated by its prerequisite for revival. Rather, I’m simply desperate to know Him. And as I continue moving forward with his tugs on my heart, I’m praying that this awakening will revive my previous understanding of who God is and will develop into an overwhelming passion for Him and those around me.
In an amazing culmination of my inner whirlwind, this past weekend I watched one of the best movies I’ve seen in years. It was the true story of a group of missionaries to the Waodani people of the Amazon River. In a beautiful, heart-enthralling weave, End of the Spear, tells a story of savage violence, anger, fear, loss, forgiveness, and redemption, all through the eyes of the young son of a missionary pilot.
As the story unveiled, I began to question my own attempts at being a missionary to the people around me. While I’ve never had anyone hold a machete to my throat or threaten a thrusted spear in my gut, I’ve too faced challenges, fears, and questions, albeit respectively minor. However, I don’t know that I have the passion or calling that these missionaries inevitably shared. I think there was a time when I would have sacrificed all, but sadly, there’s been a waning of my vision, enthusiasm, and conviction.
For years I’ve wanted desperately to move to foreign lands to share life, health, and education with people around the world. However, this week, God has given me a new vision for the people in my own community: for Lorenzo, the neighbor boy who rakes my leaves, for my Wiccan friend, to whom I’m teaching a Bible Study, for the Inupiat people in my region, who face challenges of FAS, Alcoholism, and Depression.
While I’m not heading to the Amazon, I pray that this new passion can redirect the mighty rivers of God’s spirit in me, to bring life to the people along my banks.
(For those interested in this amazing film, please see: www.endofthespear.com)
All week long my mind has been captured with thoughts that lead me far beyond my present life: I’ve received a new burden for people I tolerated, a deeper vision for the supernatural and fresh hunger for the word of God. My drive is not predicated upon what God can do through me or for me, nor am I motivated by its prerequisite for revival. Rather, I’m simply desperate to know Him. And as I continue moving forward with his tugs on my heart, I’m praying that this awakening will revive my previous understanding of who God is and will develop into an overwhelming passion for Him and those around me.
In an amazing culmination of my inner whirlwind, this past weekend I watched one of the best movies I’ve seen in years. It was the true story of a group of missionaries to the Waodani people of the Amazon River. In a beautiful, heart-enthralling weave, End of the Spear, tells a story of savage violence, anger, fear, loss, forgiveness, and redemption, all through the eyes of the young son of a missionary pilot.
As the story unveiled, I began to question my own attempts at being a missionary to the people around me. While I’ve never had anyone hold a machete to my throat or threaten a thrusted spear in my gut, I’ve too faced challenges, fears, and questions, albeit respectively minor. However, I don’t know that I have the passion or calling that these missionaries inevitably shared. I think there was a time when I would have sacrificed all, but sadly, there’s been a waning of my vision, enthusiasm, and conviction.
For years I’ve wanted desperately to move to foreign lands to share life, health, and education with people around the world. However, this week, God has given me a new vision for the people in my own community: for Lorenzo, the neighbor boy who rakes my leaves, for my Wiccan friend, to whom I’m teaching a Bible Study, for the Inupiat people in my region, who face challenges of FAS, Alcoholism, and Depression.
While I’m not heading to the Amazon, I pray that this new passion can redirect the mighty rivers of God’s spirit in me, to bring life to the people along my banks.
(For those interested in this amazing film, please see: www.endofthespear.com)
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