In 2005 I took a trip with the organization Outreach International for 10 days to the country of Nicaragua. Outreach mission is about empowering the local communities to come together, access resources, and make decisions for themselves to better their communal lives. Outreach is located in ten countries and uses indigenous workers to begin mobilizing communities. The impact they have had has been incredible.

​During the ten days our main job was to witness and observe the participatory human development process happening among the communities. We were not there to dig a well or help the people. They were helping themselves and our help would not empower them to do it themselves. In other organizations or many church mission projects, people go in and complete projects and leave. This leaves the local people the same without gaining skills and helping them become sustainable. So our objective was to just be.


​The various communities we went into showed the various levels of the process happening among the people. Some communities had made substantial change while others were just in the beginning stages.

In one community in particular Los Alvores, they had built 50 new concrete homes with metal tin roofs about the size of a 12x12 room within the last three months. However this took five years for the community to get everything in place for it to happen. These were built so every family could have a house. The homes were dream homes for the residents in that community and they all worked hard to contribute to their cause.
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We gathered with the community leaders when we arrived to hear about this project. They talked about a man named Jose who had the vision for the project and worked a great deal to get the resources so it could happen. His dream was to see every family spending time together in their own home.


Standing before us was Jose’s father with tears in his eyes. He told us his son whose dream it was, would not be able to see it because he passed away. Jose had an abscessed tooth which he could not have fixed because of the lack of adequate dental care in the community. He died from not receiving proper care. Jose’s father asked for a moment of silence as we thought about his son and the dream he held for this community.

I stood looking at the eyes of Jose’s father. It was in those eyes where I empathetically felt his loss and pain. I could see the love he had for his son. Tears streamed down my face as I had translated “Your son was a great man, I'm sorry for your loss.” After the translation, he reached out and hugged me. It was in this moment that we were connected. We both lived in two different worlds, spoke different languages, and yet were bonded together by love. I began to understand how we are transformed when we empathetically share our lives and hearts with others.

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Let’s explore the concept of empathetically connecting with others and using the gifts we have for good.


Empathetically Connecting With Others


Empathy is recognizing emotions in another while understanding their perspective and reality. Our first step should always be empathy! However so many times we get caught doing the opposite. “Suck it up”, “brush it off”, “don’t let it bother you.” There’s nothing wrong with trying to be tough however it discredits our emotions and moves us further away from identifying and addressing them when they happen.


Empathy is something everyone can do and it doesn’t take long. Many times people just need to know they are heard and cared for. The only concern is if you are someone that takes on the emotions of another which can sometimes be problematic. For more information check out this article by Marcia Reynolds “Can you have too much empathy?” For the majority of people empathy is a way to connect with others and compassionately listen.

The research on how empathy can improve our quality of life has been looked at extensively. Empathy is also the cornerstone of emotional intelligence which has been researched as the biggest indicator for career success. It goes hand in hand with listening to those around you. If you want to become more empathetic go to “Six Habits of Highly Effective People” which identifies six things we can develop in ourselves to become more empathetic.

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​Using Our Gifts For Others


Jose would have been able to see his dream complete if he had received adequate dental care. It makes we realize the drastic economic and cultural differences in our world. It doesn’t mean we have to give everything away and live like that part of the world but we do need to be mindful of what and how we are consuming. And more importantly how are we using the gifts we have to positively impact those around us. I know many nurses, dentists, and other providers that take trips to impoverished countries to give proper care. This is a great service, but we all do not have those certain gifts or the ability to go to another country.

We each have our own unique gifts which can bring service or joy to people around us. Maybe its telling others jokes to keep them light hearted, or maybe its completing a small house project for someone that can’t or doesn’t know how. Using our gifts for others benefits the communities we are in and provides more opportunities for us to empathetically connect with people. We actually get to be God’s hands and feet when we use what we have learned and been given.

I will leave you with his awesome video about the happiness we receive when using our gifts to help others. I think it’s actually a Thai life insurance advertisement ?! However it does an amazing job of showing what it means to connect empathetically and help others as we can.

I hope you are all enjoying your summer! If you want to spend a week focusing on your relationship with God get signed up for Reunion. Go this Reunion Directory to find one near you. I promise you will not regret your decision.

This week take some time to look at all the great work Outreach International is doing by visiting their website. You can even donate money by buying a chicken or a goat for one of the communities which helps them become more sustainable.

With Father's Day passing this last Sunday, it got me thinking about the first night I was a father. My wife and I were in the hospital room with the portable crib close by. We were both exhausted from the events of the day and laid down to rest as our baby slept peacefully. As I attempted to go to sleep my mind kept thinking about this precious new life sleeping close by. The very act of birth changed who I was because I was now also a father. I accepted the added responsibility to care for this life and raise him with love and compassion. My mind wandered through what this meant and the hopefulness I had for what my baby's life could be.

One study showing the impact of trauma and stress on children is the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACES) conducted by Kaiser Permanente in the 90's which looked at health conditions of obese people who experienced various trauma in their childhood. What they found was the higher number of traumatic experiences or household dysfunction among youth created more severe health concerns as adults. So what our children experience from the households we create and the interactions we have produce a lifelong affect. That's why its so important we uphold our children with value and worth and find ways of dealing with our own stress in effective, non-harmful ways. If you want to take the quiz and figure out your ACE score click here.  


Parenting Resources


So what are some good resources to help with parenting?  There are tons of information out there on the internet but here are a few. ​

Conscious Discipline - Is an approach focusing on creating a safe, connected, problem solving environment for your child. It works on developing choice in kids and uses moments of conflict as opportunities to teach and learn. To learn more go to the website.


​God As A Father


Being a father has added a new dimension to my spirituality and understanding of God. With this added role, responsibility, and privilege I get to witness and be a part of lives growing into who they were created to be. It is truly incredible to witness the process of ongoing change. It seems everyday their perspective of the world positively impacts mine if I let it. The lessons I learn about being a father lets me continue to let go and trust in my heavenly parent.


Many times God is depicted as a male fatherly figure. This can make some uncomfortable depending on our own beliefs about the divine or our relationship with male figures growing up. The words we use try to identify the divine so we can have some contextual way to perceive God. It can be useful to try to see God in various ways to expand our understanding what God can be.


For me God as a father figure paints a picture of a loving, compassionate parent who helps me navigate the world I live in. He allows me to make decisions and learn as I decide the journey of my life. He suggests potential directions or options but ultimately the decisions are up to me. Throughout those decisions he supports and empowers me to be my best and to do it with happiness. Throughout my journey he is with me though I may not realize it.

Thank you for all the positive comments and those following along! 

This week be thankful for the children we have in this world and say a prayer for them.

Camino de Santiago also known as "The Way of St. James" is a pilgrimage leading to the supposed remains of St. James in Northwestern Spain. Hundreds of thousands of individuals walk the spiritual journey each year hoping to find themselves, their purpose or just their way in this world that they live. Some carry tremendous burdens down the trodden paths that so many have walked before. It is on these paths where individuals no longer walk by themselves but are together searching for healing, reconciliation, belonging and self-worth. It is a journey of love! 

We are all on a journey to love whether on a historic pilgrimage or just our everyday lives. The searching for this higher power is what transforms us if we let it. So let's explore what love is and what role it has in community.

What is love?
Oprah interviewed Pastor Wintley Phipps about his definition of love. 

"Love is when you choose to be at your best when the other person is not at their best. Love is when what you want is never important. But what the other person needs and wants is always paramount."

I think there are some great points we can gather from this definition but I would also encourage you to read through 1 Corinthians 13. You can also check out how our brains are affected by aspects of love at SITNBoston.

1. Love is a Choice - This is what first stands out to me. We can choose to love every moment of every day and every person of that day. 

2. Asks for Your Best Self - Love pushes us to be our best selves. I find this being so difficult at times but should be our ultimate goal when we love others. Healthy relationships and organizations help others move further along their journey to who they want to be. For more information about being your best self go to this blog titled Bestselfology.

3. Moves us into Community - You cannot know someone's best without taking the time to get to know their worst. Love pushes us forward into relationships and community. It is in community where love happens. Community knocks down the walls of division and unites us together. Our own personal inadequacies take on a different light and we are accepted for who we are. This is what love does.

4. Love Removes Ourselves - We all have things we want in our lives. However for us to truly love we must set aside our perception that our wants are important when compared to others needs. Our focus cannot be internal but an outward focus on others. Emptying ourselves of those selfish desires. 

5. It Upholds People - The last part is the need for us to lift others up. Affirming and encouraging relationships that focus on the needs of others is at the heart of the virtue. Loving others is essentially moment by moment lifting others up. When this happens loving communities are formed and self-worth is renewed.  

Communities of Love
Just like the Camino de Santiago many times we start our journey individually with our own purpose, goals, and burdens. However as we travel we share with others and suddenly realize our journey is not just our own. It's an intricately woven pathway that is connected with those that cross our paths. Our selfish desires move to the back while we uphold the weary travelers we meet along the way. Our hardships become easier and our decisions more meaningful. It is in these places and relationships where community changes who we are and sometimes even our destinations. Communities of love transform us! 

Say "yes" this Advent season to the journey before you. This journey that brings us all into loving community if we allow it. Do not shy away because of the burdens you carry but choose to love. 

Let's leave you with this awesome video about how communities of love can  happen if we allow it. Plus the tune and dancing in it are just fun! 

Advent season is moving right along! Please place yourself in loving community this week whether at church, in a coffee shop or a place of your choosing. Join us next week as we explore the virtue of Joy!

When I was younger I was invited to a mainstream denominational church who was putting on a "sort of haunted house." At the time I had no idea what it was, but now I commonly refer to it as a "Hell House" which some churches put on around Halloween. After arriving, we were funneled together in groups and ushered throughout the church. Children and adults of all ages were packed in. The first room came which began a story about two teenage boys. One of them had gone to church and believed in Christ while the other had not. In the second room the boys wrecked a car killing them both. Our group was then led into hell where the boy who did not go to church went. It was a fiery, hot, loud place where people shouted, yelled, and were tortured. I have to admit it was uncomfortable watching it. Next we moved into heaven where the other boy was. It was pristine white, with angels, and anything and everything you ever wanted. Finally the story finished asking what would you choose. We were led into a room and asked if we had accepted Christ into our hearts. There were ministers standing by to recite words with you if you had not. I quickly moved on getting out of the place.  

Throughout the whole production I found myself angry. I was upset because I felt like the whole event was used for scaring people into Christ. I had been taught that God was love. In my mind no one should ever have to come to God by way of fear. I realize this is a common practice among some churches which I do not agree with. Here is a similar story out of Relevant Magazine. I think many people have pushed away from religion because of these types of practices. Let's take a closer look at fear based practices, hell and how fear impacts us. 

Fear Based Programs
Scared Straight and Boot Camp programs have been around for decades. They advertise getting kids to make better decisions so they do not end up as delinquents. However what most people do not know is that these programs are discouraged by the Juvenile Justice System and have been since the late 90's. If you don't believe me click here. These programs have been found to actually cause more harm than good leading to further trauma or more offending behavior. An important part of this is kids make decisions in the moment and in adolescence kids are at a low point in thinking about the consequences of their behavior. 

Biblical Hell
Gehenna was a ravine outside of the southwest wall of Jerusalem. It's modern name is the Valley of Hinnom. In early days this was the place where the Kings of Judah sacrificed their children to fire causing it to be a cursed place. The commentary by William Barclay states, "When the valley had been so declared unclean and had been so desecrated it was set apart as the place where the refuse of Jerusalem was burned. The consequence was that it was a foul, unclean place, where loathsome worms bred on the refuse, and which smoked and smouldered at all times like some vast incinerator."  This physical place became a symbol for "hell". Now some scholars do not agree with Barclay's suggestion of Gehenna, as a physical place. Explaining the differences in interpretation might come because the idea of Gehenna changed. It was specifically a place where physical bodies went to burn and through time changed to a place where souls went. So are Gehenna and Hell the same thing? Various theologians argue since there was a change in interpretation they have different understandings and hence are not the same. On the other hand there are theologians who think they are. Further exploration of the term is needed for you to identify what it is you believe. I would encourage you to look through other commentaries such as Moody's, Barclay's, etc. I think it is always important to use historical context when seeking understanding of scripture because it reshapes our thoughts. Exploration of terms which are sometimes messy, deepens our faith. However in today's society these messy terms are used inappropriately to produce fear instead of focusing on the gospel message. 

No Fear in Love
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love”   1 John 4:18

I have to ask isn't Jesus' story compelling enough? Isn't love the essence of Christianity. Jesus' showed perfect love to those around him. The compassionate love he shared captures and continues to capture people. It seems that scaring people into Christ doesn't really help them come to know love. Their decisions are based out of fear of what may potentially happen. Fear traps us into actions that we may not fully want to participate in, actions that do not really capture our hearts. This produces guilt, regret, and bitterness in our lives which can fester. Shouldn't love be what we lead with? Shouldn't love be our goal? Love does cast out fear!  

Have you ever experienced a "Hell House"?  How did you feel about it?
What experiences have you had with organizations instilling fear into others? 
What do you think or believe about Hell?
When is a time love has overcome fear in your life?

I feel blessed for all those reading out there!  This week contemplate how fear lives in your life and how you can use love to cast it out. 

Many years ago I went to a talent show at a family church camp (Reunion). There was lots of talent among the participants but what I remember most is a song sung by a 7 year old little girl. Her voice echoed in the outdoor shelter as the room quieted so much you could hear a pin drop. The prophetic, touching words floated into the hearts of everyone listening. She sang, "There is so much love in this world, how did I get put in a place without any." The perspective of a little girl not having someone to love her shook my core as well as everyone else's in attendance. 

I share this story because so many times we do not feel loved or worthy of being loved preventing us from experiencing the genuine, wholistic, healing power of the Holy Spirit. Our own personal blame, guilt and shame causes us to fade away instead of stepping into the loving communities before us. Let go and know you have worth. There is a community waiting to love you for who you are the beloved child of God.  

Worthy of Being 
A year or so ago, I watched the Brene Brown TED Talk talking about the power of vulnerability. Brene Brown is a social worker who does qualitative research to determine connections between individuals. She was really trying to understand why some people feel love and belonging and others do not. Part of her studies showed that many times the feeling of shame came from the fear of disconnection with others. In other words people feel “I’m not good enough.” As she continued to categorize all the research and stories she had received from people, she found only one thing separating those who had a strong sense of love and belonging and those that didn’t. Those that had a sense of love and belonging feel they are worthy of being loved.  

Have you doubted or are continuing to doubt whether or not you are worthy of being loved? Do not give into those false perceptions. You have inestimable worth and are loved beyond measure. What would it mean if you truly believed this? 

Being the Beloved
This summer I was introduced to Henri Nouwen's Sermon about Being the Beloved. It's an incredible sermon with 8 parts. I wanted to share a part of it with you because he authentically illustrates how we are God's beloved sons and daughters. Below is the 2nd part of his sermon. If you have time I encourage you to watch all of them which can be found on youtube.  

I love how he says everything we do is from the knowledge that we are the beloved of God. Our identity is being lived as the beloved. If we live this out in our daily lives how would we change? our families? our communities? I believe Nouwen is challenging us to deeply believe we are worthy of being loved. ​

What live performance has impacted you?
When have you felt loved? 
Do you truly believe you have worth, that you can be loved for who and what you are?  
What does it mean to be the beloved child of God?

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