There are things in this life you must do alone. These things always come with risk and demand from you, authenticity.
It is a job done singly because only you can journey to the depths of your being to find what is at the core. This is not another person’s job in the world. So don’t be waiting on anyone else.
It is risky because once you find what is at your core you will feel the burden to live it out loud, to bring it to life, to birth who you really are to the world.
To become part of the solution for a people or place we must identify with the very ones we are wanting to help. To pray solutions for a particular difficulty or stronghold we must identify with the trouble at hand.
To identify is to come into identity with.
The problem is that we like to stand back and throw suggestions into the trouble. But this only creates greater divide, it rarely accomplishes anything.
My role at Capturing Courage International Ministries is a full mix of out-front edge of the wave activity and then behind the scenes nurturing of infrastructure and CCIM community.
I’ve been personally challenged and changed during my time in Uganda. Three months is plenty of time to hear the heart and requests of many people to go to the next level of presence and ministry within the country.
I was privileged to attend The Justice Conference via a satellite site this last weekend.
“Justice is rooted in the character of God and flows from the heart of God.” Ken Wytsma
Chocked-full with those leading the way in various dimensions and expressions of justice I came away chocked-full myself with new wisdoms and continued clarity to my own thinking and life and ministry.
In the past I’ve worked through refusing injustice in my own life personally. Since then I’ve journeyed others through the labyrinth of advocating justice within their own lives. Today as I work alongside indigenous pastors I’m joining conversations of justice at the rural indigenous church level.
“Justice is not just about solutions per se, but for us as peace workers it is an invitation to the table.” Sami Awad
We all have disqualifications we’ve been holding up between ourselves and our futures.
For some they are the lies of the past that still overshadow the present and rob from what might be.
For others they are failures and regrets and guilt that just can’t be shaken.
For a few they are the torches of hate we’ve taken on and directed at ourselves.
It is each of our responsibilities to nurture a glad heart within ourselves.
A glad heart is a barometer and its also a buffer.
A glad heart tells us when we are being true to ourselves or when we are not.
A glad heart is the oil of life that makes living sweet.
Without a glad heart we become brittle and even caustic.
Without a glad heart our words and our manner no longer bless others and our favour on earth becomes lost.
Everything begins to dry up and atrophy.
We want glad hearts.
We must nurture glad hearts.
First in ourselves, then in others.
This begins with the simple question, “What makes me glad?”
By what am I refreshed? Where do I find joy? How am I delighted?
Make your list – seriously.
Nurturing a glad heart requires a commitment on the one who owns the heart and it requires intentionality to care for said heart.
It’s not something you can be without this year.
