Movie night! Join us, we'll provide the popcorn!

 According to the website, "The Sea to Sea 2013 Bike Tour is a nine-week, 3,900-mile cycling trek across North America designed to raise awareness and funds in support of those living in poverty around the world."
We are working on the funds and doing well so far.  Now, about the awareness component.  In church and at work most people ask about the training, or the ride or the practical issues of the Sea to Sea in terms of logistics.  Almost no one asks us about poverty.  So how do we engage people in a meaningful way?
A new movie came out this week dealing with hunger in the U.S.  We thought this would make a great opprotinity to get some people in our house discussing poverty.

We might not all agree with the political positions in this movie.  That is not our intent in showing this movie.  We want to raise awareness and join in discussion in prayer.
So join us in our home, Saturday March 16.  Lets watch the movie, discuss our thoughts on poverty in America and join in prayer.

Cornholing to fight poverty! Join us!

Dave and Julie Doll have been awesome in helping us organize the cornhole tournament.  We are blessed to have friends that are passionate in walking with us on this journey.
The details are here, http://tackk.com/xx2e67.  
What a great way to spend a Saturday night, food, games and some educational stations as we join together to raise funds to 
Fight poverty.

Katie's Turn

Mark said it is my turn to post something.  So here goes.

God has been messing with me lately.  He has been stirring a tension in me that says "This isn't right.  Things need to change."  And although it makes me uncomfortable, I love it.  More on this in the days and weeks to come.

Many months ago, Mark started talking about Sea to Sea.  I know he has been wanting to do it for years.  I was not so sure about having him gone for weeks this summer.  Then we found out about the "one week" option for participants.  Mark looked at me and said "let's do it."  I hesitated only a few minutes (because I am a control-freak-planner kind of person), then felt God whisper "Do this.  It will work out.  Trust me."  So we registered.

My hesitation was because we have two beautiful daughters, ages one and two-and-a-half.  Our week apart in August is not something to take lightly.  But we have an amazing group of family and friends that have rallied and are willing to care for our little girls while we are gone.  We are so thankful.

I am reading a book right now called Seven by Jen Hatmaker.  It is a great read.  Funny.  Challenging.  But I caution you, only read it if you are ready to make some changes.  Lots of things are rolling around in my head.  Big things.  Things that will require me to make some changes in my comfortable Christian life.

A lot of people have been asking me "so how is the training going?"  Well, to be completely honest, the physical training has not started. I am dreaming of spring when I can load my girls in the burly and pedal around our neighborhood.  But God is changing my heart this winter.  And I am excited.

How?  you ask.  Well for one, during this season of Lent, I am trying to minimize distractions.  I deleted the pinterest and zulily apps from my ipad.  I deleted the facebook app from my phone. I am bored with tv that I normally looked forward to.  I am reading.  I am purging my house of all our extra stuff.  Stuff I neglected because "I am a busy Mom" is getting done.  And I am finding myself more content, free from worry, and happy.

And God is calling me to something else.  I'm not exactly sure what it is yet.  I am excited to be part of Sea to Sea to raise money to support organizations that work to eradicate poverty.  But there is more here.  I am feeling called to do something more directly, in my own community, with poverty.  And I'm excited to discover what it is.


Thanks for reading.
Katie

Cooking something up!

So this is about the fundraising.  Katie and I are doing well so far.  Thanks to those who have supported us so far!  We have been talking about doing an event to really ramp up some enthusiasm.  The idea is a "corn hole" tournament in the gym at the Christian Middle School!


We are thinking about having a fun night of games and food where you pay to enter the tournament and compete to win some prizes.  We thought it would be cool to have some poverty awareness thrown in as well so we are going to have some stations set up with the Spent poverty simulator available (you can try it by hitting this link).
I will update you all with some more details later!

In the meantime do continue to pray for those in poverty.  I found another awesome prayer from a "Mimi Simson" in her book of prayers.

For Those Living with Poverty and Hunger

Our Loving Creator God,
We bring before you this day
the burden the whole world carries
as it endures extreme poverty and hunger
in every land.
Stretch out your loving arms, we pray,
to embrace the suffering women, men and children
whose bodies, minds and spirits are shrinking
before our very eyes.
Help us to look, really look,
with clear eyes and open hearts,
to see the pain and hopelessness
in their bewildered eyes.
Kindle within each one of us
a flame of love and purpose,
and then
Enable us to channel our love into action
in every way possible
and impossible.
For this we pray.  Amen

Feeling inspired inspite of the cold.

My mom and dad came up from New York this weekend as we celebrated some birthdays here in Michigan.
At a family gathering my brother James gave me a signed copy of Peter Sloflstra's "In Tandem: a sea to se cycling odyssey.  This book is from the chaplain/organizer/rider of the first sea to sea in Canada in 2005. I am so inspired after reading it that I want to ride the whole ride!
I finished the book in just 2 days.  I am still aware of the practical issues of family commitments, but it is so exciting to see the story of the people of our church stepping out in faith in big "Hairy Audacious Ways".
I keep asking my students to make their faith real, and to act on it.  This book is a collection of stories of so many people from across Canada that have done just that!

What is God calling you to do?
What is preventing that?

I pray that God will guide my vision for how my life will be and that I will act, may His will be done!

By the way dear reader, if I jump into riding the whole tour  I will need to raise $7,500 more.  I know I can't make that happen, but I know if God is in it ANYTHING can happen.  Are you being called to donate or to offer some encouragement then I encourage you to reply and or donate!

Ash Wednesday:Teaching Bible, living the life....

I teach Bible at Unity Christian in Hudsonville Michigan.  Kids want to know that faith is real, and they want to see action.  They crave the faith of James--show me your deeds.  At the same time they also struggle with doubts like the father from Mark 9, they wrestle with the tension of "I believe, help me with my unbelief".
I love the opportunity to work with young people and to watch their faith grow as the they struggle with questions of what it means to live this life.
A major reason why I signed up for Sea to Sea is that I wanted an actionable outlet for my faith; a tangible demonstration of what I believe.  Talking about this in class I showed my Sea to Sea page and kids were interested and asked questions.  We discussed micro finance and how $130 loan can leverage someone out of poverty, an amount that we spend on fancy shoes.
One student was walking out the door and he turned around.  He pulled out his wallet and gave me a ten dollar bill.

"Here, I want you to put this towards fighting poverty.  If micro loans can change peoples lives, than here is a part of that".
Wow!
If God is pulling at your heart, if he is revealing ways for you to move, do it.  As we enter lent I challenge you to reflect on what the vision is that God is revealing to you.  Then do it!
"Be Thou My Vision......"  Click that link and meditate with it.  I like this version of the song--painfully slow, but it allows me to meditate on that vision.
I also invite you to pray the prayer of the previous post again today.

Getting derailed by little things....

Today I joined the Threshold Multi-Sport crew at Rozema Car Care for a group trainer ride.  It is always easier to be motivated to get on trainer when riding with a group.  The workout went fine until my shirt fell off.  Well, actually I took it off, and it jammed in my derailleur and ripped it right off the frame.  Oops.  The ride ended right there, with me straining in vain to unwrap my shirt from the derailleur pullies (I had to disassemble the derailure to free the shirt and chain!). 

I had a spare derailuer hanger on the work bench and replaced it before coming in the house.  It seems that this is a pretty essential part to getting the bike down the road isn't it?  Amazing how such an insignificant part can derail (sorry couldn't resist) the whole operation.
It made me think about why I am doing this ride and what poverty does to individuals and families.   If you have never been in poverty you may not think about how vulnerable people are.  Their lives can be hanging on a pretty slim thread.  I did a poverty simulation a while back and I invite you to try it out.  It is called Spent.  Click on that link and try it out.  Katie and I did and it was interesting to see what compromises we made.  Further more it was interesting to consider what this would do to my self-image.  I know poverty would make me feel different about who I am.  God detests poverty because it can distort us as image bearers. 
Part of why I love what Sea to Sea is doing is that it partners with people in need and works with them.  In a way that honors their dignity and sense of self.  Simply receiving a handout doesn't work, it doesn't change the situations that create poverty.
I just got done reading the book Toxic Charity and it makes it clear how difficult it is to see real change take place.   The book was challenging and actually kind of depressing.  It stresses that those working with others need to really invest in the individuals and serve the needs in a way that honors that person's self.  It points out the much of our traditional mission trip emphasis is misguided because it really becomes tourism with an altruistic bend that is ultimately self-serving. 
I pray that my efforts with Sea to Sea are about so much more than me.  Poverty seems so big, and so entrenched that it is easy to become overwhelmed.  However, when you look at the work that this ride will support I am positive that every dollar will make a difference in the Kingdom. 
If you did the poverty simulation I invite you to pray for those in poverty anywhere. 
Here is a prayer from Christian Aid UK that I like:

Pray for an end to poverty

Creator God,
You loved the world into life. Forgive us when our dreams of the future
are shaped by anything other than glimpses of a kingdom
of justice, peace and an end to poverty.
Incarnate God,
you taught us to speak out for what is right. Make us content with nothing less than a world
that is transformed into the shape of love,
where poverty shall be no more.
Breath of God,
let there be abundant life. Inspire us with the vision of poverty over,
and give us the faith, courage and will to make it happen.

If you have not donated yet, I encourage you to do so.  Have a good week and I invite you to pray this prayer a few times this week.