this past week i stumbled on a quote at my friend makeesha’s blog by shane claiborne (one of my favorite voices for change in the kingdom of God). claiborne said”: “get ready, people, God has prepared you for something really, really small!”
oh i know that will really get the goats of so many people who believe the spiritual life is about moving mountains. i am not discounting the importance of big dreams. but what i have found is that many many people believe that because they aren’t spiritual giants they don’t really have anything to contribute to the kingdom. we revere those who are doing big things for God and feel like losers when we’re not “making an impact.” we have been taught by many people that we need to clean up our act before we can do certain things for God (nothing drives me more crazy than this). we get tunnel vision and lose sight of this beautiful truth: love can be simple. and a little love goes a long way in a broken messed up world.
my friend pam hogeweide, a writer for off the map and part of the bridge community in portland, is the guest editor of the porpoised diving life this month, an online zine that really has some great stuff.
this month she explores the power of the ordinary. ordinary people doing ordinary things in ordinary ways. and the transformation that comes from that. check it out HERE.
my favorite articles are of course the interview with ken loyd , our friend and pastor of home-pdx in portland who has become a legend by basically just being a good friend. and aaron strumpel’s song dove. amazingly beautiful lyrics. here are my favorite lines:
i want to know a person like you
who’s not afraid to love the wicked and the poor
i want to know a person like you
who’s not afraid to touch the crooked and the whore
you’re not afraid of me…
i want to know a person like you
who’s not afraid to love the sick and the divorced
i want to know a person like you
who’s not afraid to touch the user and the falling apart
enjoy.