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riding my bike across the U.S. will not earn me man points.
“I want a broken heart”- Derek Webb.
“measure your life in loss instead of gain
…for love’s strength standeth in love’s sacrifice
and whosoever suffereth most hath most to give.” –Hudson Taylor
“In the Presence you will delight in the discovery of what it means to live by grace and not by performance.” -Brennan Manning
Riding a bike across the U.S. will not earn me man points. ☺ It will not earn me any points, in any way.
Instead, it will break me, teaching me how selfish and self-seeking I am. It is teaching me that the poor can rescue us. It is teaching me about my own poverty.
Heard a story: of a wall in Africa on which these words rest- “we endure the pain to embrace the gain.”
It is teaching me less about a cause and more about family and community.
It is teaching me about contentment.
Found this the other day: “godliness accompanied with contentment—that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency—is great and abundant gain.”- 1 Timothy 6:6b
I am learning about faith, which engenders hope, which in turn generates dignity.
This journey expands my vision of the world by expanding my view of America.
Today, at the East Texas Rescue Mission I realized (again) that I too am homeless (in one sense). I know what it is like to live out of a suitcase or a bin. I know what it is like to squirm when someone asks "where are you from?". But really, could it not be that I simply have many homes? All over the globe.
Today, I realized (again) that I too am in need of Christ and of community. I need people to get me out of my self/head. I need people to lay on an air mattress with me and laugh hysterically, to ask me questions, to be interested, to smile at me and hug my feet, to tell me their stories, to listen to my emotional rants and tell me they love me anyway. I need others to be whole.
That’s a big lesson for me, because I’d rather be awesome, alone, self-sufficient.
But I need others to help me bear my burdens and the burdens of the world.
Note: Perhaps I’m a bit heavy on the “discovering your soul” portion of Venture’s slogan. ;-) Be grateful I didn’t share everything. ☺
“measure your life in loss instead of gain
…for love’s strength standeth in love’s sacrifice
and whosoever suffereth most hath most to give.” –Hudson Taylor
“In the Presence you will delight in the discovery of what it means to live by grace and not by performance.” -Brennan Manning
Riding a bike across the U.S. will not earn me man points. ☺ It will not earn me any points, in any way.
Instead, it will break me, teaching me how selfish and self-seeking I am. It is teaching me that the poor can rescue us. It is teaching me about my own poverty.
Heard a story: of a wall in Africa on which these words rest- “we endure the pain to embrace the gain.”
It is teaching me less about a cause and more about family and community.
It is teaching me about contentment.
Found this the other day: “godliness accompanied with contentment—that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency—is great and abundant gain.”- 1 Timothy 6:6b
I am learning about faith, which engenders hope, which in turn generates dignity.
This journey expands my vision of the world by expanding my view of America.
Today, at the East Texas Rescue Mission I realized (again) that I too am homeless (in one sense). I know what it is like to live out of a suitcase or a bin. I know what it is like to squirm when someone asks "where are you from?". But really, could it not be that I simply have many homes? All over the globe.
Today, I realized (again) that I too am in need of Christ and of community. I need people to get me out of my self/head. I need people to lay on an air mattress with me and laugh hysterically, to ask me questions, to be interested, to smile at me and hug my feet, to tell me their stories, to listen to my emotional rants and tell me they love me anyway. I need others to be whole.
That’s a big lesson for me, because I’d rather be awesome, alone, self-sufficient.
But I need others to help me bear my burdens and the burdens of the world.
Note: Perhaps I’m a bit heavy on the “discovering your soul” portion of Venture’s slogan. ;-) Be grateful I didn’t share everything. ☺
Comment
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Comment by David Ross Dickerson on July 29, 2009 at 3:07pm -
Your post blows me away. You guys have seen this need, this great, solvable need, and you are doing something giant in its symbolism to actively address the need that other people have for clean water. And, all the while, you are learning and looking to God and to His face in the people you meet.
And I am sitting here, convicted, but sending you all prayers...
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Comment by Erin McDermott on July 15, 2009 at 11:20pm - yeah. i love hearing what God is doing in you. I love seeing it unfold. keep on writing!
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Comment by Jesse Olson on July 15, 2009 at 10:46pm - Ahhh... shoot girl just share it all. The Lords doing something in you.
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Comment by Venture Expeditions on July 15, 2009 at 12:27am - Good stuff! I love it.
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Comment by Cody Henderson on July 14, 2009 at 8:08pm - 13 Man points earned here. I'm glad you are writing some of these quotes down from the people we are meeting. All good thoughts to chew on.
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Comment by Erik Pelttari on July 14, 2009 at 7:33pm - That's great Bethany. I love the H.T. quote. I was talking with A. Smith about the Venture slogan and I think I've been focused on the other half.
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Comment by Tiffany Puerto on July 14, 2009 at 5:59pm - Thanks for this Beth. As always you are so good with words. This really ministered to me right now where I am... I have been having some similar struggles and this was great. I love you and miss you and am so proud of you and how God is working in your life... Hope to see you soon:)
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