Shane Claiborne

Shane Claiborne. We were sitting right in front and I was trying to get a good pic without being obvious, this is as good as I got.

This past Monday night we were able to go and listen to one of our favorite authors, Shane Claiborne!! Right across the street from us is a unique, urban prayer room called 24/7. (It's actually where we hold our weekly small group for our church that Daniel and I co-lead with another couple.) So this past week 24/7 and the owner of the building hosted a small event (about 200 people) with author Shane Claiborne.

If you haven't heard of Shane Claiborne, then you MUST read his book called "Irresistable Revolution". What a book!! And its okay if you don't agree with everything Shane has to say, but you can't argue with his teaching of loving the disenfranchised, the poor, the marginalized...those that have nothing. I mean, that's what Jesus taught, right? I think that our western Christianity has tried to teach us something different...at least the type of churches that I grew up with. Shane is brilliant in his book and even more exciting to hear in person. Your life will be changed by this book, I promise!

One of the quotes from the night was this, "I believe God comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable." There is so much that God has taught Daniel and I these past couple of years and one of those things is to have a heart that breaks for the same thing that God's heart breaks for. Obviously right now our heart breaks for the children of Malawi that have nothing...no parents who love them, no one to care for them, or tell them how proud they are of them, to give them medicine when they are sick, or a hug when they feel sad, or to know of a God who made them in His image...and the love, grace and peace that comes with that.

I just love the quote because it is so true...once God starts comforting you on your heartbreak for the injustices of the world, He moves you into action from your place of comfort...and, guess what, its okay. We are okay with giving up our jobs, selling (or trying to) our condo, saying goodbye to our family and friends (though it will be really difficult), packing and storing our things and living out of a suitcase for a year. None of it will be easy, but we are okay with it...why? because we pray and hope that we can bring God's love, peace, grace and justice to these children and youth of Malawi, Africa.

The verses that I found and have started to adopt in light of our next 6 months are the following:

"I am God. I have called you to live right and well.
I have taken responsibility for you, kept you safe.
I have set you among my people to bind them to me,
and provided you as a lighthouse to the nations,
To make a start at bringing people into the open, into light:
opening blind eyes,
releasing prisoners from dungeons,
emptying the dark prisons.
I am God. That's my name.
I don't franchise my glory,
don't endorse the no-god idols.
Take note: The earlier predictions of judgment have been fulfilled.
I'm announcing the new salvation work.
Before it bursts on the scene,
I'm telling you all about it."
Isaiah 42:6-9