Tis’ Better to Receive Than Give

So, I know this comes off counter to what we “normally” think, but you know I really believe it. We are so good at giving money and other gifts that take little of our time. I wonder if you might challenge yourself this in this season of Advent. I wonder if you might give in such a way that you receive more than you give.

Advent Conspiracy has really made me think over the last two Decembers.

Shane Claiborne of the Simple Way really made me see my life could be so much more in Irresistible Revolution.

Suzanne and I started being involved with Church in the Woods by coming once a month from January 2007 – June 2007. We really felt led to be there weekly were until February of 2008 and got to know a lot of people who have much less than us. We always walked away feeling like we had received so much love.

Around January of 2008, we met up with some really great people, and started partnering with them making biscuits and us bringing clothing/shoes. We eventually became part of Love Wins Ministries, which is a large part of where we live out this whole “receiving” idea.

Jesus has changed my life so drastically these past few years. I am a little more troubled, yet a lot more joyful knowing that I receive so much during the course of my week. It really is beautiful to see the life God has given and is giving us. In the coming months, as we make another big move, Suzanne and I know God is sending something our way and we receive.

Would you consider…

- Handing the box of food to a family and asking if you could come and eat with them.
- Taking the homeless person out to dinner with you and share a meal.
- Inviting over someone who might not be invited to anyone’s house for Christmas.
- I wonder if you might ask someone to pray for you that you might not consider to have it all together.
- Allowing God to speak to your heart and sit in silence, instead of offering up your prayers.
- Giving gifts that require you to spend time with the other person involved.
- Befriending someone who at the front end, has nothing to benefit you that you can see.

A Strange Exchange

This past Sunday, Suzanne and I visited our friends who gather at Moore Square. It was like most days, quite depressing to see so many people out on the streets. It is especially to sad to drive down in my nice warm truck and then have only five pairs of boots to give out each month. So many people are in need of shoes to keep their feet warm.

There was a bit of hope in an exchange this week.

I had delivered a pair of boots to Jonathan, who was a size 8.5. Right as I was given them to him, another man approached with shoes that were literally falling apart. I quickly asked Jonathan if the other man could have his old shoes. He quickly and without hesitation said, “Yes.” It was great to see the needs of two men met that day in a single moment.

I am always encouraged by the love that the people we share with at Moore Square show each other. Yes, like any community there are times that they fight and bicker, but there is so much love there. He gladly gave his old shoes away, I just don’t think that happens every day where I live in Suburbia. Maybe it doesn’t happen because we don’t need “shoes”, but I would rather it happens because we are afraid to admit our shortcomings to each other.

If you would like to donate to help with warm shoes for men and women of the Raleigh area, please contact me at chadkmiller @ gmail.com or donate to Love Wins here.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

A lot of movies have came out about the Holocaust lately. Each one has made me think a bit more about the immense suffering and hatred present in those times. I saw Valkyrie with Tom Cruise, which was an interesting viewpoint of a soldier who wanted to kill Adolf Hitler. I saw Defiance with Daniel Craig, about the true story of a group of brothers who (along with Jewish people) fight off Nazi soldiers. I also saw Inglorious Basterds by Quentin Tarantino, which was a movie that crafted a mass murder on Hitler and his officers. Each movie was filled with violence and revenge.

Suzanne and I saw an ad for The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Not much violence in the way of shooting or killing, albeit there is some. But this is the story of a friendship that is formed between a Nazi officer’s boy and a Jewish child who who is in a prisoner camp nearby. It is one of the most unique viewpoints I have ever seen taken in a movie. The majority of the movie is taken through the viewpoint of the officer’s son. It shows the brutality, dishonesty, and hatred of the Nazis at that time.

You really need to check this movie out, as it will leave you different. It is on my must watch list for being a compassionate movie that shows a different side of genocide.

Thankfulness

Embracing family and friends is what I think of when I look back on Thanksgivings gone before. I remember eating dinner with over thirty family members, traveling to Asheville to have a quiet Thanksgiving with Suzanne, and I remember many more just with my immediate family. It is always fun to sit around with different kinds of people and hear them reminisce about the holidays in their lives. Some rather depressing and others happy, all let me see a side of people I rarely get to. There is something unique about Thanksgiving. Yes, it has the gluttony thing, but other than it is just a time where gather to sit down and be together. In this day of people living so far apart, it brings folks together for a common cause (commune). Thanksgiving does not have the usual trappings of consumerism for me anymore. Suzanne and I have celebrated “Buy Nothing Day” the last couple of years, I think we are much better for it.

Thanksgiving always has given me the chance and the prompting to think of all I am blessed with that never cost me a dime. I hope it does for all of us.

This has been a year of a lot of big decisions, graduations, and closed doors. It has been a year of a near death, a new life, and an open heart. I don’t think I will soon forget the year 2009. No goals or resolutions yet, but deep thought and prayer is required this December month.

I have just one short month to think of all the items I want to accomplish. Although when I think/pray/meditate, I get the feeling that 2010 will be a year to truly “let go and let God”. Truly a scary proposition. What if I lived a life with no regrets more often? What if I wholeheartedly bought into this following Jesus idea? What I stripped away all the ideas I have and listen to the Holy Spirit? This could get a little messy…

A Lover’s Quarrel with the Evangelical Church

I picked up this book awhile back and have really enjoyed Warren Cole Smith’s blatant honesty about the Evangelical Church. I followed a very similar path and considered myself Evangelical for a very long time. As he writes, he quickly saw the term becoming something much different than he signed on for. The mass commercialization and politicalization of Evangelicals became quite alarming. This books goes beyond that taking you on a journey where the church can find herself again. I challenge you to check it out soon!

This review can also be found on Viral Bloggers.
http://loversquarrel.net – the official site for the book
Buy the book on Amazon

What a Surprise!

Have you ever had one of those days that you totally expected it to be a tough day, and it ended up being really great. I had one of those today. I wish I could say it was my attitude or my perspective, but honestly some days, kids are just in a flow of greatness.

It was incredible to see happening today. I only had a few kids out for various reasons, but it is awe inspiring how much kids can do if you believe in them. Sure, there are some tough parts of teaching. Sure, some days I wonder if I missed hearing God on this career. But today, it all came together and I really knew a confirmation was taking place.

These past few weeks have introduced a lot of changes in our lives, but we are thankful to God for each one and welcome them into our lives.

*Now onto a meeting with our real estate agent to see if we can sell our place and move onto our next mission.

Hilarious Art from my Father-In-Law

I really enjoyed this, and thought all of you would too!

Steve’s  art website is here. His other website is in the links to the left, enjoy! He is such a talented and Spirit-led guy.

Live Sent – you are a letter by Jason C. Dukes

I recently received a copy of Live Sent – you are a letter to review for the Viral Bloggers program. I was struck by the message by the first chapter. It definitely has a Neil Cole, organic church feel to it, which I loved, but it really goes much more in depth than that. Jason Dukes challenges us to really change how we think about the words “church”, “discipleship”, and “evangelism.” He really challenged me to rethink how I frame those words. Even though I would consider myself fairly progressive and emerging, it still really challenged me in my life. My wife was so excited to hear about it while I read it, that we read a few chapters out loud together to encourage each other.

This book really is a game changer for people. I have been looking for something like this to bridge a conversational void I have with many people. I think Jason puts his thinking in action and gives real direction on how to be neighborly, like Jesus, and missional. Not that he prescribes a recipe for success, but for me, a recipe for the confusing insanity that the Sunday driven “church” makes.

He helped me to make sense of much knowledge I already had between my ears and realize how to put in more into action. I would suggest this book to anyone who is desiring movement in their faith community, or who is really frustrated with the church as she exists. Jason Dukes gave me a reason to believe that we really can be the “church” without putting so much focus of being the church on Sunday morning for the “big show.”

This post is also on Viral Bloggers

Buy his book on Amazon here

Moments

Obviously, this one makes you think. Makes me want to check out the book.

Love Really is Winning

It had been a few weeks since I had seen my friends downtown because of not feeling well and an adventure I will tell about in a few months.

-I saw Jim, who has been working through a cooking program in Raleigh. He has completed 5 of the 11 weeks to be placed in an eventual apprenticeship to get a paying job. He still is struggling with all the drama at the shelter he sleeps in, but he is keeping positive and relying on God to give him grace for other people. He is flying out of town to get his heart checked on, I attempted to tell him of a resources to getting to the airport, but I really wished I already lived downtown to be able to take him.

- I saw Billy, who is still needing to find a place where he can sleep with his whole family. He continues to move up in the rankings for a good shelter, but continues to not see his wife and child except for a few hours a day. He asked if we could help get his child some warm clothing, which I think I already have covered because of some generous people at Story Church in Durham, NC.

- Today, I witnessed another miracle. We have not been able to get much in the way of clothes donations. Hugh called and let us know that Apex United Methodist had donated a lot of warm clothes for people. It was so much that it nearly filled the back half of our Expedition. It was yet another time that God provided in the last day of our real need.

Please pray for Suzanne and I as we embark on our next adventure of selling our house in Apex and moving into downtown Raleigh. We have incredible amounts of vision of what God will do through us, just need the prayer support to make it happen. If you want to know more, keep watching this blog for more details to be coming soon.

We still could use some people to give monthly to our organization, Love Wins, as we always have a need for work boots to put people to work downtown.

*Names have been changed above for obvious reasons