Goodness

I was thinking about the day when we all stand before the Lord. You know - when all of our heart motives, thoughts and intents are laid bare in the light of truth. It made me shudder.

Like most believing Christians, I live my life trying to do right and be good, giving honor to Jesus, yet sometimes I stumble and sometimes my heart convicts me of selfish sin. If I, being imperfect, am painfully aware that there yet remains lurking darkness in my heart, then what dreadful awfulness might be revealed when God's perfect, pure light exposes it all on that Day? It would seem as though such a revelation would be too much for those of us who are at risk of thinking better of ourselves than we truly are.

This is where I found my thoughts the other day. "Oh God, will that revelation be just too hard for me on that Day?"

That's when I saw Him smile and heard Him say, "Ha. Child, you will not be overwhelmed by what you perceive to be your lack of "goodness", but I will say that you will most certainly be undone and overcome by mind-blowing revelation on that Day. ALL of heaven will fall to their knees in shock as blinding truth explodes in the hearts of My children - yourself included! You will discover and know in a way you have never known before, that the measure of MY GOODNESS is beyond all human comprehension and that I am far, far better than you ever thought or imagined!"

...

His goodness is more than enough to cover me in my weakness. My lack will not be on display on that Day, and friend, neither will yours. No, but rather the radiance of His glorious goodness will shine brightly - center stage - and we, His children, in awestruck wonder, catching our collective breath, wiping the tears from our astonished eyes, yes all of us will fall to our knees at the feet of Jesus - our Hero, reveling in the greatness of our Lord and King! Oh, what a Day of rejoicing that will be!

The focus of eternity was, is, and always will be Jesus Christ.

I just wonder how we might live our lives differently now, if we really saw and believed He was as good as He really is.


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Connections - PostScript

The challenge of meeting a stranger every day from July 9th until July 31st is over. What an experience! God used it to teach me some things about human nature, relationships, my own personal fears and selfishness. He taught me a little bit about words that work with strangers, and approaches that won't. He revealed to me, some of His awesome artistry by letting me peek into some amazing lives. It was like He was a proud Papa saying, "Come over here and meet my son, Jake. He's so great and I love him so much. Talk to him and you'll see!" OR "Kathy, I am pleased to introduce you to My amazing daughter, Sylvia! Ta da!!" What a privilege it has been to meet so many wonders!

Part of the motivation for this challenge was a longing I share among our church leadership to get beyond ourselves, break out of our comfort zones, and get in the habit of connecting with those outside of our sphere. I was getting a little frustrated by our seeming inability to break outside ourselves when the Lord said to me, "Uh huh. So what are YOU going to do about it?"

I've thought about reasons we DON'T connect. What keeps us from doing what we know we're called to do? I basically had just two reasons that were true of myself:

Too busy. Connecting isn't a high enough priority for me because it interupts my plans for the day. Ack. What an awful revelation. I learned in very specific and miraculous ways, that as I laid down my own time agenda, and intentionally pursued others, the Lord was busily meeting my needs "behind my back"- even healing deep unhealed wounds in wonderous ways. (More on this in a later blog post.)

Too fearful. No one likes rejection. What if they don't want to connect or worse, what if they think I'm weird for being some sort of abnormal friendly person? It happens, but I remind myself that God loves me, and called me to this. People rejected His love; surely there are those who will reject my "Hello." Thankfully - that is not always true.

Beyond teaching me these things, the Lord helped me break out of an old pattern of relating to strangers, and set me on a life-long course of seeing beyond my own world, reaching out, and beginning a conversation with people I've never met before. (I hope it's life-long!)

Yesterday, the Lord reminded me of myself as a little 5 year old girl in kindergarten. I was a painfully timid child, who was terrified of my own shadow and couldn't bear to speak outloud in class. The picture I saw of myself yesterday, was of me sitting against a wall, with my head down, hoping to go unnoticed. The Lord spoke to me, "If you were in that classroom right now, what would you do?" "Well, I would walk over to that little girl, sit down next to her, and ask her her name. Eventually I would hope to tell her how very special she is because God made her, and He loves her." I sensed the Lord smile at me at my response, agreeing. "You're right. I loved her then and I love you now. Feed my lambs." (What a great Dad, we have!)

Here are several things I've learned in these past three weeks about connecting with strangers. I'm sharing them with anyone who might be interested in going for it as well:

Pray and ask the Lord to introduce you to His pick and trust Him for the words to intiate a conversation.

People long for relationship. They were created for it.

I learned that people like to talk about themselves - so let them. They're fascinating! I do sense a "disconnect" if the conversation focuses on me - except for those people who are natural connectors and really seem interested in what I have to say.

Make it a priority to remember their name. I would say it back to myself in my mind several times, even while they were talking to me so that I could remember it. Then I would actually USE it in conversation. People really like to be remembered. "I'll see ya later Glenn. Have a nice trip!" At the beginning of this challenge, remembering names was difficult for me so I would write them down somewhere after our conversation was done. It has become easier over the course of 3 weeks. If an individual has a name tag, it makes it monumentally easier - so take notice of any name tags!

If you're looking for a good "pond to fish in", go to a market or fair. You have a better chance of running into people who have a little time on their hands. They tend to be more willing to stop and chat. People who are selling stuff are easy connections, but the conversation can't get too far because they're busy at their 'jobs'. People who are sitting at tables representing an organization or other service are easy connections since they aren't really selling anything - just manning a booth.

If you're able, begin the connection with something that you can assume is of interest to them:
A person with a puppy, a grandma pushing a stroller, a young person (about their future plans), etc.

Keep your eye on the ball: the goal is not that you get a connection (and therefore you fulfill your agenda) - the goal is to be Jesus to people. It may not start by raising the dead - it might start by saying, "Hi". I found if I felt satisfied that I completed my "assignment", I would force myself to make another connection because I didn't want it to be an assigment to meet my personal daily goal. I wouldn't want to disrespect my new unmet friends by using them to meet my ends.

The Lord has introduced me to a new way of relating to people I don't know and although the month is over, I intend on continuing to look for opportunities to connect, letting Jesus teach me how to do this thing. My new goal is to allow the Spirit to guide me towards discussion about eternal things. People are worth the time and effort it takes to connect and every one of them has a specific need that is always and only met in Jesus. God, give me grace and words to share Your love, more and more.

It's August 1st...and I met Donna. A single woman who lives near York and works for a small electrical company in Rochester...

Connections - Day 23 - Bethany...

July 31st - the final day of the daily stranger connection challenge.

On July 9th, and at the prompting of the Lord, I began a journey of meeting at least one stranger a day for the remainder of the month of July. Here I am at the end of the month, and I've learned so much and had so much fun with this challenge. I've met more new friends than I can count and discovered there are truly fascinating folks all around us.

Today, I would like to introduce "Bethany" (not her real name). She is a beautiful young woman who is facing some significant life challenges right now. She has a sweet 11 month old baby girl and wonders if she's pregnant again. Her boyfriend and mother are pressuring her to abort the child if she's pregnant. The weight of the situation is almost more than she can bear. She listened intently as I shared with her the love of God and the peace He offers. Then she quietly cried as I prayed for her. She needs your prayers - and that's why I share her story with you in this blog post. She didn't surrender her life to the Lord today, but she confessed that her life is a mess and she needs something. Please pray that she find real LIFE in Jesus and that she shares that real LIFE with her baby.

I also met Anna and Glenn at a wedding today. They are both disabled and live in upstate New York 10 minutes away from the Canadian border. (near Messina) They live in a quiet, safe neighborhood and rarely get away...but this weekend is different. They got up at 4:30 this morning to begin their drive down state in order to get to this special occasion. They'll stay overnight tonight in Rochester and then tomorrow, they'll drive to Pavilion to visit with one of Glenn's daughters until Monday. THEN they'll drive back home and 'normal' life will begin again on Tuesday - that's when Anna's nurse aids come to their home to help care for Anna. I'm glad Glenn and Anna made the choice to come to the wedding today in spite of the fact that this trip required a great deal of planning and attention to detail. Lord - give them strength and health for this journey!! Thanks!

So that's that. There are no more days left in July, still there are SO MANY more stangers yet to be met! It is not my plan to blog on any more interactions unless I just can't help myself because. :) I do plan to blog tomorrow on this whole adventure - but it will serve more as postscript and include specific things I've learned throughout the past month. My hope is that others will also be encouraged to break down their own barriers, get out there, and connect. It's not nearly as difficult as it may seem - I am truly grateful for the grace and leading of the Holy Spirit! He makes connecting, so much easier and defiitely exciting!

Connections - Day 22 - Jessica

This interaction amused me.

I was on my way out to get the mail this morning, when I saw that there was a small garage sale being set up across the street. I typically don't have a lot of time for garage sales these days, but this particular sale had a cute bassinet, a matching swing and a little baby seat for sale and since I am eagerly anticipating the birth of a granddaughter any day now, I wanted to check it out. I walked to the sale and asked the woman there if she was the one selling those three particular items, but she told me she had just purchased them...for $1 each! Wow - what a sale! Then I noticed that the woman who bought them was great with child, AND had a toddler in tow. Because of her "condition" I found it a little bit easier to release the fact that I had just missed an amazing deal!


Jessica, the purchaser of these three items is two weeks past her due date. She's having a baby boy and planning to be induced in two days at Wyoming County Community Hospital. Her first son (the toddler with her) was born after an extremely short labor so I was surprised her doctor would let her go two whole weeks past her due date without inducing her earlier.


Jessica works at the McDonald's in Batavia, so the plan, as she described it to me, is to have her mother watch her two children while Jessica's working. That's why she was purchasing these particular items from the garage sale - so her mom would have a few necessary baby items that could be kept at her house. I told Jessica I was happy to have met her, and told her I'd be praying for a soon and safe delivery.


Later this afternoon, I drove to Varysburg to pick up my boys from working at summer camp when I saw a very small yard sale of baby items. In fact, there was a cute bassinet, a matching baby swing and a little baby seat. So I pulled over to check out these items but couldn't locate any prices so I looked up to see if I could find the seller and there she was: Jessica! Then I recalled she told me she was from Varysburg earlier, but I never expected to run into her later on the same day. She seemed to act like she was "caught" reselling items she had purchased earlier today. She felt the need to explain to me that she was rethinking her plan to go back to work and have grandma watch the kids - and was thinking perhaps she should be a stay-at-home mom. She also seemed to want me to believe that the items she was selling at her sale, were not the very same items she purchased earlier today. She said she kept those newly acquired items, and was now selling very similar baby furniture at her sale. When I asked her how much she was selling her baby furniture for I was surprised to hear her answer in light of the fact that I knew she'd spent $1 on each item. Her prices were $30 for the bassinet, $20 for the baby swing and I believe $20 for the little baby seat. Wow - that's quite a profit!

Throughout this experience of connecting with strangers, I have found that sometimes it has been worth a few dollars investment to purchase someone's fruits, vegetables or yard sale items in order to facilitate a stranger interaction, however I draw the limit at spending $70 for items that were valued at $3 just hours earlier! :) It was definitely an interesting, slightly awkward but completely amusing stranger interaction!

Lord Jesus, bless Jessica and her little baby waiting to be born this weekend. Please keep them safe, but more than that, reveal Your love to Jessica so that she might be drawn into relationship with YOU!

Connections - Day 21 - Jessie

They say it takes 21 days to make a new habit. This is my day 21 of attempting to meet a new stranger each day and initiate conversation, remember their name and have a somewhat meaningful conversation with them. (Beyond the "Hi, how are yous we're so used to.") I'm not sure I've made a new habit yet, but I can say it feels easier to meet and greet a stranger than it was before I began this adventure. I'm not so concerned that people will think I'm weird - I go in assuming they'll think I'm weird. :)

Today I met another nurse - this one is young, around 25 years old. Her name is Jessie and I learned she graduated from the same college as I did, but she graduated last May. She took a job right out of college at Strong Memorial Hospital and has since worked in the Observation Unit there. She likes it because of the variety of patients she sees and cares for. She has no interest in leaving any time soon.

Jessie grew up in Bath, NY before going to school at Roberts Wesleyan College. After graduation and once she obtained her job at Strong, she moved to Elmwood Avenue near the hospital. She actually will be moving from her apartment on Elmwood this weekend, but she's just moving a few miles away, across from MCC. She misses the quietness of the country, but is able to go back to Bath and visit since her brother still lives there and her parents own 80 acres of property in the Southern Tier. Her sister, Jennifer, lives on Keuka Lake which is also a nice place for Jessie to get away and relax.

For now, Jessie has plans to stay in the city and keep her hospital job, but she confesses her heart is still in the country and I suppose someday she may choose to return to the quiet countryside and raise a family. God, bless Jessie. Keep her close to You.

Connections - Day 20 - Trish

I had a challenging stranger connection today when I met Trish. She is a lovely woman from Ontario, NY and a total delight to talk with. What made this connection so challenging? She's one of those seasoned natural connectors who is able to turn a conversation around so the focus is off of her and on to the individual she's talking with - in this case that was me. I found myself thinking, "Wait, how did I end up talking about my life again? Tricky woman knows how to ask the right questions!" It was almost humorous, the two of us trying to redirect the conversation back to the other.

In spite of the challenge I was able to learn that Trish is a mother of two boys, Matthew and Nathan. She and her husband had another boy - their first - Joshua, but he was born with a heart defect that took his life after only 29 days. They hadn't realized there was a problem until shortly after birth - it was an extremely difficult season in their lives, but her testimony is that the grace of God carried them through. She is grateful for the gift of her two healthy boys.

Trish suffered another more recent loss: the death of her father, Art. He was diagnosed with diabetes five years ago, but this past winter he contracted pneumonia and died in February. She said she still struggles some with grief related to this recent loss. Her 75 year old mom is still alive, but in need of care as she is losing her memory. For now, Trish's younger sister, Donna is caring for their mom, but it has been challenging.

One other little tidbit of interesting information: Trish knows my mother in law as they attend the same church in the Rochester area. Trish works part time for their children's ministry, and my mother in law has served many, many years in that same program. Wow - it's a small world!!

In the midst of our conversation, I invited Trish to attend a special worship night at our church tonight and I'm happy to say that she accepted! :) I spoke with her afterwards and she said she was so grateful she came because she felt so refreshed from being in God's presence.

Thank you, Lord for the opportunity You provided for me to meet one of my sisters today! You're amazing and I love this family of Yours! (and I love You too!)

Connections - Day 19 - Tina

Walking through this adventure is kind of like Christmas morning - wondering what will be revealed behind the smiles (or scowls) of the strangers I meet each day. I love the discovery of these lives, even though sometimes, the discovery breaks my heart.

"Tina's" story breaks my heart. Her fear and anxiety are very evident as she fidgets and confesses her extreme unsettledness with life. She's struggling with some personal decisions, the weight of being alone raising two children, and the uncertain prospect of the future. "Tina" isn't her real name, but the truth is, I don't even know what her real name is. She is so consumed with fear that she would not tell me her real name, nonetheless she was desperate for help as could be seen in her pleading tear-filled eyes.

I shared with Tina about the only hope I know when pressed on all sides by fear. I told her I knew what it felt like to be irrationally terrified by absolutely nothing and want to recoil from life to avoid the agony of fear. Tina nodded in agreement - she was a prisoner of anxiety behind bars of self protection and secrecy. I shared with her about the reality of God's love, and the promise of His Spirit that will deal to the core with what's really at work in her heart, and pour in the missing hope and freedom she longs for. We talked about forgiveness and mercy, about a Way named Jesus - who brings the lost and lonely home to their Daddy. Tina cried - and let me hold her hand as we prayed and asked the Lord for what is so abundantly available. Love. Truth. Forgiveness. & Peace.

If you think of it - please pray with me for "Tina".