Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope

I lay in the comfy bed of my quiet hotel room, praying and wondering what I should do. I had met my sister-in-law in DC for the Reset 2016 event (https://reset2016.com/information/). We had shared this room, and she had left before 6 AM. I would head back home to Pennsylvania that morning, but I didn't necessarily need to rush, since my family wouldn't be home when I returned. 

Should I relax? Read? See if the hotel has a pool? Spend prolonged time with the Lord? 

Then it hit me: the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. I had wanted to see it even before it was completed. Now it had been open to the public for almost five years, and I hadn't visited yet. "Is that what I should do, Lord?" I asked. 

I knew it was meant to be. Not only that, but I sensed the Lord telling me I would pray with someone there. 

It was July 17, and our nation was roiling with racial tension. Philando Castile had recently been shot in my home state of Minnesota. Alton Sterling had been fired upon by Louisiana police, even while restrained on the ground. Hearts were breaking, anger was flaring, questions hung in the air. Were we in the early stages of the newest civil rights movement? Was it time to address systemic racism? Where did the Church fit into all of this? This had, in fact, been a great theme for prayer during the revival event I had attended just the day before. It had certainly been on my heart and in my prayers well before that. 

I hurried my getting-ready process. I did a little online searching to figure out what it would take to get there, how that would fit with my timeline. Even with the help of the Metro, I would need to do an extra hour of walking, dragging my suitcase with me. So be it. I would do it. It felt like an act of obedience. 

As I packed, checked out of the hotel, walked toward the train station, helped a lost man find his way, navigated the Metro, walked toward the monument, it all felt like a holy experience. I fellowshipped with the Lord, anticipated whom I might meet, chuckled at myself and my unique mission.

The path around the Tidal Basin was gorgeous. I paused to appreciate the view of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. 

I marveled at how breathtaking the path would be when the cherry trees were blossoming. 

My suitcase bumped along behind me.

Then the monument came into my sight: 

There he was, coming out of the rock, taking his stand. “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.” (See https://www.nps.gov/mlkm/index.htm.)

It was a powerful moment. 

I was at the monument early in the morning. For Washington, DC, there was a remarkable hush in the air. Only two other people shared the experience with me, a jogger who had turned contemplative upon entering the area, and a woman who also appeared to be reflecting deeply. Both were African Americans. My forebears came to the United States from Germany and Denmark. 

It did feel like holy ground. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a God-fearing man. He was far from perfect. In fact, he made some pretty glaring mistakes for a reverend. But he did a lot of things right too--and he was a prophetic voice for our nation—and the world. 

At a time when our nation appeared divided again, it felt right to stand in this place.

I asked the Lord, "With whom do I pray? With one of these two?" 

I worked my way through the facets of the memorial. I contemplated the meaning of the sculpture's design. 

Tears streamed down my face as I worked my way through the quotes. 

Words like this: 

and this

seemed so needed even in July 2016. My heart was breaking. 

Upon viewing the entire memorial, I sat down on a cool, stone bench, rolled my suitcase beside me, and contemplated, praying. 

The reverie was breaking. The morning stillness was slipping away. A seemingly affluent white family with backpacks cruised through, clearly making a quick stop at this memorial on their way to someplace else. 

Rollerbladers breezed in and out, circling the monument, moving on. Others funneled through, using the path as a means to another place. A park service worker tidied up the area. DC was turning back into the bustling place I knew better. The time was slipping away. I soon needed to leave in order to make it home on time to participate in my regular Sunday volunteer work. 

Suddenly, there was a moment of quiet. I didn't see anyone around. It seemed time to go. I stood up, adjusted my backpack, grabbed my suitcase, and headed toward the exit that would spit me out onto a busy thoroughfare, rather than returning by the lovely path I had taken.

As I approached the exit, the park service employee appeared from along the wall of the memorial. He pulled a rolling trash receptacle behind him, gripped a cigarette in his other hand. 

Our paths were converging. 

"Is it him, Lord?" I silently asked. 

Our paths met. This African American man looked distinguished, yet weary. He had gray streaks in his hair. We greeted each other. 

I went for it. 

"Are you a praying man?" I politely inquired. 

He looked up a little nervously. "No, ma'am," he said as he continued walking. He didn't ask, but his face said, "Why?" 

I shrugged and perhaps sighed. Maybe the smudges from tears were still on my face. "I just wanted to pray with someone about the state of our nation," I said very sincerely as I continued on my way. 

"Wait!" He called to me. "I misunderstood. Yes, I'd like to pray with you." 

I stopped, smiled, thanked him. "I will probably cry," I warned him. He nodded, and I began. I poured out my heart before the Lord for the brokenness in our land, about the ugliness in our hearts, about our craving for justice, truth, grace and hope. I entrusted our land into His holy hands. My voice caught. Tears flowed. There were some long pauses. But we prayed for our land together. And then we moved on. 

He returned to his work. I hurried to my train. Perfect strangers who will never see each other again, but who share a desire for healing and who pray toward that end. 

I walked in the freedom of obedience and from accomplishing my purpose for that morning. And I walked in hope. 

May we continually step together to pray, to hope, to understand, in our nation's capital and beyond. 

Quote memorized Scripture aloud

The end of the year is quickly approaching, as is the end of my Scripture memorization goal. I decided to memorize the book of Jude (see http://thebookoflifeblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/i-am-memorizing-book-of-bible.html), and I will have accomplished this by Christmas.

I have had to be diligent. I have studied the book so that I could maximize the value of memorizing the words. I have incorporated it into my prayers, as I recognize its relevance the world around me and my own life.

And I have practiced saying it aloud, which is crucial.

It did not take me long into my memorization of this longer passage before I realized how critical quoting it aloud was. You see, there is a difference between reciting Scripture in your head and saying it aloud. There are extra connections that need to happen in the brain to be able to get those words out of your mind and through your vocal cords to the benefit of those around you.

While I could fly through the verses during my morning jogs, I stumbled and stuttered a bit as I sought to relay the powerful verses to others in conversation.

Fortunately, I have other people in my life who value Scripture (as well as memorizing it), so I began asking people if I could quote it to them. "May I practice?" I'd ask. Or sometimes people who knew I was memorizing it asked if I would recite it to them.

This all helped me.

Specifically, saying it to others accomplished several things:

1) My mouth became used to the words flowing off my tongue.

2) I was held accountable to my timeline in memorizing.

3) I was able to share the powerful message to those around me.

Just this morning, a dear friend asked me how my memorization project was going and wanted me to quote as much of Jude as I could. As I attempted to share the first 22 verses with power, I saw her face glow, a nod here and there, and support communicated through her smile. When I was done, it was clear she had received the message. "Powerful," she said. "Amen," I responded. We agreed it was relevant to our culture today.

So I encourage you to practice saying memorized Scripture aloud, whether you're memorizing one verse or a book of the Bible. This is your opportunity to minister to others, as well as ingrain these holy words of God into your mind and mouth.

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" (Colossians 3:16).

Prayer for French survivors’ long-term healing

Lord, this morning the terrorist attacks that rocked Paris and the world are still at the forefront of our minds. We are praying for the people of France. We are praying for justice. We are praying for those who lost loved ones. We are part of the solidarity reflected all across social media. Yet we know, Lord, that the solidarity and resolve will soon fade, while, for many, the psychological and physical injuries will not. So this morning we take a moment to consider the future. We pray for the long-term healing that will seem elusive to many who witnessed and experienced the carnage of November 14, 2015. We pray even now for medical professionals of all related specialties (mental health, physical therapy, orthopedics, etc.,) to feel called to work with these survivors. We pray for the survivors to find the inner strength and hope to persevere on their journeys toward healing. And we pray for at least one Christ-follower in each survivor’s life to regularly come alongside him or her to point to HOPE, even when suffering seems overwhelming. Reveal yourself through this journey. Glorify yourself through healing. In Jesus’ powerful name we pray, Amen. 

For those of you who follow the book of life blog regularly and appreciate my prayer posts, I'd like to direct you to http://www.prayingtochangetheworld.com/. I created this blog specifically for these types of prayer posts. In the future, that is where I will post them. Please consider subscribing by email. 

I am memorizing a book of the Bible

 While visiting Bethlehem Baptist Church with my family this summer, we were surprised by a very unique sermon: Andy Naselli quoting the entire book of 1 Corinthians.*

That was it: just quoting the entire book of 1 Corinthians. After all, it takes about an hour. And it’s God-breathed Scripture, so what else need he add?

Naselli quoted it well. It was more of an emphatic dramalogue than a dry recitation. We were drawn into the power of the message. It was long, but it was awe-inspiring.

As we left the church and headed to our vehicle, I said to my kids, “I think I’m going to memorize a book of the Bible.” They perked up, intrigued.

“Jude,” I said.

“Mom!” they responded, making faces at me.

(For those of you who don’t know, the entire book of Jude is 25 verses.)

I was teasing my kids, but the idea stuck with me. After all, I firmly believe in memorizing Scripture. In fact, the spiritual discipline has been a consistent part of my life since I was 18.

Historically, I have had better success with memorizing shorter passages than long ones (though I have memorized chapters before), but I also believe in keeping things fresh by trying new challenges.

I thought and prayed about the idea for several weeks and then decided to go for it. I would memorize the book of Jude. Who knows, I wondered, perhaps it would inspire me to try a longer book eventually.

I am taking it slowly and steadily: two verses per week. I am on verse 10. Because my memory is not as sharp as it once was (I’m thankful I memorized lots of Scripture when I was younger, because those verses are a firm part of me now), I have to meditate on it regularly in order to make it stick. But that, my friend, is the greatest benefit of this exercise.

Though I have read Jude many times through the years, I cannot recall having studied it intently. By committing it to memory, I am learning it quite well. In fact, the first two verses alone thrilled me:

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:  May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Perhaps it’s only a greeting, but look at what that first verse tells us about ourselves: we are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ! These truths merit deep reflection and inspire joy.

Verse 2 provides a beautiful blessing I have shared frequently since memorizing it. What a blessing indeed to pass on our desire that mercy, peace and love be multiplied to someone we care about.

As Jude progresses, it addresses false teachings and illustrates a contrast between the error of heresy and the truth of Jesus Christ. This is very relevant to our culture today and has provided me much food for thought and motivation for prayer.

So I may be memorizing the fifth-shortest book of the Bible (http://overviewbible.com/the-5-shortest-books-of-the-bible-in-order/), but the truths of this oft-overlooked book are becoming part of me in a way I would have missed if I continued my pattern of briefly reading it and moving on to Revelation.

So, what do you think? What will you memorize next?

*https://www.hopeingod.org/sermon/1-corinthians

Prayer against Sex Trafficking

Lord, please open our eyes. Help us learn the signs of sex trafficking, so we can intervene when people in our lives are endangered. May we educate our children to be careful in all of their relationships—including potential ones. May our young people be attuned to the Holy Spirit when He says, “Stay away.” May they find their identities in You so they are not easily led astray toward finding their identity in something else. Give all of us a strong desire to be holy so we do not allow pornography or anything sexually perverse to take hold of our minds and hearts. May we long for intimacy with You so fiercely that we avoid impurity on every level. May we never become consumers of products that harm others. We pray for better laws, relentless investigation and effective law enforcement. Please overwhelm predators with deep conviction, helping them understand that they are not satisfying their own temporal desires, but destroying the innocent. Please show us our part to play in the battle against trafficking, whether it’s prayer, giving, advocating, healing, educating, prosecuting or all of the above. In Jesus’ powerful name, we pray, amen. 

A prayer on 9/11

Lord, today is a somber day for Americans. We remember the deaths of almost 3000 people—those who passed violently 14 years ago on this day. We remember seeing the best and worst of humanity contrasted sharply, side by side. We recall the fear and helplessness, the anger, and the repentance. And many of us still evoke the grief. Lord, may today not be only a day for sorrow, but a day for hope. May we humble ourselves, pray, seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways. May we reach out to those who suffer the long-lasting effects of the physical and emotional trauma from that day. May we reach out to our neighbors in love and service, inspired by those who risked everything 14 years ago this day. And may America desire to lead this world in goodness and grace, humility and strength. May we do what it takes personally and corporately to bless the world. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.  

Melissa's friends lead the way

These lovely young ladies will meet again in heaven. Melissa Collins is on the far right. 

The murder of local teen Melissa Collins has deeply affected her entire community (http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/breaking/man-charged-with-murder-of-missing-stepdaughter/article_e97cb1d8-ffab-11e4-8884-2bb6a437c918.html). Her death at the hands of her own stepfather--someone in a role intended to protect her--is a prime example of evil in the world. For those who know her, the pain is almost overwhelming.

Melissa was in the 4.12 Leadership Training Program at Joy El (http://joyelgeneration.org/), where my family serves. She was a five-year student, set to graduate from the program on Thursday, May 21—the very day her murder came to light.

The 100 students in the 4.12 program spend lots of time together—weekends, weeks, whole summers. Some are more involved than others—Melissa among them. These students become best of friends. So Melissa’s initial “disappearance,” followed by the shocking news of her death, was a huge blow to her camp friends.

Thursday was one of the most surreal days of my life. We on the Joy El staff were reeling from the news ourselves—grieving—while also trying to “manage” the crisis on an organizational level. We were fielding constant calls, texts, Facebook messages; orchestrating and implementing a plan to get out the word as sensitively, honorably and effectively as we could. We were checking on students in schools, via phone calls, via their mentors. We were figuring out what to do with the scheduled graduation celebration that night, when Melissa was to be among those sharing her testimony and being honored for her five years of hard work and ministry. We were personally calling all those who had stated they would be in attendance.

In the midst of the constant activity, there were pauses for prayer and tears—and sometimes they weren’t pauses. For many, the prayer and tears were just flowing along with the activity.

We turned the graduation celebration into a time of grieving. Anyone connected to Melissa (primarily through Joy El) was welcome to meet at our worship center to grieve, pray, cry, laugh, and remember. It turned into a beautiful evening.

One of the many highlights of the evening came during a group prayer time. There was certainly prayer for justice on Thursday. But there was more than that. These wonderful teenagers began praying for their friend’s killer. They prayed that Ernie Chase would repent, that he would find God, and that he would receive forgiveness. The evening was a bittersweet time of fellowship and prayer for those who loved Melissa.

Then Friday was another hard day (there are many yet to come). When the chilling details of Melissa’s death came to light (http://www.heraldmailmedia.com/news/local/court-documents-hagerstown-teen-beaten-strangled-to-death-by-stepfather/article_e066d724-008f-11e5-b37b-8bd941cf5ec9.html), those who loved her had more to process.

I had mixed feelings about sharing those details with my children, who all knew Melissa (my older daughter more than the other two). Of course I wondered whether it was too much. Yet, thanks (and no thanks) to social media, I knew they would find out eventually, so I waited for the natural time with each of them.

For Abigail, my older daughter, that time came last night as she drove up to camp, with me in the passenger seat beside her.

“Tell me,” she said. “I’m going to hear it anyway.”

So I told her.

And after she had heard that Melissa’s stepfather had strangled Melissa, dragging her down to the basement, where he wrapped a cord around her neck… After Abigail heard that he had gone more than once to make sure she was dead, and that he had moved and hidden her body from the police… This is what she said:

“Cheryl told us a way to get letters to him.” (Cheryl is another of Melissa’s friends.)

“To whom? Melissa’s stepdad?” I asked.

“Yes, we can write him letters and get them to him to let him know we’re praying for him, and that he can find forgiveness in God. Is that OK?”

I paused. I reflected. I processed.

I remembered how I had reacted when I first read the gruesome details of Melissa’s death. I had been like the psalmist, who shared his heart, his anger, his emotions freely with God. I had railed in my grief, “Lord, I am praying for Ernie Chase! I am praying for him because it is the right thing to do! But I am disgusted beyond words by him!”

Melissa’s friends were making plans to write this man letters of encouragement.

I answered Abigail: “Yes, I think that would be wonderful. I think that would be very powerful.” I added, “Just don’t sign your last name.”

So, let us pray for Melissa’s loved ones, especially her families and boyfriend. Let us pray for justice. And let us pray for Ernie Chase.

Finally, let us thank God for the wonderful teenagers in our lives, who sometimes lead the way.   

Melissa would be so proud. 


"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" - Matthew 5:44

This post was initially published at www.echo-pilot.com.