Random for a Birthday or….. should this be Everyday?

So what would you do on your 24th birthday?

Society says go out enjoy yourself, party it up.  I recently have been getting this feeling that people no longer believe that there is any goodness left in the world. People often say that when someone does something kind for you there is always a catch, something that person wants in return.

But what if a group of Christians set out to actually want to do random acts of love in order to prove that idea all-wrong. What if for a whole day to celebrate a birthday a group wouldn’t focus on the person whose birth it is but rather, focus on doing something to please their God so all glory would point to Him. That is what a group of friends decided to do on Dec 26th, 2011; they set out to radically proclaim that love does exist and there is a God who loves the world with such a consuming love that man cannot even comprehend it.So what exactly did we decide to do? We set out to do 25 random acts of kindness in celebration of the 24 years that God had blessed me with an opportunity to serve Him and one for the future year that He has given me.

The mission had 3 purposes; Firstly to remind us as a group that acts of love/kindness is something that we often reserve to a day or two a week when we have service prepared or set out to do something as a group. However, as Christian’s acts of love shouldn’t be set for certain times but done always to reflect and shine Christ when the opportunity presents itself.  Secondly, the purpose was to open our eyes as a group to persons that we often don’t notice on a day-to-day period.  Thirdly, just to shock people in NYC with so much love that they ask why is this done and then present us with an opportunity to share with them the love of Christ.

Honestly to set up 25 Random acts of Kindness was rather difficult  because we wanted to target every people group possible that often go unnoticed and unappreciated. I wish we could say that we completed the whole 25 but it probably would have took a full day and we didn’t get the day started until about 4 pm so we completed about 14 of 25.  However, we are planning to repeat this event not just for a birthday but to raise people awareness to the above mentioned purpose. Below are the 25 acts of kindness that we were able to set up. We were a group of about 10 who set out to do the following:

1)   The Po Po- So often times police officers and members of law enforcement have a negative image for many of us. In NYC many of them stand out in the cold and have to direct traffic.

Objective: Go to your local Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks and buy a 5 dollar gift card for a police officer who is standing outside in the cold. Approach them with the gift card and tell them thank you for the service and here is a gift card to buy yourself a cup of coffee.

2)   Say I Love You- Our parents often don’t hear how much we love them often enough so  we figure we would let them know how we feel.
Objective:Call your parent randomly today and tell them you love them.

3)   Can I Get You a Bite?:  You know that person who we often walk by that asks for   change and we just go on with our days ignoring them?     Objective: Find a person in need that is on the streets or laying around somewhere and offer to take them to get something to eat.  While with them be sure to tell them that Christ has sent you today to bring him/her food and this food is a gift from Him.

4) Our Local Clerics
Objective: Our priests are often heavily worked and under appreciated, go now and buy your local priest a small gift for Christmas to show your appreciation.

5) You are Fearfully and Wonderfully made.
Objective: Go to restrooms and stick post-its all over the mirrors and
fill them with messages saying for Girls: Don’t worry about how you look, you are wonderfully and fearfully made. For Guys: Smile Jesus loves you.

6) The Forgotten Old Friend:
Objective: Call up an old friend that you haven’t talked to in a long period of time, and who might be in need of some love during this holiday season. You’d be surprised at how much they would appreciate the call.

7)  Always in a Rush?
Objective: Take a breather and throughout the day let someone cut in front of you at a check-out line somewhere or maybe if you feel really kind, let someone cut you off on the road without you having road rage

8) Let me snap a shot!
Objective: Ever wanted someone to take a picture of your group and been too embarrassed to ask? Well, set out to find people who would appreciate the group photo and offer to take their picture. DON’T BE CREEPY.

9) Missing a quarter?
Objective: Have you ever went to a soda machine and not had the right amount? Go to random soda machines and leave enough change for a free drink for someone. Leave a message saying please accept this random act of kindness. Leave a small message from Jesus for them.

10) The Greatest Act of Kindness: The Gospel!
Objective: Interview people about their New Years Resolutions and share the Gospel with them. Help them realize that with Christ is the best way to start the year.

11) Hold the Door:
Objective: Gentleman are considered rare sights in NYC (unicorns almost!) but we wanted to change that. With a smile, hold the door for someone coming into a building.

12) I’ll Say a Little Prayer for Youu..(..foreva and eva..) :
Objective: Take some time out today to stop everything you are doing and say a prayer for someone you haven’t prayed for in quite some time. Option: Set up a Prayer stand with the message “Come on over and say a prayer with us”!

13) Sibling Love:
Objective: Take the time out of your day to call your brother or sister. Have none? Refer to act 6 or 2.

14)The Guy Right Behind You:
Objective: Go to a drivethru at a coffee shop or anywhere, and pay for the guy behind you! Leave a message with the cashier saying that “This was a random act of kindness and that Jesus Loves you!”

15)You are Truly Loved!:
Objective: Buy some roses and guys give them out to grandma’s saying you are truly loved by Jesus and here is a rose from Him. For girls, you can hand them out to younger women telling them you are truly loved by a great God and here is a reminder from Him.

16) A Hug Makes a World of a Difference
Objective: Give a hug to a co-worker, friend, or family member, anyone who is in need of a hug. Nothing beats a good hug.

17) Not a Fine but Jesus thinks you Fine:
Objective: Go to random parked cars and leave a message saying, “ Don’t worry this isn’t parking violation, but just a message to let you know that Jesus loves you and that you are always on His mind.”

18) Birthday Cards for Elderly people in Nursing Homes:
Objective: Write birthday cards using Isaiah 46:4, Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you

19) You Decide!
Objective: Open your eyes to a need somewhere in front of you. One of us saw a woman who was carrying a stroller down the steps of a subway and offered to help. We often don’t see the need in front of us.

20) Joy to the World!
Objective: Sing Christmas Carols or hymn to bring joy to the world.

21) Can I say something touching to you?
Objective: At dinner, turn to the person next to you and tell them how they have touched your life, or something that you admire about them.

22) You have influenced me!
Objective: Write a letter to someone who has made a large impact on your life in a positive way. Mail it to them or give it to them!

23) Thank you!
Objective: At dinner, write little notes thanking your waitress or waiter for their service. We planned ahead and bought them a thank you card and each wrote a little message on it. Our waitress was so touched by it.

24) Repeat your Fav!
Objective: Repeat your favorite act!

25) 25 today, a Lifetime tomorrow:
Objective: This doesn’t just end with 25 random acts of kindness today for a birthday, but is the start of a life time of acts of kindness…to the point that they are no longer random to you, but just part of your daily walk with Christ.

I truly pray that we can have random moments throughout our days where we look to put a smile on someone’s face with a random act of Love.

The Victory of the Resurrection

 ”Come and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After 2 days He will revive us; On the third day He will RAISE us up, that we may live in His sight” -Hosea 6:1-2

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very heart of Christianity. In 1 Corinthians 15 St. Paul reasoned, and if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. (1 Cor. 15:14).  Why is our faith empty? After all didn’t Our Lord die for us? A short story will illustrate the point that I am presenting. The young man and his friends were excited.  There was a new teacher at the school.  The new professor was not much older than them, only thirty-two years old.  Finally there was some fresh, young blood at the school, some fresh thinking.  His name was Professor Rauwenhoff, a professor of church history.  One of his first lectures dealt with the resurrection of Christ.  The young man listened intently.  Professor Rauwenhoff pointed out that the Bible spoke very clearly about the resurrection.  However, he said, we have to be careful because the Bible often uses symbolic language that is not meant to be taken literally.  After all, the Bible is not a textbook for science or history.  Moreover, no rational modern man could actually believe that Christ’s body was raised from the dead at certain place at a certain point in real history.  That would be against all the laws of nature and everybody knows that those laws simply can’t be broken.  Jesus rose from the dead, yes, but not in history.  He rose in the hearts of his disciples.  His body remained in the tomb.  As the professor reached his conclusion, the young man and his friends leapt from their seats and started clapping.  They were applauding a professor who finally understood.  Finally they had a teacher who was with the times.  The young man, twenty-three years old, was thrilled with a professor who had the courage to say what everybody else was thinking.  I wonder if that is the way that many of us feel about the Resurrection. Has the feast of the Resurrection turned in a nice story in history, rather than a means on transformation and victory in our lives?  If our Lord had not risen with His physical body, how would we ever have hope of our resurrection? Oh how dreadful of a state that would be for mankind. For if His human body had not risen how could the rest of humanity rise?  But thankfully our Lord rose on the third day and gave us a hope of eternally life. My brethren, Christ is Risen! He has risen and is alive, active and present in our churches and lives today.  What a transformation should take place in our families, in our churches, schools, workplaces! Christ has risen! Death has no more string, has no more victory! The earliest Christians would proclaim this message to the point of death because they understood the implications that the Resurrection had on their lives. On the day of the Resurrection the angel at the tomb delivered the most important message that has ever fallen on the ears of mankind: “He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Matthew 28:6. The power of those words changed the course of history, brought hope to a hopeless world and gave men and women a purpose and a power which they had never before known.  Those words gave us a new life, new beginning and a hope for eternal life promised by our Lord to those who love Him. If this life is all we have to look forward to, then it’s a pretty sad story.  If you live only for this life, then you are cheating yourself.  There is much more to look forward to: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). We should proudly and boldly proclaim to the whole world that our God loved us so much that He suffered, died, but Rose from the dead in order that we could be alive. The Resurrection leaves no room for a tired, defeated Christian. The Resurrection gives us a hope and power that a midst any difficult circumstance or struggle, Christ has Risen, and He raised me up 2000 years ago, is continuing to raise me up today and will one day raise me up in the Resurrection.

Real Love Moves

My beloved is mine, and I am his. Song of Solomon 2:16

Today many people all over the world celebrate Valentine’s day. I personally really dislike the day because I feel like if you have a loved one, Valentine’s day should be everyday. Maybe I’m naive but shouldn’t the love that you have for a spouse be expressed on a daily basis? This got me thinking about my relationship with Christ. I wonder how many days do I come before Him and really tell Him that He is the most beloved to me. I wonder if my prayers are often superficial and have no depth. I wonder if  my relationship with Christ is more on a receptive end then giving end. This struck me as the most difficult question to answer because you know how some couples complain that their relationship is single sided and one partner feels like they give so much and get nothing in return. I feel like I am the receiver that does not reciprocate with my relationship with Christ. I guess the point I am trying to make is I need to reevaluate my relationship with Christ and look within myself to see what am I doing for my Beloved. The point is, if Christ is my beloved, I won’t stop trying to please Him. I won’t stop looking for ways to put a smile on His face.

The words of St Paul  in Cor 5:14-15 are very deep when he says, For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

I love this short meditation by St John Chrysostom on the above verse, “All this, in fact, blessed Paul had in mind, that fervent lover of Christ, who like a winged bird traversed the whole world… . See his uprightness, see the extraordinary degree of his virtue, see his fervent love. The love of Christ, he says, constrains us, that is, urges, impels, coerces us. Then, wishing to explain what had been said by him, he says, “convinced of this, that if one person [died] indeed for all, then all have died.  He did die for all so that the living, might live no longer for themselves but for the one who died and rose for them. Do you see how appropriate it was for him to say, The love of Christ constrains us? He is saying, you see, if he died for the sake of us all, he died for the purpose that we the living might live no longer for ourselves but for him who died and rose for us.

So maybe this Valentine’s day I will say Christ because you did this all for me I want to give my all for you. Not because I could ever earn the price that you paid for me but because true love, is always working!

Bray, G. L. 1999. 1-2 Corinthians. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture NT 7. InterVarsity Press: Downers Grove, Ill.

There is Something in Africa!

I just recently traveled to Nigeria for a mission trip and I felt the need to blog some of my thoughts about the trip. We were sent as a group of 12 missionaries to go to Africa to preach the message of Jesus’ love but we returned as the ones who were  preached to. The old quote is very applicable in this situation, “when you serve, you are the one actually being served. I would have to say that those words always strike me as strange because somehow in the midst of reaching out to someone in need the Holy Spirit works, so that you will be convicted of your weak relationship with God.  I want you to imagine going to a place where children walk around with no clothing, the common man does not own a pair of shoes, and people everywhere are struggling to put food on their table. You would think that these people would be sad,depressed,unhappy but the reality is they always have smiles on their face. I couldn’t help but ask myself why are these people always smiling what gives them this joy? The more I searched the quickly I found, the answer was their intimate relationship with Christ. As St Augustine said, Our hearts are restless until we find rest in Thee”. The people long for God in a way there that is unimaginable. Although many people had very limited knowledge of Christ, and a lot of  their understanding was faulty, they spoke to God as if He was right in front of them. What also struck me was how people were so receptive and hungry to hear the message of Christ’s love. All eyes were pierced, and all ears were attentive to every word which was spoken. Their deep longing to learn about Coptic Orthodox Christianity as well,was astonishing. I was blessed to have the privilege to hold a question and answer session with some of the men of the church, and many questions were regarding the liturgy and the symbolism of various services in the church. Many asked about Holy Communion and its importance. It was amazing to see their desire to learn more about Christ. One situation from my trip to Africa in 2007 still rings in my ears. I was visiting a lady in her home who had about 8 children. Her husband had recently passed away and she had very minimal resources to support herself. When we entered into the house the woman was smiling and very welcoming. She was thanking us for coming to visit her and she said,”She was receiving a great blessing from God today”. When I asked her how she was so joyful even though she is having difficulty supporting herself, she simply answered me saying, “You probably think I am very poor right? However look around you I have the sun shining Gods love on me, I have the beauty of nature surrounding me reminding me that Jesus has the whole world held in the palm of His hands. Everyday God provides me with food although it might seem little but my whole family is satisfied. So, although you think I am poor I am the richest woman on this planet because I have Jesus’s love everyday”. I will never forget that day for the rest of my life. This woman taught me what it means to have faith and have a relationship with God in the midst of struggles. What I challenge everyone who reads this do is ask yourself,when was the last time you thanked God for the bad? When was the last time you just sat and praised God for all the blessings that He has provided you with? You know the shower head that you use every morning? Imagine having to walk to the nearest bur-hole (which sometimes in a half mile away) in order to get water to bathe with.  I feel that sometimes I take everything for granted, although I am rich materialistically, I often times am poor spiritually. I pray that all of us would take a second today to just say, thank you Jesus for your unfailing love.

As the deer pants for the water brooks,So pants my soul for You, O God. Psalm 42:1

Do You Believe?!

Do you believe that God exists? I think I know the answer you’d give… so let me ask you another question, “Do you live like He exists?”

Suppose I invited you to my house for dinner. You knock on my door, I open it and you walk in but without saying a word or making eye contact. You sit on my couch and eat my chips and salsa that I put out and drink my cold Dr. Pepper that I bought from the store, but you just talk amongst yourselves without saying a word to me. You eat at my dining table on my plates, with my fork and knife the amazing steak that I just cooked for you but all without a thank you…and what if someone asks you, “Do you know Chris?” You answer, “Yea…” but all without acknowledging the fact that I’m sitting next to you. Do you see the lunacy of it all?

But the vast majority of people who say they believe in God, including you and me, treat Him this way. He is like oxygen…you couldn’t live a moment without Him, but there are no thoughts given to oxygen. He is like the foundation of your office building, without it the walls would crumble and you’d die under the rubble of concrete and steel, but when’s the last time you thought about the foundation of your office building? But if you were asked, “Do you believe oxygen exists?” or, “Do you believe there is a foundation underneath your building?’ We would all say “yes” and then you would return to talking about things that really matter.

Do you see the problem here? Though God is the most important being in the universe, though Jesus upholds all things by the Word of His power and if He were to cease thinking about the world even for a millisecond, all of creation would in turn cease to be, we deny God the most fundamental, the most essential, and critical thing about Him…His existence. His existence; we say He exists, with our lips we honor Him, but our hearts are far away from Him. We live as if He doesn’t exist.

If Jesus came over to your house, would your home life look any differently? If so, you deny His existence. He’s already there. If Jesus came into your office, would you work differently? If so, you deny His existence. He commands that you work as if you’re working for Him. If Jesus sat in the car with you on your way home from work, would your drive look differently? If so, you deny His existence. He’s everywhere. If Jesus was in your room late at night, would your activity on your laptop be different? If so, you deny His existence. You can’t escape Him. What would it look like if Christians lived like God existed?

-Credits to a Good Friend

What are your priorities?

For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Matt 6:33

Today as a Church we receive a message from Christ asking us what are your priorities? The passage discusses laying up our treasures here on earth. St Augustine says, If someone does something with the intent of gaining earthly profit, that one’s heart is upon the earth. How can a heart be clean while it is wallowing in the mud? On the other hand, if it be fastened upon heaven it will be clean, for whatever is heavenly is unpolluted. After the first week of the Holy Fast of Great Lent we should be asking ourselves how can I come closer to Christ? The problem that lies in many of us is that our heart are focused on everything else pertaining to our lives but God.  It is impossible for us to come closer to the Cross during this fast if we are too busy running around all day and not taking time to spend with our Lord. I like the fact that the first Sunday happens to fall on the same day as Valentines day because it allows us to think, is Christ the most important person to me? The book of Hosea tells us “ And it shall be, in that day,” Says the LORD, That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master! (Hos 2:16). After week one we should ask ourselves, is my priority to come closer to Christ and have an intimate relationship as of a husband? We should pray that this Holy Lenten Period allows us to draw near to the Lord and put aside all the worldly distractions that hinder our spiritual growth. Our eyes should be focused on the Cross and how its the deepest sign of love. You can’t get a Valentine’s day gift better  than the open arms of Christ!

These Precious Hands

These Precious Hands

They were the first to hold me...

The first to dry my tears... 
The one that always led me... 
through many trying years...

I see the scars from burdens...

I see the beauty too... 
These "precious hands" I speak of... 
Belongs only to you.

1st Wednesday of Lent

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:35-38

You give alms. You receive alms. You pardon. You are pardoned. You are generous. You are treated generously. “Listen to God saying, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and things will be given to you.”Keep the poor in mind. I say this to all of you. Give alms, my brothers and sisters, and you won’t lose what you give. Trust God. I’m not only telling you you won’t lose what you do for the poor, but I’m telling you plainly, this is all that you won’t lose…. Come now, let’s see if you can cheer the poor up today. You be their granaries, so that God may give to you what you can give to them, and so that he may forgive whatever sins you have committed” – St Augustine

During this season of Lent we should be considering our brothers and sisters in need!

Our Life needs to be made straight!

10 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. 12 But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” 13 And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. Luke 13:10-13

I love when I read passages like this…when those hunched over and out of bent are made to stand straight again. When I read this story, my heart was pricked and I saw not just literal people being made able to stand straight and tall, but those hunched over living in sin or simply spiritual darkness. People wasting their life serving the enemy and staring at their feet. Too often, our lives are all bent out of shape but Christ has the power to touch us and make our lives straight, just like he did with this woman. I want to play a role in watching these people be liberated. To see them stand up straight and tall and walk in the power of God. Oh how beautiful. Father you give life and cause those tormented and hunched to stand straight and free. Use me.

Even?

Even though I sin He is still Holy

Even though I fall He is always there to pick me up

Even though I am weak, His strength is made perfect in my weakness

Even thought I am blind, He always guides me

Even though I neglect Him, He is always waiting for me to call

Even though I look for different medicines to heal me He is the True Physician

Even through all this He still loves me and never Forsakes me

Even though You do this for me Lord will I ever even love You in a fraction of the way You love me?