Simplicity

Simplicity.

Some want it. Some hate it. Few have it.

What is it? Is it having a product that combines three of your commonly used items into one device that costs you fortune? Is it getting rid of everything that is unnecessary? Is it a daily life of purging and feeling guilty any time you buy something new? Is it really even about the stuff you own? What is the point of this complex word we called simplicity? Ironic, is it not?

Since my freshmen year of college--and likely since before then in little ways--I have had a fascination with this concept of simplicity. This fascination really began to take root through my ongoing love of community. I found that the more that simplicity was embraced the more community was able to thrive. But what does that mean? Can you have community and also not live a life of simplicity? Yes, but I wonder if we miss out on something. It was Mahatma Gandhi who once said, "Live simply, so that others may simply live." How can we apply this to our lives today?

I recognize that I am writing this as someone who has input in my top strengths. If you are unaware with the Strength Finders 2.0 having input as a top strength simply means that: "You are inquisitive. You collect things. You might collect information -- words, facts, books, and quotations -- or you might collect tangible objects such as butterflies, baseball cards, porcelain dolls, or sepia photographs. Whatever you collect, you collect it because it interests you. And yours is the kind of mind that finds so many things interesting. The world is exciting precisely because of its infinite variety and complexity."1 This strength is very evident as I like to collect books (I have far too many to count), mugs, and old keepsakes. So then, how does one claim to strive towards simplicity when they also tend to have input as a top strength? It is all about understanding simplicity.

Simplicity is put simply an inward discipline with outward lifestyle results. It is a freedom that is found internally which will liberate us in our lives. Richard Foster tells us that when we experience simplicity our speech becomes honest and true, we are freed from a lust for status and position, we cease from showy extravagance out of principle, and our goods become available to others. We lack simplicity when we lack a Divine center or when we feel a lack of security. It is this lack of security and belonging that can lead someone to gain an insane attachment to things.

Simplicity is not about getting rid of everything--although as we heard Jesus' command to the rich young ruler, sometimes that is what is needed to be done. Simplicity, very much like the discipline of fasting, is one that reorients ourselves so that possessions can be rightly enjoyed without destroying us. Most items we own are not inherently bad, but it is all about whether or not they control our lives. If you feel like you could not live without something then maybe it is time to let that go.

The point is not to create legalism on "How much is too much?" or "I have more stuff so I must not be simple enough." No. The point is to seek first the Kingdom of God. When we put the Kingdom of God first in all that we do then everything else will come into place. Ecological concerns, the poor, equal distribution of wealth, and many other things that God cares about will be given their proper attention.

In the end, this inward reality of simplicity is a life of joyful unconcern for possessions. It is a life of putting people above possessions and not accepting society's love of instant gratification. So let us embrace simplicity, not worry about life, trust God, and give what we have to others because God has given it to us to begin with.

If you are a list person (like myself) here is a list of outward signs of simplicity that I found from Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline.

• Buy things for usefulness instead of status
•  Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you. 
•  Develop a habit of giving things away
•  Refuse to be propagandized by the custodians of modern gadgets
•  Learn to enjoy things without owning them
•  Develop a deeper appreciation for creation
•  Look with a healthy skepticism at “buy now, pay later” schemes
•  Obey Jesus’ instructions on plain, honest speech: Yes be yes, and no be no
•  Reject anything that breeds the oppression of others
•  Shun anything that distracts you from seeking God’s kingdom first

1. http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/688/Input.aspx 
2. I also referenced Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster and Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson 

To Write Love on Her Arms

To Write Love On Her Arms. The name of an incredible organization. The words for a hurting generation. The name of a based-on-true-events movie. A movement of redemption, recovery, and celebration.

Tonight I had the awesome opportunity to invite friends into my soon-to-be apartment and watch the new movie To Write Love on Her Arms which tells the true story of Renee Yohe and the 5 days before entering into Rehab that she spent with Jamie Tworkowski who would then publish her story and start this non-profit. To Write Love on her arms has become a nonprofit which aims to present hope for people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury and thoughts of suicide while also investing directly into treatment and recovery (twloha.com). This movie tells that tale and for a Hollywood film I felt it was really well done.

I felt it helped to raise awareness of the hidden struggles that are not typically "socially acceptable" to discuss. It showed that recovery is possible, but that rehab does not completely fix everything. This film also captured the beautiful fact that recovery for any problem is not possible alone. This is just another affirmation that we are not meant to be alone in life. The movie showed that it was through mentoring and being surrounded by people that cared about her which brought Renee to recovery.

This movie is an excellent example of our dire need for discipleship. That word is often thrown around in church settings and there are countless books on how to disciple and 5 step formulas on discipling others. It is thrown around, but the sad truth is it does not always happen. Often times many places assume that if we get someone to enter into recovery, if we get someone to say a simple prayer, to follow a simple set of rules, or if we get someone to admit they have a problem that Jesus will fix everything from there and that is where we stop. The thing is that is where we should be beginning. The Great Commission calls Christians to go and make disciples. It does not say to go and fix people, but it says to go and disciple people. The problem with discipleship is, like Dietrich Bonhoeffer tells us, it costs us. It's messy. It's not easy.

Discipleship is what is shown in this beautiful true story of recovery. Discipleship is when Renee's friends let her live with them during the 5 days she has to get clean because the rehab center denied her entrance until then. Discipleship is the one on one time that she had with Tworkowski and Mckenna where they taught her ways to kick her addictions. When they shared with her practices on what to do when it gets hard. Discipleship was then returned at the conclusion of the film when SPOILER ALERT Mckenna relapses and Renee finds him and reminds him of how he helped her.

In an interview with Jamie Tworkowski he says that he wants people to watch the movie and see that it is, "a story about broken people loving broken people. It's about friends trying to be friends in the midst of their pain." He then goes on to explain that in his opinion, "a good story is not one that impresses you. It's one that brings you back to the story that you are living and the stories that you're connected to--and to think differently about those things." This is discipleship. We do not have to be perfect to disciple others. We do have to be present with them in the midst of their troubles. To celebrate their victories and mourn with them in their relapses.

The movie is pretty dark and realistic, but only touches the surface of what many people deal with and struggle with everyday. It shows the hardships of addiction and self-hate as well as showing that rehab does not completely fix everything. It's all about discipleship. It's all about community. It's all about living life with people not just in the happy-go-lucky parts, but in the messy, crazy, unplanned and unscheduled parts.

So let us take time to really get to know people. To disciple people. To give hope to people. To write love on her arms.

Let us Continue the Celebration

The week of missions trips. At least that's what my social media feed is portraying about this past week. The Nazarene Youth Groups are returning from NYC in Louisville, there are many teens and families who have returned from missions trips through Youth Works all over the country, and along with many other groups my youth group of the First Presbyterian church of Mount Vernon has returned from our trip to Wayfarer's Land Camp. Our trip was not your average missions trip, but it filled each of the students in different ways and planted seeds of amazing ideas in their minds.

This trip was the first big trip that I have planned for a youth group and in the past I had been on the other end of this--with Youth Works I was the one planning and welcoming in the youth groups. Since the moment I got hired I spent hours talking about this trip, vision casting, and helping coordinate the many fundraisers we put on. There were many days where it felt like the very point of our meetings was to prepare for this one trip--which is precisely the idea that I do not want to portray to the students. This trip is meant to be part of the normal rhythm of our OUT/IN/UP approach to ministry. Was this trip completely normal? No, but it was a much needed reminder and refresher for all the ministry we can do here in our home community of Knox County.

                                                                       The Group right before the trip to Wilmore, KY.

We departed early Monday morning for Asbury University in Wilmore, KY for a trip where we had little to no expectations and could not have guessed the amazing ways that the Holy Spirit was going to work that week. We had a safe and relatively uneventful drive which was good because once we arrived we jumped right into the crazy schedule of our week. This jam packed schedule seemed to overwhelm everyone on the first and second day, except for myself who has run similar settings through YouthWorks. As a new leader who was still getting acquainted with this youth group family, I was pretty worried about how the rest of the week would go with how drained and exhausted the entire team seemed when we debriefed that first night.

Then we attended our first worship session when we were there and it all came into focus. The students began to relax. Many began to be vulnerable and just praise their Creator as we embraced this theme of celebration and asked the Spirit to fill us with His good and perfect gifts. As the week progressed I was blessed to see students worship through fun water games, crazy running indoor games, through raising their hands and dancing like fools for Jesus more and more each day, through sharing in our church group times,  through serving by helping out at a Shelter for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence, and through seeking God in prayer. Every day I saw the teenagers get more into the different elements of worship and every day I saw God shining through each and every student. Each night when we would share at church group time, through all of our giggles and fun stories, I was nearly brought to tears each time as I reflected on how blessed I am to lead this amazing family.

We did have one incident where we had to rush a student to the hospital, but God was able to use that experience to bring us closer together. The joke has been that since I had a hospital run on this trip I was officially initiated into the group. Throughout each day of celebrating Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost I felt closer to each individual there and by the end of the week I had felt like I knew each of them for many years when in reality I had only been there for around two months. There is something about going through incredibly stressful situations with people that brings you even closer together. It creates a bond that cannot be faked.

As we prepared to leave Wayfarer Land Camp the 3DM team stressed the importance of allowing the celebration from the week to continue on in everyone's lives. There was a story told of when we were all in preschool how when it was our birthday we would bring in cupcakes to share with everyone. The older we get the more we lose this mentality of sharing good gifts with people. The prayer that was left over everyone as we departed was that we would continue the celebration and share our "cupcakes" of the experience with all that we would come in contact with.

I saw the beginning of those cupcakes being shared at our Missions Trip Debriefing night last night at our Youth Fellowship. We had invited out Session members, church sponsors, and parents to hear the testimonies of those who got to attend this incredible missions experience. As I sat there and listened to most of the students stand up in front of everyone and share how God has impacted their lives on this trip, how they want to go back next year, and how they could clearly feel the Spirit within them it filled me with joy. It was not simply happiness, but it was a joy that the Spirit provides. All week as I had heard that "every good and perfect gift comes from the Father" I had been praying for each of these amazing students. I had been praying that the Spirit would work within their lives and bring about transformation where they needed it. So to hear them share of these incredible Spirit-led experiences they had I truly felt like it had been a gift from the Spirit. As I felt thankful for this gift I felt I should do something I had not planned on. I invited everyone attending to lay hands on those who went on the trip and pray over them. I asked everyone to pray that this fire that is burning within those who went would stay and continue to lead them to do amazing things in their very own community.

                              The group being prayed over after we have returned                                     

So my prayer for all those who went on the trip and really for anyone who already went or will be going on a service oriented trip this summer is that it will fill you with the great gifts from the Spirit and prepare you to continue in your own community to do what the Lord is calling you to. My prayer is that everyone who returns from a trip will be empowered to continue the fire, to share the cupcake, and to realize what kind of leader they are. To realize as it is says in Ephesians 4 if they are an apostle, evangelist, prophet, teacher, or pastor/shepherd. I pray that each and every individual who either traveled on our trip, went elsewhere, or stayed in our community will be so empowered by the Spirit they will know how they are to minister, where they are to minister, and what they can do to share that light.

Holy Spirit lead us.