From Every Moment Holy: A Liturgy for Those Flooded by Too Much Information
“In a world so wired and interconnected,
Our anxious hearts are pummeled by
an endless barrage of troubling news.
We are daily aware of more grief, O Lord,
Than we can rightly consider,
…….
You have many children in many places
Around this globe. Move each of our hearts
To compassionately respond to those needs
That intersect our actual lives, that in all places
Your body might be actively addressing
The pain and brokenness of this world,
Each of us liberated and empowered by
Your spirit to fulfill the small part
Of your redemptive work assigned to us.
Give us discernment
In the face of troubling news reports.
Give us discernment
To know when to pray,
When to speak out,
When to act,
And when to simply
Shut off our screens
And our devices,
And to sit quietly
In Your presence,
Casting the burdens of this world
Upon the strong shoulders
Of the one who
Alone
Is able to bear them up.
Amen.”
Days like these last few can so quickly overwhelm. This is my heart cry for our community, state, nation, WORLD, friends, family: May we navigate these unchartered waters with our eyes fixed on the One who never changes, knows all of it, isn’t scared by any of it, and loves us more than we can ever comprehend.
In light of all of the rulings, shut-downs, states of emergency, etc., etc…. we wanted to check with y’all to share a little update on our planned outreaches– (all were set to begin on March 26.)
Original plans:
3/26: Help YWAM Tyler prepare for Arise & Shine Inspire Worship conference (4/1-4/5)
4/6: Travel to Istanbul, Turkey for 3 weeks (refugee ministry)
Around 4/27: Travel to Spain for 2 weeks (university campus evangelism)
5/13 (ish): return to YWAM Tyler for 1 week debrief
5/20: Graduate from YWAM Tyler School of Evangelism (SOE)
Current plans (as of 3/14):
Arise & Shine Inspire Worship conference has been cancelled
We will not be travelling to Spain as part of our outreach
We ARE still planning to travel to Turkey, and will extend our time there from 3 weeks to 5.
Please be praying for our school leaders and base leadership, as they process A LOT of information & make so many decisions. When it comes to travel arrangements, we feel confident that the Lord will guide our steps. If we’re supposed to go, those travel doors will remain open. If we’re not, the doors will close, and we will find alternative ways to share the love of Christ with people.
We’re praying for you, family and friends, as you’re all processing a lot of changes to daily life. I truly believe there’s so much opportunity in this. As much as technology can drive me crazy, it can be a really powerful tool for connecting with others, not in person.
Especially for my mom friends with kids home from school for an extended period of time…My friend Emilee LaVigne came up with this list of things to do in the vicinity of home, with all of the kids now home from school:
And here’s what I did to manage a houseful of kiddos through the summer:
My kids will tell you they “hate” my schedules — but they were life-giving to ME, and I’m convinced (because that’s true), they were life-giving to them, as well. They’ll thank me some day, right?
From East Texas, with so much love–