Starting at Home

Let me start by confessing that I am having a hard time writing this post. I finally made some time in my schedule to get it done. However, the location is somewhat disconcerting. You see- I am sitting at Starbucks and my grande Cinnamon Dolce Latte could save lives in Africa right now. Not the coffee itself mind you but the money...the money I am drinking to fulfill my morning ritual could bring clean water to people in Africa or Honduras or many other countries. (If you don't believe me about what the cost of a cup of coffee can do- check this  out). So I feel guilty about my choices  and I am thinking about just how card it is to step off into living this Radical life David Platt describes in his book.

But I need to get past my own selfishness and focus on what God has been whispering to me.

Let me start with the first thing and the other things that have been swimming in my head will have to wait for a different post.

Here's the deal. I am a wife, a mother to an active 2 year old and an attorney working for a very big company with lots of work on my plate. How do I do the things that David Platt talks about in Radical? I have been pondering that question for over five weeks, waiting for God to write my answers in the sky with big bold letters. I did not find the answer written in the sky or on a billboard...instead it's tucked in the middle of chapter 5:

Instead of a formula he (God) gives us people and says,

"Live for them. Love them, serve them, and lead them.

Lead them to follow me, and lead them to lead others to follow me.

In the process, you will multiple the gospel to the ends of the earth."

As I read and re read those words, I knew precisely where God wants me to start....at home. That's where God wants me to start. First to serve my husband to enable him to fulfill God's purpose for his life. Second to love and serve my daughter and lead her to follow Christ not just for her own edification but for the glory of God and so that the gospel will multiply. I do not need to search for a ministry to get involved in or look for a group to disciple- I have my very own God given captive audience at home. If I can't love and serve and lead there, how can I love and serve to the ends of the earth. Seriously- if I am annoyed by the fact my daughter takes forever to walk to the park because she stops and looks at every stick, rock and bug- then how can I have the patience to go to difficult places and take the gospel there?

I am giddy with anticipation to see how God uses my daughter and our family. God was gracious enough to give me a taste of that last night. While my husband and I went to a class at the church we are visiting (by the way- this church GETS IT- their mission is to glorify God by making disciples that will transform the world), one of Emory's former teachers from daycare came to watch her for us. When we came home she told us that at bedtime, Emory was starting to lay down and all of a sudden sat up and proclaimed to Miss. T "JESUS LOVES YOU." My jaw dropped and I almost cried...humbled by a two year old who is happy to tell everyone "JESUS LOVES YOU!"

So what does it mean for me right now at home. I still do not have a concrete answer. What I do know is this- my husband and I need to learn the lost like Jesus loves the lost. We need to love the poor and hungry and lonely like Jesus love them. We need to love justice and mercy like Jesus loves justice and mercy. And as we learn we MUST pass that on to Emory.

Now I need to work on finding concrete ways to do that. So I have started by exploring Christ centered resources. So far I have found the following and I can't wait to dive and explore the available resources:

http://harvestministry.org

http://onemillionarrows.com

ways-to-help-kids-love-missions

I am going to sign off now because it's time to get busy doing what I have been writing about.