3 Points to Ponder
- “The more we expose ourselves to the great needs of this world, the more likely we will find one with our name on it. Are you getting outside of your comfort crib to discover your calling?”
- “Not everything can be solved with passion. Passion needs to be matched with actual skills. Spend time building your skills to match your passion so you are ready when the time comes to go.”
- “One doesn’t have to go across the world to make an impact. Many times, it is right in your own home. And you are never too late to do something about it. It just takes the first step to get you moving.”
2 Quotes to Share
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”― Robert F. Kennedy
“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.” -Mother Teresa
1 Story of Impact
Sitting in Willow Creek Sanctuary, I heard a story that spoke so clearly to me as I wrestled with the next steps in my life. For older generations, we grew up watching this amazing cartoon called Popeye the Sailorman. The arch-nemesis of Popeye was Bluto, as he was always trying to get Popeye’s girl, Olive Oyl. At the beginning of the cartoon, Bluto would seem to have the upper hand. Then, when Popeye hit his breaking point, he would exclaim, “That’s all I can stands, ‘cause I can’t stands no more!” He would then crack open a can of spinach, he’d guzzle it down, his forearms would get huge, and he would win the day. What a show! For me, I couldn’t stand the way missions were happening in Haiti. So much paternalism. So much corruption. So much lack of transparency. So much mismanagement. So much little-kingdom-building and not working together. There had to be a better way. On that day, I started the outline of a white paper that would later guide the beginning of Many Hands for Haiti. It truly took “many hands”, both Haitians and Americans working on equal footing in their respective areas of strength, for long-term transformation to take hold. We needed new wine in new wineskins. From that day forward, I’ve been charged with a deep and burning desire to see our world transform together to be love in action in our broken world, starting in Haiti and in those who were called to serve. I believe all of us have our Popeye moments, those areas where we just can’t stands it no more. Are you leaning into yours? Have you buried it, as you just didn’t think it was possible? What are the areas of deep need in this world colliding with your “I can’t stands this no more” passion?
