We Are The Body.......

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Recently, I was reflecting on my recent trip to Haiti during some quiet time. Actually, I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and not succeeding because too much was going on in my head.

I remember being so overwhelmed at first. The sites, the sounds, the smells, there was just so much to take in. People have asked me if it was as bad as I expected. I'm unsure how to answer that question because this was my first mission trip I didn't really know what to expect. The reality of Haiti was worse, so much worse than I expected. And, at the same time, it was also so much better than I expected. The poverty, the despair, the pain, the suffering, the need...everywhere I looked I saw someone who was in need. Real people. Real need-not just for comfort but for survivial. And at the same time, I saw people praising and worshipping God with their whole hearts. I saw people praying and reading their Bibles. I saw laughter and joy in their eyes. I saw beauty. I saw love. I saw hope.

During the first day or two, I remember having a conversation with God about my feelings of being overwhelmed and thinking about what I am doing here-feeling doubtful and inadequate. How could I, in one week make any sort of impact on the huge need in this poverty stricken place? Where people don't have enough to eat, don't have clean water to drink and where most are barely surviving. People are sick, children are dying. The need is so great-it is truly overwhelming and hard to comprehend, let alone explain. Words are inadequate.

I felt overwhelmed and like I was kidding myself into thinking that I could make a difference on this trip or change/save the world. I'd like to tell you that I had some awesome insight or that God spoke to me clearly and explained everything. But that is not what happened. As is more often the case, for me, anyway, God revealed Himself to me bit by bit. And somewhat after the fact. Maybe I'm just a slow learner.

Looking back, I recall some of the American's we met. There was the group that stayed at the guest house with us. They were working on a project to get solar (free energy) cookstoves to the women of Haiti. There is a lot of cancer in Haiti, in part because they cook over open flames and spend hours each day tending a fire. There's also concern about what the cutting down of so many trees for fuel to burn is doing to the environment and concern about food poisoning from improper cooking/handling techniques.

Then there was the lady we met at church and at the airport, who was there to work with pregnant and nursing women and newborns to teach them about breastfeeding. Apparently there is some stigma and superstition associated with breastfeeding among Haitian women. I learned that the rich women in Haiti use formula, and the poor women use flour and water, because it looks like formula, and their babies get sick and die. Ugh.

We met a family at church that were taking their adopted children home from another orphanage. We had one adoptive mom, and an adoptive big sister as part of our group-each adopting two children from Three Angels. Do you know that almost all of the 30+ children currently living at Three Angels have forever families? They are just waiting to go home, while their adoptive families wade through the paperwork and process.

There were the pastors at the church we attended. There were the young Haitian teens who came to the orphanage and led a church service, complete with praise & worship music for the children on Saturday. There was also another large group at the airport when we arrived-all wearing blue tee shirts that said something about God being the God of justice and had images of the island printed on them. There was another group of short term missionaries from the east coast that overlapped with our visit to Mother Theresa's hospital. They visited with the children there, and were on their way to another city to help with the problem of sanitizing the drinking water. There were brochures and information on child sponsorship from a couple of different organizations at the guest house.

Then there's Kaitlyn, a college aged woman who is spending her summer living at Three Angels and ministering to the children, playing with them, holding them, caring for them. She's not there because she has to be, but because she wants to be. And Sandy, the orphanage/house manager who also lives at Three Angels and keeps things moving-working with the nannies, and all the staff, organizing the supplies, entertaining the children, teaching the children and so much more.

And there are all of the Three Angels board members and volunteers in the United States doing so much for the children through the Orphanage, Three Angels Christian Academy and the Halos Medical Mission.

There were the 23 of us. A painter, a nurse, college students, high school students, postal workers, hair stylists, salesmen, business owners, a counselor and so much more. People with very different careers. People from all walks of life. People from different churches. People from different states. Very different people all united by Jesus Christ. Brought together by God to do His work. To play a part in His plan.

As I was reflecting on the trip and all of these people, God revealed several things to me. First, IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. Clearly, I am inadequate for the task at hand, but God is more than enough, more than capable. (2 Corinthians 12:9; Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Phillipians 4:13) And He cares-He cares deeply for all who are lost and all who suffer. (Matthew 25:40; Matthew 25:45) I have a part to play in God's adventure and I must do what I can. Jesus said if you love me, obey me.

Second, the Bible tells us that we are the body, Christ is the head (Romans 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:13; Ephesians 4:4; Colasians 2:19). We all have a part to play-and that was clearly demonstrated in the variety of missionaries I met and the variety of projects that are being worked on to improve life in Haiti. What a cool thing, to be able to see the Bible in action-a real life demonstration through a diverse group of people united by their desire to serve Christ by helping and loving others.

And lastly, God brought to mind that story about 2 friends walking along the beach that was just covered in starfish. Every so often, one friend would stop to pick up a starfish and throw it back into the ocean. The other friend was incredulous and asked why are you bothering with that, there are so many, you'll never make a difference. And the friend who was throwing the starfish said simply "It makes a difference to this one" as he tossed another one back.

So during the trip, I took action. I changed one diaper at a time. I held one (sometimes two or three) child(ren) at a time. I gave one a drink of water or one snack. I picked up one crying child at a time. I rocked one child to sleep. One at a time, one need at a time. One bit of obedience at a time. All for God's glory. Did I change the world? Probably not. But maybe, just maybe, I changed the life of a child. Maybe some day that child will change the life of another person and therefore change the world.

I want the children to know that Jesus loves them. No matter what happens that is one thing that is True and cannot be changed. (Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16). I'm grateful to have had this opportunity. And I'm grateful that someone else obeyed and served, and shared this Good News, this Truth with me. And so now, I do my part and serve willingly, joyfully, gladly. (2 Timothy 1:8)

God willing, (Proverbs 27:1) I will return to Haiti soon to play my part. In the meantime, I will find ways to serve and play my part at home.

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The Gift of Journaling

As I write this, I am in Nashville for the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference. (http://www.aacc.net/) This year’s conference theme is No Greater Love. I have attended this conference once before and learned that this is a great opportunity for refreshment and renewal. I will meet new friends and colleagues. I will also reconnect with old friends and with God while participating in training seminars on topics of interest to me that will help me serve my clients better. I will gain required continuing education hours and a renewed focus on why I do what I do. I’m looking forward to the conference starting.

The Opryland Resort (www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordopryland/index.cfm) is an amazing place-the setting is serene and so beautiful. There are nine acres of gardens INSIDE! There’s a river running through the property too. My room is comfortable and fully equipped with all that I need including high speed internet access. The spa and fitness center are great too. Everyone I’ve met has been helpful and friendly-southern hospitality is a reality and it is alive and well here in Nashville.

This year, I chose to come in to town a few days before the conference started. In my heart, I knew that a few days of quiet time and relaxation away from home would be good for me. And indeed, it has been, already. Isn’t it amazing that our hearts know what we need. If only we’d stop to listen more often.

My first evening here, I wandered around the resort just looking at everything and noticing the changes made since my last trip here in 2003. I had a great workout at the fitness center and enjoyed window shopping in some of the great shops here.

This morning, I spent some time reading God’s Word. This is something that is important to me because it helps to keep me focused and provides an opportunity for God to speak to me. In addition, I have kept a prayer journal off and on since 2003. This is not something I write in every day, nor is it something that includes all prayers I have prayed. I pray for others and I pray for my own needs. I also record things that I am grateful for.

Today, I took time to re-read my entire prayer journal. The entries are written in my messy handwriting and my heartfelt prayers for issues that were important to me over the past four years brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad. Much has changed in my life and in me over that timeframe. What really brought me to my knees was the long list of answered prayers. I was awestruck and humbled by this list of answered prayers. Not every prayer was answered, nor were all of the answers the answers I prayed for-the way I wanted things to work out-but the prayers were answered nonetheless. God is so kind and merciful and I am so impatient and-well-sometimes, just plain whiny. I imagine a loving parent becoming tired and frustrated with the whining and repeated questions of a pre-schooler. One of the scenes I imagine is that of a road trip, with a tired child in the back seat asking ‘are we there yet?’ over and over. How often I have prayed like that-asking the same thing over and over! Thank goodness God is the perfect parent and that He has ultimate patience and unending love for someone like me!

This experience has reinforced for me the gift of journaling. Keeping a journal is a gift I give myself. It allows me the opportunity to look back and see progress as well as areas where I’m stuck. Sometimes, I get to see how far I’ve come or grown. Other times, I see themes or patterns that I may want to address differently because they keep coming up and may be holding me back. It always brings back memories of people and places-situations in my life from years gone by. Seeing, in black and white, answered prayers is a reminder that God is intimately involved in our lives-He cares about the details. I find it very comforting and reassuring.

I want to give you permission to start journaling. Often, people are under the mistaken impression that there is a right way to journal or some unwritten rule that says you must write in it every day. Nonsense! There is no wrong way to journal. You can write or type. Get a note book or go shopping for a journal that is pretty or represents your personality. If you choose to purchase a journal-you can get one with lined pages or blank pages. You can write or doodle or draw. You can use poetry or songs to express yourself. You can write as if you are writing a letter to a friend. You can write in incomplete sentences with incorrect grammar and spelling. You can make a list.

I keep my prayer journal and I keep another journal in the nightstand next to my bed for those nights when insomnia hits. I’ve found that when I can’t sleep in the middle of the night, pulling out this journal and just writing whatever is on my mind helps me let go of it and fall asleep. I haven’t written in this journal in a very long time, because I rarely suffer from insomnia since changing the way I take care of my physical being-but it’s there just in case.

So again, I’m giving you permission to start journaling-do it in a way that works for you. And if your journaling reveals that you have some issues where you are stuck-by all means, seek a counselor or coach to help you get unstuck. Sometimes, all we need is an outside party to give us some feedback and then we can make the changes we need to make.

Happy journaling!

Lena Wright is the founder and President of Connections Wellness Center and a Certified Professional Coach and a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Her passion is helping women find peace and contentment so they may enjoy healthy relationships and be all that God has created them to be. She can be reached through her website at http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

© 2007 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

Motives

I have been thinking about the concept of motives lately. I sometimes enjoy watching crime dramas on television, particularly Law and Order and CSI. On these shows, the detectives are trying to solve a homicide and they always look for a motive or the reason why the criminal might have committed the crime. Three of the definitions of the word motive found at Dictionary.com include:

1) something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing
2) incentive, causing, or tending to cause, motion
3) prompting to action

Basically, motive is the reason behind our behavior, the incentive that prompts us to act. On these television programs the motive for the crime is often greed, rage, jealousy or fear. Motives can be either negative or positive. Sometimes we are motivated by love, caring and compassion to do something thoughtful for another person.

In the movie, Talladega Nights, we are shown several examples of how wrong motives can cost us dearly. Ricky Bobby played by Will Ferrell is a NASCAR racing legend whose motto is “If you’re not first, you’re last” which drives him to compete fiercely and win at any cost at the expense of his relationships with those closest to him. Ricky Bobby’s’ fierce competitiveness and drive to win by taking thrilling risks made him a fan favorite. It is a funny movie with an interesting lesson underneath the humor.

God has something to say about motives. James 4:3 says “And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong-you want only what will give you pleasure.”

And Proverbs 20:27 says “The Lord's searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.”

Have you ever stopped to think about what your motives are-your reasons for doing the things that you do? God is concerned about the condition of our hearts in all areas of our lives. He knows WHY we’re doing something, even when we sometimes fail to make the connection.

When we truly understand what God wants for us-our growth and the development of the traits of Christ in us-it becomes clear that God would be concerned with our motives-the WHY behind what we do. For example, do you attend church because you ‘should’ or ‘have too’? That is an example of a wrong motive. God could force us to worship Him; He is God, after all. And yet, that is not the sort of relationship he desires with us. He wants us to choose Him and to choose to pursue a relationship with Him.

Parents and teachers sometimes make a choice to control children out of fear by using intimidation, punishment and threats. Sure, children will comply out of fear when you’re around to enforce the consequences-but what about when you’re not there? Wouldn’t it be better to teach kids about motives-about right and wrong so that they can learn to make good choices and control their own behavior? This is called self-regulation and it is a skill that many people are lacking in today’s world. I believe this is the same thing that God wants from us. Not for us do things because we ‘should’ or we ‘ought to’ but because we want to. When we cultivate an attitude of gratitude (start by writing down 5 things you are grateful for each morning and evening and reading your list out loud) and when we recognize exactly what God has done for us then we want to give, we want to serve, we want to help, and we want to be kind.

I encourage you to examine your motives. Not to beat yourself up about all the ways you fall short, but as the basis for learning and growing. If you find that your life is overrun with ‘shoulds’ perhaps you will want to seek some assistance in looking at your motives and making some positive changes in your thinking and your life. Remember, every journey starts with a single step.



Lena Wright is the founder and President of Connections Wellness Center and a Certified Professional Coach and a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Her passion is helping women find peace and contentment so they may enjoy healthy relationships and be all that God has created them to be. She can be reached through her website at http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

© 2007 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

Spending time with God

My, this has been a BUSY week! I spent last week traveling-went to Nashville for a conference and this week, I have been super busy playing 'catch up' from the time away. Both at home and in the office....personally and professionally. There is just so much to do!

It's been an interesting week-lots to do, lots of emotional ups and downs. I think part of it is the 'let down' after a great conference. Those things are generally high energy and motivational and inspiring. This one was all those things and more-because it was a Christian counseling conference. So in addition to all the usual stuff-this conference was filled with praise and worship-the spirit of God was very present and very real. There's just something special about worshipping with 7000 people that's hard to put into words. I also treated this trip as a bit of a personal retreat-I took my journal and my Bible and really focused on spending time with God. I spent a lot of time alone, just thinking, writing, praying and reading. It's something that I don't get to do in as much depth as I would like in the 'busy-ness' of every day life. It's unfortunate, in some ways that I have to go to such extremes to get refreshed and renewed. And yet, at the same time, I am so grateful to have opportunities like that.

While I was away, I vowed to make my time with God a priority, even at home in the 'busy-ness'. And sadly, as I look back over this week-I see how much I let it slip by-and I see missed opportunities too. I did make time with God a priority-I did get to a women's Bible study at church that I almost blew off-because I was so busy and so tired. I'm so glad I went-it was refreshing and renewing-and fun. :-) It's funny-ironic, I guess. I get busy, so I make choices and let my time with God fall to the bottom of the to do list; and I feel more tired and irritable. When I make the choice and sometimes the sacrifice that is required-(say like going to a Bible study when I'm tired) even though it takes more time and the easier choice would be to skip it-when I go, and invest the time and energy-I get renewed and recharged. I feel better and am then able to help others more. It's seems like it wouldn't work that way, but I find more often than not, it does.

I'd love to hear from you-about the things that refresh/recharge/renew your energy. How do you nurture yourself? What do you struggle with in these areas?

A friend sent me this video-which really moved me and made me think. It beautifully illustrates part of what I'm talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA Maybe your story is not so dramatic or painful as the one depicted-or maybe it is more so. Either way, it doesn't matter. Jesus is there, pulling for you-no matter what. I am so awed and humbled my the reminder.

Until next time!

Lena

www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com