Guiding Words
Guiding words recorded in my most recent journal:
“Community is not an organization; community is a way of living: you gather around you people with whom you want to proclaim the truth that we are the beloved sons and daughters of God.” – Henri Nouwen
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner
“By the power of our beliefs, we choose what kind of world we will live in — a porous world, full of glory doors leaking light, or a flat world where everything is exactly what it seems.” – Barbara Brown Taylor
“If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I think I am living for, in detail, and ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.” – Thomas Merton
“You live by shedding.” – Robert Frost
These are so great, Mike! There is a lot of meaning packed into these words. I think my favorite is the quote from Merton. It is so incisive, cutting to the heart of what really matters about us as humans, and what doesn’t.
Mike,
From what book is the Barbara Brown Taylor quote? I love her writing and this quote is just what I needed today. Thanks!
Hi Preacher Mike,
My name is Tiffany, I go to Southwest Central Church of Christ in Houston. I read your blog and wanted to request an entry.
My friend’s uncle is currently in Haiti volunteering medical services to earthquake survivors. He is doing great work in Haiti and having many life changing experiences.
I am writing you to request that you write about him on your blog. This would serve two primary functions. 1) He is in need of more sponsors for his work. His church is accepting donations on his behalf to fund his work in Haiti. Their mailing address is: Campus Church of Christ, 1525 Indian Trail Lilburn Road, Norcross, GA 30093 (Please attach a note indicating that the contribution is for Randy Moore: Haiti mission funds). Also, he recently added a charitable donation link to his website: http://www.missionpeople.org
2) This would help raise awareness about the ongoing needs of this community. People can learn more about his work on his blog: http://www.ramoolive.blogspot.com/ If you write about him please share his blog link.
Thanks! Tiffany
Judy – I’m not sure. I’ll go check the entry date in my journal and try to guess which book it’s from. (Sounds like Altar in the World, but I’m not sure.) Hope you’re well, my friend. We still miss you in Abilene!
Mike,
This seems like an appropriate entry to leave my comment on – because there are some words that you spoke once that have impacted my ministry immensely. I don’t remember exactly when you said the words – sometime between the spring of 1997 and the fall of 1999 when you filled in for Dr. Siburt in one of his graduate ministry classes. At the time I was working as a nursing home social worker in Albany and Clyde and going to school full time. Since then I have been the minister at the Abernathy Church of Christ (just North of Lubbock). Some of the words you spoke that day have been invaluable to the ministry I’ve strived to have since coming here.
Here’s the gist of what you said that impacted me. You were talking about meeting with the worship committee each week to plan the coming week’s worship time. You said that nearly every week someone would ask something like, “Do you like ‘I Come to the Garden Alone’? Can we sing it?” “I usually answer, ‘No’, ‘Yes.’ No, I don’t like that song. Yes, we can sing it…because Sunday is not about me.”
Those are words that I am reminded of nearly every week. I am thankful for those words and am glad that I found your blog.
Blessings,
Steve
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