Trick or Feed

Even though it has been a while since we did Trick or Feed, I continue to reflect on the experience with you. Given that it was Halloween, I was all set to take my kids around to get their fill of candy (and believe me, they were all set as well!-). Yet, the addition of collecting can goods for the NC Food Bank on Halloween moved me into the world for a different purpose.

As I knocked on doors with my daughters in tow, we said, “Trick or Feed,” instead of the usually greeting on Halloween. We had gotten word out the week before, but many of them needed a reminder about what we were up to. We were able to talk to our neighbors about what the NC Food Bank does for the hungry in our state, how our church was involved in helping the hungry, and that we were doing this because we believe that Jesus loves hungry people.

They were surprised to hear that over 100 young adults and college students were spending Halloween caring for the hungry because they were convinced Jesus loves hungry people. Collecting can goods was just a practical way that we could show them God’s love. When they heard that so many were involved in neighborhoods throughout Durham and Chapel Hill, five of my neighbors invited us into their homes so they could load us up with more food and supplies! They were happy to contribute, and thanked us for including them in the mission.

Samantha wrote a follow-up email to all those in our neighborhood listserv to thank them for participating with us and being so generous. She received an email back from one of our neighbors asking why we had to wait for next year to do this again!

At the end of the day, we were able to raise over 2,300 lbs. of food for the NC Food Bank. Many more were able to engage in conversation with those who gave about Jesus’ care for the hungry. NC Food Bank estimates that this amount will offer 2,720 meals this year. All this was done in about 2 hours of collecting from 100 people.

This simple mission engaged countless numbers of our neighbors, proclaimed God’s love & mercy for the hungry, and provided 2,720 meals that will feed people all over central and eastern NC. I almost feel ashamed to be so surprised by the impact of 2 hours of intentionally using our resources to engage God’s mission, but I am.

This mission reminds me how wealthy we are, and what a joy it is to spend our resources on those who have none. Pray with me that we will be a community that uses all our resources to demonstrate God’s love to our neighbors. Who knows what God is capable of doing through us, but it is fun to think about!

The American Dream…It Ain’t All That

As my wife and I were taking inventory of our finances last week, we came upon a realization. We had yet one more month of dipping into our savings to pay the bills. Both cars had to go into the shop, and that produced large unexpected bills to be paid out to the mechanics who serviced our vehicles. None of which we anticipated. As we talked further about our finances, we both grew tense and uncomfortable with the reality that it was difficult, near impossible, to make ends meet. As a result, we began talking about whether the direction of our lives was focused more on fulfilling the “American Dream” than it was in living out the gospel. What came out of this discussion was freedom.

I always imagined it to be different that’s all. All my life, I dreamed about what it would be like to launch out in my career, marry the woman of my dreams, buy a house, and start a family. Yet, my conversation with my wife last week about finances was the wake up call. I realized that I finally got all the things I was shooting for in life, but none of this was enough for me. No slam intended on my wife, family or job because she she felt the same way. I love them all. I just realized that these things that I have longed for all my life, though fantastic in many ways, were not intended to fill the mission of my life.

Samantha asked me, “What if our lives were headed in the wrong direction? What if all our resources were not for our betterment, but for the betterment of others? What would we do differently as a result of this mission?” As she asked these questions, we both came alive. We began to move away from concentrating on our own needs, and began dreaming about fulfilling the needs of others. I was alarmed at the freedom our discussion gave me from spending energy on myself. It was a relief to talk about caring for others instead of ourselves, and it was a whole lot of fun to dream about the ways we could live differently in America. The hard part was that all of our speech included a presupposition. We had to renounce upward mobility and instead take on a downwardly mobile approach to life. Yet, as we weighed the costs of such a shift in pursuits, we continued to think that this was our only option if we were to believe in Jesus and have life in his name.

Just agreeing to pursue a downwardly mobile life, has freed us from worry, self-protection, and what’s next to get in life. So, now our conversations are more about courage, than about discernment. I think we know what to do. We just pray for the courage to step out in faith…so we can really live.

Will you pray with us? Will you pray with us that the young adult community would find its freedom in living for others, and find the courage to follow through on that conviction?