Sojourn: Day Twenty Three

  Today, I had one of the best interviews on my radio show I think I've ever had. My friend and Founder/President of Grain of Hope 58:10 Chris Coakley talked about his ministry in Africa through the feeding of the people there.

  He shared his joys and pains and his passion for what he is doing.  I am telling you, it's powerful!  To listen in, click here: http://tobtr.com/s/4309645


In this interview, he mentioned a video of a woman who was so desperate for the food that was being passed out, that he was sweeping it off of the ground.  Here is that video:

  As you can see, what he is doing in Burkina is powerful and very much needed.  Yet, Chris in his interview reminded me that it's not just the "global world" that need help fighting hunger, but those also here near us, in our own back yard.  My mother in Law, Sally also mentioned this to me awhile ago, so I'm sensing a theme with this.

 I know I've mentioned some "global" issues and the ones I've highlighted are by far not all the world is dealing with (one BIG one I've not highlighted is sex-trafficking) but I've  not mentioned the local need for fighting hunger.

  I walk by and drive by several homeless in our city each day and my story from a couple days ago of a Homeless guy handing a college student a hot chocolate is just one story of many I've encountered in my time here in the city.  These folks, many of them anyways are very hungry and need assistance but sadly go largely ignored.

  I am also reminded of hunger within people who do have homes.  Single moms, widows, orphans many of whom live day to day on what little food they can muster.  Hunger is a global epidemic and again it strikes me how it could be taken care of globally without a huge effort from those who "have".

  This has caused me to think what could be done locally as well?  Food banks, shelters, orphanages, half-way homes, single mother homes...really there are multiple places for outlet for this type of ministry.

   Today, I'm thinking through these local needs.

  I'm down 22 pounds and feeling cold all the time (it doesn't help that here in Pittsburgh, it's like 7 degrees) as well as tired.  Now, last night was a terrible night for Hilary and I because our little Amelia was up all night, we literally got zero REM sleep and very little normal sleep...so I'm tired. I've been so blessed through this process, humbled as well.  

My personal learning is that I am constantly being bombarded with how selfish, self-focused, self-reliant and prideful I am.  Much of what I've done in my life has been for self glorification and very little glory have I shared with God.  

I truly believe that this is why God has not favored me in many ways I felt I would be.  One of those examples is that I wrote a book and it didn't sell.  I know now that I wasn't ready to handle it if it were to sell.  I know that I would have allowed it to glorify me, and not God.  Plus after re-reading it I realize just how much I've grown up as a writer...much of what I wrote was and is good content, it's just not worded well, nor is it cohesive.

  Granted, people told me this before I went to print but because of my arrogance and the fact that my editor was more or less paid to do grammatical checks and no more I didn't have to heed their advice.  I now se how immature this attitude was and am ashamed at my own actions.   I know God has called me to write, preach and start this church (Aletheia the church plant I am involved with) but I simply can't do it for myself or by myself.  I need to stop pretending that this whole thing is about me and realize it's about Him.

  If you're reading this and I arrogantly shunned your advice, I am sorry, I needed to (and still need to) grow up a lot.  

It's terribly frustrating to know what God desires for you to do with your life but see yourself fall short because of a lack of humility and a lack of dependance on His Spirit.

  These are the things I'm learning about hunger and myself.  God is good to smack us where we need it...sometimes all we need is the quiet and a bit less food to hear it.