My Day In A Nutshell
My title comes from a flashback to Austin Powers. “This is me in a nutshell…” Love that movie. It was on last night while I was in and out of sleep. I hadn’t seen it in a while. It made me laugh and I sure needed it the way I felt!
I went to church this morning. I just couldn’t lay in bed any longer. I was still a bit funky when I woke up but I’m convinced my illness was just shock and detox from my new health kick. It only lasted 24 hours.
The message this morning was so fantastic! We were filming for the “One Prayer” series. Pastor Byron shared his one prayer for the church. Not just C3 Church but “the” church. His prayer for the church is to love God and love others. For C3′ers we know that this is the mission statement of our community of faith. It is part of our DNA. This was the bottom line in Jesus’ ministry. He was all about spending time with, getting to know, building relationships with the people that the religious pointed their fingers at. He was about being a doctor for the sick… not the so called “spiritually fit.”
It is sad how this message has been so distorted in our time. If I were to go out into my community and speak to the 86% of people who don’t attend church and ask them to describe what they think of it in one word, I really doubt the word would be love. It would more than likely be the perception of the pointed finger of judgement and religious exclusivity. Why, when Jesus was so about love, and compassion (especially towards the outcasts of His time here on earth) have the people who say they follow Him built up such elitist, established religious country clubs? What is wrong when the 86% of Orlando wouldn’t even consider stepping foot inside what was intended to be the greatest place on earth… the church. Something is really wrong. Where is the love? If we were loving more… truly loving… people wouldn’t be able to resist! I’m so grateful to be apart of C3 where the heart of the pastor and staff is not just heard with lip service but shown with their willingness to do whatever it takes to love those who need it most… even if it means some religious people get uncomfortable and get super p/o’ed and take their “business” elsewhere.
It never really made much sense to me growing up that we would send tons of people overseas for missions but we would do very little to impact our own communities. Even as a child something seemed wrong with that. It’s so refreshing that I can be a part of a movement that balances both. If we can’t impact our own community in a huge way then how can we conquer the world with love? It is so cool that after filming this message hundreds of churches around the country will be able to participate in this “one prayer” with us as we participate with them!
Wow… I had a lot to say about that! I’m really passionate about getting to know people though. Nothing breaks my heart more than seeing someone treat someone else in an unloving manner.
I hung out with some friends today. My friend Lena was in town visiting Bryan and Gina. She came to church this morning. She loved it. She said the only thing that would hold her back from moving here would be not having a church she would love. She said that if she did make the decision to move back to Orlando C3 would be for her! It was great catching up with her. We had tons of fun chatting, laughing, and just hanging out. We laughed so hard at one point I was choking on my strawberry bar and crying at the same time! I love to laugh like that!
Stacy and Sally came over and hung out with me tonight while Blaine and Darrell went to a movie. We watched “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” I tell ya… that show does me in every time! It is so inspiring! It makes me want to go out and make a huge difference in the world. Stacy and Sally are like sister’s to me. They are the type of friends that I can just say anything around and not feel weird. They just know me that well. In fact I was hanging out in Darrell’s boxers and one of his t-shirts while they were here… now those are some good friends! Bryleigh was here too… she is just the cutest! She lays on my chest every once and a while… not for long… must it melts my heart! I love her!
Well… there ya go… my day in a nutshell!
2 comments May 4, 2008
