Faith, Hope, & Love: Letter to Alexis

Tomorrow is my last Sunday as the senior pastor of Trinity Church of the Nazarene. I believe God is calling me to find my way back to children's ministry; where I am afraid my heart was left. However, this means I will be leaving behind several I love; including a 15 year old named Alexis.

Alexis is a special kid. When I was sobbing behind the pulpit from more torment than anyone under 90 can understand, she was the first to fearlessly run up on stage to hug her pastor. I will never forget our fantastic memories of painting a wall of the teen room "taxi cab yellow" or being (certainly) one of the only senior pastors ever to take their teenagers to a Toby Mac concert. She committed her life to God and said she wanted to sing and dance on stage too; and she could. I have the vision to see who she is becoming and it is amazing.

Tomorrow, as I sob again, I will give her a ring to match the one I wear. It reads "faith, hope, love." Depending on which virtue I need more divine help from, I twist it around that way. It's been my divine calling card when I am in such torment and anguish I am unable to find words to pray with my normal gift to use eloquent words.

I will give this ring to her with a letter. I wanted to put it on this blog so when the ink smears and the color fades... she can find her letter here. Maybe some of my readers can glean a little something special from Alexis and I's pastor/teen relationship too.

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Dear Alexis,

You are an amazing person and I love you so much. No matter what; always remember Pastor Christy loves you and believes in you. You're incredibly special and God thinks so too.

I'm giving you a ring that reads "faith, hope, and love" for so many reasons. These are termed the "theological virtues" by some old, dead dude named St. Thomas Aquinas. I think he was right... especially since Corinthians says much the same (1 Cor 13:13).

Faith. Whatever you do, wherever you go, whomever you become... develop the virtue of faith. Faith is about trusting in God, even when you're certain you cannot see God's hand at work. Faith is about depending on God even when everything collapses around you and you are certain you are caught in eternal darkness from the misery and pain in your life; when you can barely pick yourself up out of bed because of the horror and despair around you. Faith is repeatedly confessing belief God is still present and active even when you cannot clearly see it. Faith reminds us of the hope that things will not always remain in the present reality of suffering.

Hope. Whatever you do, wherever you go, whomever you become... develop the virtue of hope. Hope towards a restored, redeemed, and renewed creation; where there is no violence, manipulation, power-plays, or painful degrading words to be spoken. I know you wish people in the church acted differently and said different things; for you witnessed far more than anyone ever should. But I tell you this-- you can become the church you wish it was. Always hope for it. Always love enough to become it.

Love. Whatever you do, wherever you go, whomever you become... develop the virtue of love. Imagine a mother with her newborn baby. That little one cannot do a thing for the mother or give the mother any great gift. But she loves this baby anyway. She loves this child simply because it exists. Do the same. Love people... simply because they exist.

And when faith, hope, and love are developed in a person and in a community... I think the most amazing thing happens. Peace. Our characters become so reflective of the person of Jesus Christ, peace is possible. Peace is so much more than the absence of conflict. Peace is so much more than a lack of war. Peace is about a transformation of so many person's character in community that we care more about what God wants than what we want. We set aside our petty desires and selfish ambitions and let others be honored, praised, and preferred above ourselves.

Faith, hope, and love. Wear the ring; remember what God taught you through this crazy, slightly messed up, Preacher Chick.

Again, I love you Alexis. You're so special.

Pastor Christy

HE IS RISEN! Resurrection Sunday Sermon

Sermon for April 12, 2009; Trinity Church of the Nazarene.

JESUS IS ALIVE!!!!

On Good Friday we mourned the loss of Jesus. He was really dead. He was really lifeless. All hope seemed lost. We felt lost all weekend.

The light of the world lay in a dark tomb.

But today—JESUS IS ALIVE! Hallelujah.

HE IS RISEN!! (He is risen Indeed)

God raised Jesus from the dead!

Death has lost. Darkness has faded. Hopelessness has disappeared.
Life wins. The light of the world shines brightly. Hope prevails.

And because God raised Jesus from the dead (from hopelessness, from darkness), we learn several things.

I. First, we learn that GOD WAS PLEASED WITH THE WAY JESUS LIVED HIS LIFE. It is divine vindication of Jesus’ choices. It is as if God says, “This one I’m pleased with.”

So if God vindicates Jesus’ life, let’s look back. How did Jesus live? And… how did Jesus die?

Because if God was pleased with Jesus, we need to live that same way; Jesus showed us another way to live… and another way to die.

A. Remember last week on Palm Sunday we talked about Jesus coming on a donkey; humbled. He did not ride into town on a white stallion swinging a divine sword. He came on a donkey.

Jesus lived by humbling himself… by riding a donkey; the weirdest animal one could choose.

So the first thing we learn about Jesus’ life—was he lived humbly.

B. And then as we look back on Jesus’ life we remember the words out of his mouth. He said, “I’ve come to bring peace, not a sword.”

Now that’s a weird way to live. If you want to die and have people attack you, maybe live without a sword. Hmm.

And that’s a weird way to die too.

Even when they beat him with sticks, put a crown of thorns in his head, made him carry his own heavy cross, whipped him, scorned him, humiliated him, broke his body, forced him to drink vinegar, and so much more… Jesus still responds with peace.

So we learn… Jesus lives in the most peaceful way at all times; even when it leads to death. He always chooses to live differently.

So the second thing we learn about Jesus’ life—was he chooses to live with peace.

C. We also remember a story Jesus told once; about a Samaritan. EWE. Not a Samaritan.

That would be like saying (whisper) “homosexual” today. Homosexuals certainly couldn’t be good (so say many Christians today) ! Samaritans certainly cannot be good!

But Jesus chooses to use the outcast—to shout loudly “live by loving everyone.” Look at who did the right thing in this story. It was the loser—the one we brand “SINNER.”

When we look back on Jesus’ life we see him loving… even the outcasts of society. We see Jesus lifting up the loser sinner as an example on how to love.

That’s quite radical.

So the third thing we learn about Jesus’ life—was he chose to identify with the outcast.

D. And then after Jesus is already dead and then raised to life—we see Jesus using the WORST possible people ever to be witnesses to his resurrection.

Women.

Women in this society were not considered to be a trustworthy witness. Only men could be witnesses.

BUT WHO DOES GOD CHOOSE TO WITNESS THE RESURRECTION?

Women.

Let’s read together from our scripture passage about these women on Resurrection morning. If you are able, please stand for the reading of the Word from John 20:1-18.

So the fourth thing we learn about Jesus’ life from this passage—was he gave value to the valueless; they held witness to the good news.

E. Wow. Jesus is one crazy, radical guy. No wonder they killed him.
He lived a life that screamed… humility, peace, love of the outcast, and honoring of the least.

What a loser.

But God says… “Uh, uh; Jesus was right. He lived as I intended for you all to live in creation. Jesus lived the better way; follow his example.”

So… the resurrection shouts out—Jesus is not worthy of death. Jesus is not a loser. Jesus was the one who got it right!

F. So the first thing we learn from Jesus’ resurrection is that God vindicated his life. God said- THIS is the way to live

The holy way to live is in self-sacrifice, in humility, speaking the truth in love, giving up yourself, and not acting violently.

For it is when people act violently and refuse to humble themselves, and take whatever they want from others to feel better about themselves… that death pokes its ugly head.

We end up killing—like we killed Jesus.

II. And so second thing we learn from the resurrection is—there is a better way to live. And this is the START OF A NEW CREATION.

A. The old is gone, the new has come. The old way of living like Adam—choosing what we want, choosing that fruit whenever we feel like it—is gone. Now we choose what God wants; even when we do not like it.

We make a conscious choice every day—to choose to do what is best for the new creation, for God’s intention for creation… even if it causes us humiliation—or if we are scorned—or if we are looked down upon.

We now choose God’s Kingdom and God’s Church over ourselves.


B. We also no longer act in a way where we try to conquer one another—where we try to dominate each other. In the new creation we act in a loving way to all people; no matter who they are. We extend grace towards all people and attempt not to conquer them with words or actions.

This new creation, that the resurrection brings, is a creation where violent domination of others is gone.

This is a creation where we work towards equality. There is neither Jew nor Greek, male or female, slave or free…

C. We also no longer dehumanize each other in this new creation.

(Leaning heavily on “Liars, Lovers, and Heroes" by Stephen R. Quartz, Ph.D and Terrencde J. Sejnowski, PhD; Chapter 8)

How is it that some people are able to murder others in cold blood? How is it that a high school student can walk into a school and open fire on classmates? How is that one human can murder another human?

Because we dehumanize each other.

When humans work to make other humans less than human… this is dehumanization.

In the new creation—we do not dehumanize others. Every living person who has breath is a human; valuable, and loved by God. No matter their skin tone. No matter their lifestyle. No matter their gender. No matter their choices. No matter what—all people are valued by God.

The new creation is marked by giving people back their humanity—when they are dehumanized.

We work in this new creation to “rehumanize” people—when others tear them apart and dehumanize them.


One of my favorite books (Rob Bell’s “Sex God,” page 30) tells the story of Jewish women in Nazi Germany; battered and torn. Colonel Gonin’s stay at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp is described. This is what it says:

“It was shortly after the British Red Cross arrived, though it may have no connection, that a very large quantity of lipstick arrived. This was not at all what we wanted, we were screaming for hundreds and thousands of other things and I don’t know who asked for lipstick. I wish so much that I could discover who did it, it was the action of genius, sheer unadulterated brilliance. I believe nothing did more for these internees than the lipstick. Women lay in bed with no sheets and no nightie but with scarlet red lips, you saw them wandering about with nothing but a blanket over their shoulders, but with scarlet red lips. I saw a woman dead on the postmortem table and clutched in her hand was a piece of lipstick. At last someone had done something to make them individuals again, they were someone, no longer merely the number tattooed on the arm. At last they could take an interest in their appearance.

That lipstick started to give them back their humanity.”

The new creation, after the resurrection, is marked by finding ways to “give people lipstick”—to give them back their humanity.

HOW DO YOU GIVE PEOPLE LIPSTICK EVERY DAY?!

III. Jesus’ resurrection SHOWS US HOW TO LIVE (as Jesus lived) IN THIS NEW CREATION (that began with the resurrection).

We too are to ride our donkeys into the city… We are to clothe ourselves in humility.
We too are to wave olive branches… We are to live in peace.
We too are to care for the Samaritans… We are to care for the outcasts of society.
We too are to believe the women’s testimony… We are to value all people’s words and life as Jesus did.

We too are to find ways to REHUMANIZE when the world dehumanizes.

IV. And what is most exciting… is THIS NEW CREATION SCREAMS “JESUS IS ALIVE” in the way we are—in the way we act—in the way we live.

A. We are a people who are formed differently.
We are a people who have different habits and patterns in our behavior; because we actually ARE a special people.

B. For example: Recently I had to be in the ER with my husband while he got x-rays on his broken leg. Someone came to my house and watched my son; free of charge.

She might as well screamed out “Jesus is alive. Let me watch your son while you are in the hospital.”

Her very actions lived out the new creation and screamed “JESUS IS ALIVE!”

This person who watched my son in the middle of the night… She lives differently. She is a special person with different habits and patterns—the one that lives out this new creation.

C. How do you live? Does your life scream out you ARE different? Do the things you do reflect a pattern of living as a part of a special people—where your actions say “Jesus is alive?”

Does your life work towards the redemption of creation?

Could someone use you as a sermon illustration for this new creation? Could your daily activities and the words of your mouth be a shining example of the new creation because of the resurrection? This new, beautiful creation that is ushered in with Jesus being raised from the dead--

Does your life reveal what it looks like to be a part of the new creation the resurrection brings?

What in your life says “Jesus is alive?” Anything?

If not, what could you do this week to start forming habits & patterns that reflect the message with your life of this new creation?


V. Let us pray:

Lord God, we want to live resurrection lives.

We want the words of our mouths, the meditations of our hearts, and the actions of our bodies to be pleasing to you Lord; to shout out “Jesus is alive.”

Whatever in our lives does not help restore your creation, forgive us for it. Show us how to live in the way Jesus did; a way that brings about a renewed creation.

We love you, Lord. We proclaim together "Jesus Christ is Lord. He is risen from the dead and He alone is Lord."

Amen.

LENT DEVOTIONS Week 7, HOLY WEEK

Written by: Rev. Kazimiera I.H. Fraley and Rev. Christy Gunter Leppert.

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Daily Meditation: Monday

John 12:1-11

As we are thinking about the sacrifice Christ made for us, we need to think about the sacrifices we make for Christ. This woman basically laid a brand new Mercury Mariner, SUV, at Jesus’ feet. She just gave it to him; put it before Jesus with no strings attached.

What do we give over to Jesus? What do we sacrifice to further Christ’s work here on this earth? Jesus gave up his place beside the Father. Jesus suffered and died. This woman was willing to give Jesus something that was her whole life’s savings, a whole year’s wages, to prepare Jesus for his death to come.

Too often we do not put Christ and his kingdom first. We do not have enough time, or enough money. We do not like doing this or are not good at that. Too often we are not willing to give Jesus the valuable things in (or parts of) our lives. We give him the leftovers, the scraps we have left after we do what we want; never putting what Christ wants first. Too often even as we look at his death and sacrifice we are not willing to sacrifice for him.

Reflection Questions:
What is your SUV? What valuable thing can you give to Christ? What about YOU can you hand over to the God who gave himself for you?

Prayer:
Lord God, I want to give you everything—even the things that could be used for something else. Take my perfume- take it all. I give it all to you.

Weekly Action:
On Ash Wednesday we talked about how we are ash and to ash we will return. What does God want to do with the ash of your life-- to make it something beautiful; to breathe life into hopelessness?


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Daily Meditation: Tuesday

John 12:27-30

Sometimes it is easy to think Jesus just gave up his life. It is easy to believe Jesus did not struggle with this idea. We come to the conclusion that the cross was something Jesus just did without thought or hesitation. Jesus was God. He knew his purpose. He knew his future and simply moved in this direction because he was supposed to do this.

But doing the right thing, doing the Godly thing, doing what he was called to do was hard for him. He struggled with it. He knew what was right and chose what was right. But he asked the Father to save him from this hour; to save him from pain and death.

Doing God’s work and doing God’s will is not easy. But as we follow Christ’s example in all things we (like Jesus) need to say “Yes” to the Father’s will. We need to say “Yes” to the things of God. We must put our selfishness and self-centered desires behind us as we follow the path down which God is leading.

Reflection Questions:
What kinds of things is God calling you to do?

How are those things difficult?

Prayer:
Jesus, in the same way you struggled- we struggle. In the same way you chose to do the right thing, please enable us to do the right thing too; to say yes to the things of God.

Weekly Action:
On Ash Wednesday we talked about how we are ash and to ash we will return. What does God want to do with the ash of your life-- to make it something beautiful; to breathe life into hopelessness?

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Daily Meditation: Wednesday

John 13:21-32

Judas is known for the actions he performs here; at the end of Jesus’ life. Judas, who knew Jesus, who listened and learned at Jesus’ feet, betrays Jesus. He takes actions which lead directly to Jesus’ capture and ultimately his death.

The beauty is, even in these dark evil deeds, God is at work redeeming Judas’ selfish, broken actions to bring glory to God’s work and move Christ toward his intended purpose here on earth.

Too often our actions do not reflect the fact that we also sat and learned at the feet of Jesus. Our actions are broken and selfish. Whenever we choose ourselves and what we want over the things of Christ and what he wants, we are betraying him, just as Judas betrayed him.

The beauty of God is even as we work against Godly purposes and God’s will becomes God’s moving to redeem our actions and the consequences of our actions; to bring the things of God to our lives and to this world. God can (and does) bring glory out of our broken sinful choices. God turns ashes into something beautiful.

Reflection Questions:
What actions in your life reflect yourself? What actions reflect sitting at Jesus’ feet?

Prayer:
Lord God, sometimes we act broken and selfish and betray you and who you called us to be. Forgive us. Purify us. Change us. We want to choose what you want.

Weekly Action:
On Ash Wednesday we talked about how we are ash and to ash we will return. What does God want to do with the ash of your life-- to make it something beautiful; to breathe life into hopelessness?


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Daily Meditation: Maundy Thursday

John 13:1-17

Have you ever experienced (or heard about) a foot washing service? A service where each person follows Jesus’ example and washes the feet of others; then in turn allows someone else to wash their feet.

What does it mean to allow Jesus to wash our feet; to wash and cleanse us?

In the end, when Peter understands, he asks for Jesus to wash not just his feet, but his hands and head as well. In short he wants Jesus to wash him wholly.

How would we need to humble ourselves in order to allow Jesus to wash all of us? To step down from our doing modes and allow Christ to do for us? We are dirty and dusty with the travels of this life we need to stop and allow our Lord and Savior to make us clean, rid us of all that stains and dirties, so we can rise and do the work of the kingdom, in purity, and cleanliness.

Reflection Questions:
What kind of worldly dirt sticks to you?

How can you allow Christ to cleanse you today?

Prayer:
Lord God, I confess I am not completely clean. If I am truly honest, I desire to be preferred above others. I want to be honored and praised. I hate to be ridiculed and wrong. Please clean me; make me pure. Wash the parts of me I hide from others. I give all of myself to you and ask you to give me the grace to desire others to be honored, praised, and chosen over myself. Amen.

Weekly Action:
On Ash Wednesday we talked about how we are ash and to ash we will return. What does God want to do with the ash of your life-- to make it something beautiful; to breathe life into hopelessness?


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Daily Meditation: Good Friday

John 19:25-30

Jesus is dead. At this point in history—there is no hope. There is no light. The thing about dead people is that they are dead; they are gone.

As they looked at Jesus’ dead, bleeding body they did not see the centuries of God’s glorious Church unfolding before them. They saw their friend, their son, their mentor, the one who embodied all their hopes and dreams, dead; stone cold dead.

All was lost!


Reflection Questions:
What makes you feel hopeless?

What parts of your life are dead?

Prayer:
God, on this day we feel hopeless. Jesus is dead. Our hopes seem dead. We wonder if darkness overcame the light.

Weekly Action:
On Ash Wednesday we talked about how we are ash and to ash we will return. What does God want to do with the ash of your life-- to make it something beautiful; to breathe life into hopelessness?

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Daily Meditation: Holy Saturday

John 19:38-42

They took Jesus down from the cross. They laid him in the tomb. A stone was rolled in front of the opening. The lifeless cold body of our savior is lying in a dark, dank, stone tomb. Winter has fallen on all the earth. The hopes and dreams of all creation lay beneath the earth covered in snow as the harsh winter wind howls hollowly. Hope is gone. Death is real. Hate has won. Love has lost. And the world holds its breath, waiting to pass away as well. Without the savior, without the Christ, all is lost. We all die. Hope fades. Darkness reigns.


Prayer:
God, we still feel hopeless. Jesus is still dead. The light of the world- lies in a dark tomb. The resurrection of life- lies dead.


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To Whom Do You Wave Your Palm? Mark 11:1-11

This is the sermon for Palm Sunday at Trinity Church of the Nazarene; Rev. Christy Gunter Leppert.

I. The people think they know who Jesus is.

They wave their palm branches in extreme excitement. The Messiah has come.

They heard the stories—this guy raised Lazarus from the dead! This guy turned water into wine.
"Oooh, does he have a magic wand?"

"Can he make supernatural things happen?"

Is he a wizard?

'Maybe at this big old fair we are having here… he could do some magic tricks. Let’s see a sign!"

Others were all excited because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering war hero.

"Whoo hoo—a guy coming on a white stallion with a sword in hand!"

Perhaps he is a political revolutionist!

"We will rally together and dictate others. We will overthrow the government and take over!"

"Jesus will overthrow the Romans."

"We will not be oppressed anymore!"

"The Messiah has come and we will no longer suffer domination!"

* * * *

He is a war hero… he is a wizard… he is a political revolutionist.

* * * *

The people think they know to whom they are waving their palm branches.

II. Who do we think Jesus is? What are our expectations for Jesus?

Sometimes we think of Jesus as a cop.

“Ohhh, you better stop doing that or you will get an eternal ticket for eternal damnation and condemnation.”

Or: “Tisk-tisk. I will have to pull you over in life to make you suffer the punishment for sinning!”

Sometimes we think of Jesus as a judge.

Have you ever stood before a judge? Most people tend to feel very insignificant before a judge

that controls fines and punishment.

Sometimes we think of Jesus like that…

“I therefore sentence you to an eternal dance with the evil one since you chose to speed the other day.”

Or: “Shame on you. You are a horrible person who makes horrible choices and therefore you will have your name erased from the good book.”

Or we are completely self-righteous and assume the judge will say: “Well done. You are the holiest person I have ever seen. You chose to love perfectly in every situation. You get eternal reward forever and ever. You will feel like you are floating on cotton balls and eating ice cream for all eternity.”

Sometimes we think of Jesus as Superman.

I personally love superman—so this one is easy for me.

Jesus the hero who flies through the city, saving the people in peril.

Jesus has eyes that can burn through metal and gets sick from kryptonite.

Sometimes we think of Jesus as the one who makes life easy.

"Come follow me and life will forever and eternally be simple, trouble free, uncomplicated, and undemanding."

Doesn’t that sound fantastic?

Follow Jesus and get a ticket to an eternal massage and perpetual spa treatments.

Sometimes we think of Jesus as the one who saves us from suffering.

"Follow Jesus and life will come together in utopia. There will be no suffering in this life. No tears. No crying."

Everything gets perfect when you follow Jesus.

People today think they know to whom they are waving their palm branches.

III. Philippians 2:5-11 gives a different picture.

Ah, see… perhaps Jesus is not who we think he is.

Perhaps the Jesus we THINK we know, the Jesus we EXPECT… is not the Jesus who revealed himself on Palm Sunday.

IV. Jesus the Suffering Servant:

Jesus was fully human.

Which means Jesus had the same desire we all do—to preserve ourselves.

Jesus did not want to die; just like none of us are exactly lining up for death today.

Jesus did not want to feel pain.

I mean, who likes to feel pain? Normal humans do not want to feel pain.

Jesus did not want to feel the whip or the crown of thorns… or those nails… or the weight of his body hanging on a cross.

But Jesus chose to act differently than the human desired.

He chose to make himself nothing.

He chose to humble himself.

He chose to die, on a cross.

He chose to be a servant.

Jesus came on a donkey—not a white stallion.
Jesus came on a colt—not a war horse.

Jesus came waving an olive branch—not a sword.
Jesus came with a palm—not a magic wand.

Jesus is a suffering servant; humbling himself—not at all what we often expect.

V. To whom do you wave your palm?

Do you wave your palm to a magician? A war hero?

Do you wave your palm to a cop Jesus, a judge Jesus, a Superman Jesus, a spa treatment Jesus,

or a non-suffering Messiah?

To whom do you wave your palm?

Do you wave your palm to the Jesus you THINK you know?
Do you wave your palm to the Jesus you EXPECT?

Or do you wave your palm to the Jesus who suffered and calls us to suffer too?

Because the Jesus in scripture asked his followers to go into a nasty, dirty stable and get donkeys.

That is a fun romantic task, is it not?
Who wants to sign up for that fun experience as Jesus’ disciple?

Not me.

And Jesus sends his disciples out to look like thieves to the world.

That one sounds really great, doesn’t it?
Who wants to go steal donkeys for Jesus?

Not me.

The Jesus in scripture is a Jesus who suffers—and a Jesus who calls his disciples to suffer too.

To whom do you wave your palm branch today?
To your idea of Jesus—or to the Jesus of Scripture?

VI. Let us pray:

Dear Lord,

We come before you and confess sometimes we want to tell you who you are.
We want to expect you are a conquering hero.
We want to expect you are a magician.
We expect you are a cop or a judge.

We think of you in all the wrong ways.

Forgive us.

Help us to have a renewed understanding of you today—as a suffering servant who said this world may not be easy; but you would always be with us. We love you Lord.

Amen.

Prayers of a Priest and a Female Pastor

I tend not to write many blog posts in the "I" form (I think, I feel, I saw). However, today I will make an exception; because I want to tell my story of being a part of a group in my area called the "Wichita Ecumenical Christian Prayer Group." We meet once a month- Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox to pray together and celebrate what we hold in common.

Today we met at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (which may be the most beautiful church this side of Europe). The floors are made of marble with multiple domes reaching towards the heavens.

As we all prayed together (both Protestant spontaneous prayers, Catholic written prayers, and even chanting) I was aware there was a priest sitting next to me. I grinned.

Following our prayer time I leaned to him and said, "I think God is smiling with a Catholic Priest and female pastor praying beside one another." He grinned right back and we began a conversation. We might as well have taken off our shoes-- because I am quite confident the place we were standing was holy ground.

As we talked this dear man looked at me in my eyes-- affirming me; regardless of my gender and label. I looked right back at him in the eyes-- believing in him while seeing him as the personal presence of Christ to me in those moments; regardless of his assignment or title.

I walked away from my time with the Father renewed, affirmed, and confident. I can promise you that when we wipe away the lines of division among us- beautiful, holy moments are born; restoration blossoms, recreation becomes visible, and redemption becomes as close as your very breath.

I was asked to lead one of the "Pastor Led Extemporaneous Prayers" and since I am a writer first, my heart is connected to my hand; rather than my mouth. So I sketched my prayer out on paper before I arrived. It is posted below. I hope those who read this prayer can find words to speak their heart this Lenten season.

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Lord of all we are and ever hope to be--

We come before you; asking you to

purify our hearts.

Create in us a clean heart- and remove our heart of stone.

Take away our unjust anger. Take away our fears.

Take away all that is not pure within us.

We submit our lives-

all of who we REALLY are

and all we REALLY think to you.

May the very beat of our hearts be for you only.

May each breath we take be accompanied

by thoughts and actions that honor you.

For what we all must remember-- is who we really are.

Beneath our righteous and holy facade is our selfishness,

our sinfulness, our extreme need for your grace.

Some of us choose to admit this-- depending on you to redeem us.

God, grant us the desire to allow you to help us be vulnerable,

allowing you to enable us to become

who we were created, by you, to be.

And for those of us caught up in faking our greatness

and self-confidence; forgive us.

We are a people who enjoy condemning others

and keeping a record of their wrongs

...if only to feel better about ourselves.

God, forgive us.

Grant us the grace, mercy, and GUTS to be

those who are honest, humble, and recreated by you.

Create in us a clean heart and remove our heart of stone-

so that we can proclaim together:

I choose to be a follower of Jesus Christ

...even when I feel betrayed, scorned, and humiliated.

I choose to speak the truth in love

...even when my voice shakes.

I choose to put God's Church, God's Kingdom,

and God's plans for the redemption of creation before myself

...even when I want to spew out justice to establish

my own self-worth and status.

I choose to act in a way that is entirely not my own

and can only be Christ working through me

for God's redemptive purposes.

Amen.

Top 10 Ways to Know You’re a Nazarene Gone Wild this Spring:

Written in McDonalds by the Trinity Church of the Nazarene Youth Group; special credit to Charlie Boyd, Erica Phillips, and Alexis Johnson—You all crack this Preacha Chick up.

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10. You circle mistakes in the bulletin- for fun.

9. You go to church and do not have a potluck.

8. You send text messages during church and Sunday School.

7. You use your bulletin insert as a “to do” list.

6. You watched PG13 Movies… in the theater… and did not feel guilty.

5. You speak to other parishioners in text lingo just to watch their confusion (which is np; roflol)

4. You watched a nooma video… and liked it.

3. You mouthed the words in the Cantata this year.

2. You know that “Nickleback” is not change one receives from a dollar; after spending 95 cents.

1. You think hip hop is a good form of exercise.