Awe-Struck

Domenico Feti's Ecce Homo

(in English)

"All this I did for you, what are you doing for Me?"

Worlds Apart

MISSIONARY OF THE MOMENT:

WILLIAM BORDEN (OF YALE)

"No reserves. No retreats. No regrets."

(the following passage is not my own, and has been borrowed from course documents in the class, "Foundations for Global Christianity 215," of Gordon College)

Yale graduate and heir to great wealth, rejected a life of ease in order to bring the gospel to Muslims. Refusing even to buy himself a car, Borden gave away hundreds of thousands of dollars to missions. In 1912, he joined China Inland Mission. He sailed first to Cairo, Egypt to study Arabic. After only four months of zealous ministry in Egypt, he contracted spinal meningitis and died at the age of twenty-five. The epitaph on Borden's grave, after describing his love and sacrifices for the kingdom of God and for Muslim people, ends with "Apart from faith in Christ, there is no explanation for such a life."

When You Say Nothing At All

It gave me great joy when some believers came and testified about your faithfulness to the truth, telling how you continue to walk in it.

3 John 1:3

http://www.toms.com/blog/content/voice-change

Sometimes being God's children means that we literally have to

walk in faith.

My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; the one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

Psalm 101:6

Living Prayer

you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:5

Living Prayers in my life:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLZAWtdFhio&feature=related

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1

This Week the Trend

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good.

PSALM 54:4

I felt so blessed after listening to this song.

Just knowing that other citizens out there desire more moral cleanliness, and goodness in general, is refreshing!

Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAUMU3QQE6w

Maintain Consciousness

And because of my chains,

most of the brothers and sisters

have become confident in the Lord

and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel

without fear.

Philippians 1:14

What chains have you bore

that has led someone

to become more

confident in proclaiming the gospel?

Worthy of Affection

Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;

save me for the sake of your steadfast love.

Lord, O gracious God,

the magnalia Dei reveals Your loving-kindness.

I pray that my tears and my weeping are the result of Your mercy.

Evil stands no chance with You as our Father and Redeemer.

O Lord my God, in you do I take refuge;

save me from all my pursuers and deliver me,

lest like a lion they tear my soul apart,

rending it in pieces, with none to deliver.

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;

I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

(Psalms 6:4b, 7:1-2, 9:1)

Here We Are

“A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!”- Proverbs 15:23

When you feel called to say something that glorifies the Lord, say it.

When you feel the urge to do something selflessly for the Lord, do it.

When you feel the love of God pressing on your heart, respond.

If God's leading you, go.

Bad Days Better

“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.”

- Psalm 27:14

The other morning while I was contemplating over several events in my life that seemingly came at the "perfect time," God provided me with this verse.

God is always good. He is always great with being our best friend, encouraging us every step along the way. He is always wonderful in regards to His act of Husbandry, being the very Rock that we all need. He is always the Superior Father, comforting us when we are lost, hurt, or confused, and guiding us in His best plan.

The verse above does not mean that God is not near, thus we must wait for Him to "catch up." God is always walking with us in life. What God has revealed to me through this verse is that we need to wait until our eyes are opened to the greatness that He has laid before us. He will always reveal more of His plan in HIS perfect time. We must be encouraged by His goodness to know that He has so much more going on "behind the scenes," so that in the best of times and in the worst of times He's got something fantastic up His sleeve.

Like a mother anxiously anticipating the birth of her firstborn, a runner anticipating the finish line, or a painter looking forward to her completed work, sometimes all it takes is a little waiting to see His perfect glory and presence revealed.

Offering

Recently, I have engaged with my brother apartment in conversations relating to complacency on campus. I've found myself frustrated by the lack of drive and true passion to seek out the Lord, and to lay down everything that we have to follow Him. We've recognized that in a community of Christians it can sometimes be difficult to seek what needs to be done for the Kingdom, since essentially, we've created a Commonwealth.

I've learned that I've neglected so much of what God is doing in my heart and life. My soul is not thirsting for Him, but instead I've remained delusional and assume my "cup is always full" since I'm a Bible major, I'm required to go to chapel, and there are so many opportunities on campus for "spiritual uplift and education." I haven't recognized how dry our campus can be when we're swimming in seemingly mandatory Christian activities that don't necessarily contribute to our understanding of true faith. Though there may be tons of opportunities to build in our faith by helping out a boys and girls club, developing organic gardening capabilities and techniques, working on revolutionary research in the science labs, or taking classes in the mountains in order to develop spiritual leadership skills while backpacking, being involved in these activities doesn't suggest that we're giving everything to Him in order to broaden His Kingdom, it just suggests that we're surrounded by over a thousand extremely intelligent twenty-something year olds that have seemingly endless opportunities laying at our feet.

What can we do to truly give up everything in order to follow Him? What truly great things is HE calling us to? Are we participating in these activities to merely build our resume or to actually live ALL FOR HIM?

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.

Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.

I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

-Psalm 63:1-4

Gullible

Most recently one of my professors made our class keep a "time diary" for a week. We were assigned to write down every activity that we participated in, and keep track of how our time was spent through using an analysis method prescribed by the Docta (Dr. Hothem, that is).

Dr. Hothem made us write a follow-up on the results of our data. Everyone was supposed to get something deep and meaningful out of the way that we spent our past week, participating in activities that we "normally" would do if it wasn't being documented.

Fortunately, I learned a lesson.

I found out that even though I find myself spending huge amounts of time studying and participating in fellowship through a holistic mindset (meaning that all aspects of my life are considered "leisure"--my only obligation is to love the Lord with all my heart and body; everything I do is centered around my Savior), I spend a very minimal amount of time one-on-one with God. At first glance at the calculations for the analysis part of our assignment, my response to my own participation was that it was pathetic. What if I treated my earthly husband the way that I responded to Christ this week?-- it helped to make me become more self-aware. How could it be that I only spent approximately 5 hours per week intentionally drawing closer to my Lord when I was spending approximately 26 hours per week participating in "quality study time" in relation to academics? I assumed that the immense amount of time I spend studying to be a missionary and talking about missionary work, somehow equated (and replaced) prayer and devotional time. My bad.

The assignment reminded me that even if we take life through a holistic, God-centered approach, that doesn't mean that we're spending ["enough"] quality time with our Savior. Personally, I am very glad that God was able to use my time diary to help me refocus on my time with Him. I cannot wait to see what is to come of this realization.

How is He calling you to spend time with Him daily?

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

-Ephesians 3:14-19

Vision of You

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

-2 Corinthians 13:14

Understanding the Trinity can be a complex process.

My family's priest, Father Jack, explained the Trinity extremely well through using the excellent visual given to us by St. Augustine, while adjusting it ever-so slightly:

(>>the original

And when St. Augustin beheld him he marvelled, and demanded him what he did. And he answered and said: "I will lade out and bring all this water of the sea into this pit."

"What?" said he, "it is impossible, how may it be done, sith the sea is so great and large, and thy pit and spoon so little?"

"Yes, forsooth," said he, "I shall lightlier and sooner draw all the water of the sea and bring it into this pit than thou shalt bring the mystery of the Trinity and His Divinity into thy little understanding as to the regard thereof; for the Mystery of the Trinity is greater and larger to the comparison of thy wit and brain than is this great sea unto this little pit."

<<)

There was a little boy playing in the sand by the sea. The boy made a pit in the sand and would collect water from the sea to place in the pit. Once there was enough water pressure, the water would trickle down as a stream back to the ocean.

God is like water. He can be the ocean (Father), the water in the pit (Jesus), and the water flowing down the stream (Holy Spirit) simultaneously. Yet, He is still water--the properties still staying appropriate to the bonding of many water molecules. He is God, and He is everywhere, all at once.

Just as Augustine mentioned, our understanding of the Trinity is above our understanding. However, through God's own creation He is able to reveal even more of His divinity.

Aish Tamid

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise. Psalm 111:10

One aspect of commercialized Christianity (due to Marcion influence) that I have come to realize is that there is a lot of ignorance in reference to what God has to say--namely in relation to most of the Old Testament. Also, whenever beliefs about the New Testament are challenged, we tend to question not only other beliefs attached to the belief in question (that is--if you're "thinking Greek"--see Marv Wilson's notes on this), but we tend to doubt the very existence of our Creator and Redeemer.
But what do we have to worry about?
May we embark on a journey together through the Old Testament?!

Has not Abraham been the best example of a man chosen, not because of who he is, but because of whom God desires for him to become? Was it not for Abraham's faith that we exist today?

Did Joseph (of Jacob) not fully teach the lesson on what it means to count it all joy?

Did Jacob not show us how to love our spouses to the fullest potential, working 14 years for his wife Rachel, saying that it felt as if it were merely days, rather than years, for that was how in love he was with her.

--Theses are just three examples from ONE of the THIRTY NINE books in the original canon!

The Bible will stand its own--We don't have to worry about "making it real" or "proving it's true."

God proves His existence daily, even without our help.

Yeshua

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

-Isaiah 46:4

I was talking to a very, very dear friend of mine on the phone this evening. The call was very encouraging, and very much so edifying. But one part of the conversation stood out to me in particular.

At one point she gave me a disclaimer. She said that the following words that she will speak she will one day regret, and that these thoughts and ideas aren't very "Christian."

Aren't very Christian? What is the Church teaching us? That Christians aren't HUMAN?

When she was done discussing how she currently felt about a life situation, she continued on to another conversation. I stopped her from progressing further, and asked her if we could take a step back. I let her know that how she was feeling was most definitely Christian--for she is 100% Christian, and 100% human. We then talked about the fall briefly, and we reminded each other that God will show us the good and bad within our hearts. God will allow us to see where we are wrong, and because He is so good and allows us to have a relationship with Him, we are encouraged by Him to become more like Him with everything that we do.

Isn't that the point of salvation? We realize that we are not equal to God, and we have fallen and thus need Him to correct and fulfill our relationship with the Creator of our souls?

Unfortunately, oftentimes the Church tells us that what we're feeling isn't "Christian" if it doesn't align with the specific verses and phrases that the Americanized Christian Church has selected and/or come up with. Though we may posses a thought or feeling that may not be that which Christ would respond with, that does not mean that He is not in the situation! We must approach Jesus in a humble manor--with full humility.

It is OKAY to be Christian and HUMAN (in fact, it is required if you are Christian). God is still [always] with you--He desires for you to see where you are weak so that He may give you strength.

When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

-Psalm 73:21-26

A Picnic Few Want to Attend.

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another. Colossians 3:12, 13

The poor are a gift from God;

they are who we love the most.

Christ will not ask us how much we have done,

but how much love we have put into our actions.

-Mother Teresa (LL)

Tender: soft, gentle, affectionate, sentimental.

Mercy: to be compassionate or to show kindly forbearance towards someone, regardless of if they're worth showing love or not.

Can you believe that God has tender mercies for us, and only because of His tenderness and mercifulness we have love and salvation?

>>>How will you be tenderly merciful to someone today?

How Great is Your Love

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God."

Matthew 22:29

At times, our study of the Scriptures can be powerful and uplifting.

But, how many of us turn towards the New Testament (and only the New Testament) for understanding and encouragement?

Do we forget that the Old Testament is where God first revealed the gospel (good news), and the OT is the Bible that Christ studied and used to evangelize with?

The Bible isn't two books--one that's easy to read and applicable to my life, and one that's so foreign and ancient. The Bible is one book with many promises.

If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's seed (Gal 3:29). How has Israel impacted you since he/they are your roots? How has the Hebraic language changed your view on the Scriptures, since their style of poetry has created the greatest Love Story that will ever be written? How has the Bible that Christ studied laid down the foundation for love, and the understanding of love in your life?

Christ studied, believed, and acted according to the Old Testament. Why do we not do the same? How will we ever know how great His love is, if we don't even know the God who created us, as well as the people and struggles that we have come from?

Free the Light

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Hebrews 3:13

To inform those who follow the blog:

Yes! I am finally at Gordon College, already getting my butt kicked by some classes (and loving it, endlessly!)

Yes! I did finish my missionary term (which you will hear about shortly)

And Yes! Family in Christ and/or myself will pray for you if you send us your prayer requests.

So recently...

God has incredible insight (obviously, right?). However, more often than not, we tend to overlook the many blessings, encouragement, and teachings that God intentionally plans in our lives. In order to be intentional followers and lovers of Christ, we must be intentional in listening to Him.

Two of my apartmentmates and I went out for coffee (yay house bonding!). What we didn't expect is that God was going to give us a huge opportunity to love on someone--outside of our apartment. Megan, being the socialite that she is, "made a friend" while in line to get a coffee. This woman slowly became part of our apartment get-together. Upon the end of our conversation she told us that the three of us (Meg, Marc, and I) could truly make a difference in this world. Whether she was astounded by the fact that Meg and I keep up with the news, Marc has a gentle, ever-so-sweet heart, we were all charismatic and welcoming, or the fact that the Spirit dwells in all three of us, she was quite impressed with our conversation. Meg then responded that this woman could also do great things. She then opened up to us about her shattered self image and self worth. Little did we know, God placed a truly beautiful person in our lives in order for Him to speak to her through us. Simply by engaging in conversation with a "random" young woman, she was able to feel welcomed and appreciated for the first time, in what seemed like a long time.

Sometimes Christ isn't as bold with whom He wants us to encourage. It isn't an everyday occurrence for most people to have someone open up their hearts with another person. But why is that? Do we all not desire to be authentic? If we truly tune into the Spirit, openly and lovingly become more like Him, nothing would be able to stop us from opening up our hearts as Christ does.

How is Christ calling you to encourage someone today? How would Satan be able to get in and destroy if encouragement isn't one of our priorities in loving someone?

encourage one another daily.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,

-Romans 1:9

SUMMER PRAYER REQUESTS :0)

Mr. Taylor Mathews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6-G1kdStNA

May we encourage the Body in Christ. Please keep Mr. Mathews, a Christian from Louisiana, in your prayers.

Miss Ai Valley:

Continuing as an urban missionary, as well as a rural camp counselor, I will be able to spread the Word through multiple mediums this summer.

Please pray for those seeking refuge in Him in NY.

For Siena College students, as they prepare their hearts and minds for the upcoming semester.

Mr. Ethan Chevrette

Please pray for Ethan Chevrette as he prepares for his athletic ministry.

Mrs. Jessica Fisher

Please pray for Jessica Fisher as she engages in her mission for Christ by engaging in marriage, motherhood, and social work.

Mr. Donald Joseph Blake:

Please pray for DJ Blake as he prepares for God's mission in radio.

Mr. Elijah Bovenzi:

Please pray for our soldiers. Elijah Bovenzi of Loudonville Christian recently entered into his first year at West Point. May all of our men and women be safe and truly living all for Jesus.

Other LCS students in the military:

The Crachi Boys

Dan Hobbes

The Sutphen Boys

etc...

LCS/Capital Disctrict Overseas Missionaries to keep in prayer:

Katie Williams

Christie Phelan

Alex Meola

Libby Madden

Jenny Green

etc...

Pray without ceasing,

-1 Thess 5:17

I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day,

-2 Tim 1:3

Please send over any pictures and/or prayer requests for this summer. May God Bless the hearts of every single one of you!!

Life

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.

-Luke 6:40

The end of the year.

I haven't informed everyone on what God has been doing at Siena in awhile, so it's about time that His Body is informed of what the parts are up to.

Our books closed no later than May 12th, from there we all started our summer vacations.

This semester brought about change and growth for Christ. Family in Christ grew to be a developed group on campus. One point we make is to broaden His Kingdom by understanding Him more. Isaiah 1:16-17 is our theme verse, but we also follow Galatians 5:13 "religiously" (haha...) and 1 Corinthians is engraved in every conversation we have. God's love and unity are very prominent themes in every one of our Discipleship Hours. I cannot wait to see how God will be working over the summer and next year in regards to this group. He's blessed us so much. Praise Him.

Several of us feel called to different schools (for either study abroad, or officially transferring) for the 2010 Fall semester.

Emily Ramsden fells called to explore the opportunities for her growth in God to extend to Missouri at Evangel University.

Lauren Numrich will be going on study abroad to Notre Dame University in Australia.

Ai Valley will be transferring to Gordon College in order to better prepare for God's mission to Egypt and the United States.

May we all pray for our warriors in Peace&Love.

Founding Fathers and Their Faiths 490

He was evident everywhere, inside and outside of the classroom.

We all learned a lot this year through Christ. May He lead us all to have another productive summer. God Bless.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

-Colossians 3:16

Here In This Moment

"For the waves of death encompassed me,
the torrents of destruction assailed me;
the cords of Sheol entangled me;
the snares of death confronted me.

"In my distress I called upon the LORD;
to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry came to his ears.

"Then the earth reeled and rocked;
the foundations of the heavens trembled
and quaked, because he was angry.
Smoke went up from his nostrils,
and devouring fire from his mouth;
glowing coals flamed forth from him.
He bowed the heavens and came down;
thick darkness was under his feet.
He rode on a cherub and flew;
he was seen on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness around him his canopy,
thick clouds, a gathering of water.
Out of the brightness before him
coals of fire flamed forth.
The LORD thundered from heaven,
and the Most High uttered his voice.
And he sent out arrows and scattered them;
lightning, and routed them.
Then the channels of the sea were seen;
the foundations of the world were laid bare,
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

"He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy,
from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the LORD was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

-2 Samuel 22:5-20

"It's like you're in a hurricane.

You don't think about the calm that will happen after,

you just see the boat being destroyed in front of you."

-Rachel W.

Rachel clearly depicts the dilemma that occurs when something "out of sorts" is going on in one's life that leads one to stray. When things seem to be going wrong, or out of our control, then we result in acting on "the boat," not His Love or His Long-term Plan.

God Bless that woman.

Christ is incredible; the way He speaks through people is so clear.

All That Is Good

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

-Philippians 3:9-10

Do they see You when they see me?

In honesty, there's room for improvement.

A closed mind will leave you empty,

Use your mind to use your soul.

-Five Iron Frenzy, All That Is Good

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;

-2 Corinthians 5:14

Do You Hear What I Hear

Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

-Job 15:8

"When I pray I tend to do most of the talking.

And that's a big problem."

-Joe Ferritto

Joe and I were talking the other week, and we got into our personal prayer lives with our Father. His recent conclusion is that instead of listening to God, we make him listen to us. Our time and efforts need to be focused on our relationship with our Savior, and not to make prayer become a one way venting or help secession. He is our Redeemer, Healer, Peacemaker, and Friend.

It's time we all start letting Him do the talking.

The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of those who are taught,
that I may know how to sustain with a word
him who is weary.
Morning by morning he awakens;
he awakens my ear
to hear as those who are taught.
The Lord GOD has opened my ear,
and I was not rebellious;
I turned not backward.

-Isaiah 50:4-5

Hold Us Together

Where were you when the world

came crashing down around me?

You were on the cross.

You were always there.

-Matt Maher

There Is Nothing Like You

For I have given you an example,

that you also should do just as I have done to you.

-John 13:15

Your Father really is your best role model.

Life in These Little Boats

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

-Philippians 2:14-15

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

-1 John 3:1-3

Chapter 13

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

-Romans 8:35-39

"A person isn't a sum of their behaviors. A person is someone that God loves." -Rachel W.

My boss was helping to give me the low-down for my new job of being an urban missionary. She said that it's a huge blessing to have the crew in love with Jesus. When we work together as one, Christ can be glorified. It was refreshing to be reminded of the love that He has for us.

It was also a blessing to be reminded of the fact that God loves us despite what we do. A person should be loved just the same, no matter how they love Jesus, love themselves, or love others. It's a great reminder--to love our friends, family, and enemies through the eyes of Christ.

May we all seek out Christ's heart in the midst of every [blessed] thing that Christ has to offer us.

Falling Into You

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

-Romans 6:4

http://www.youtube.com/user/TerraNovaChurch#p/a/u/0/3Gdz6mdyy3Y

http://www.youtube.com/user/TerraNovaChurch#p/u/0/vQwSpgblsx4

One Lord, one faith, one baptism

-Ephesians 4:5

Break Me Down

He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

-Micah 6:8

Upon attending the INSPIRE Bonner conference, I left with an inspirational message from the President of Bonner.

(Almost direct quote--rearranged a couple words due to lack of writing utensil/recording device)

"If your site is a soup kitchen, and you tell people what you're doing, you typically say 'I'm serving at a soup kitchen, or I'm helping to cook and prepare meals for the homeless.' How many of us actually say that we're helping to end hunger?"

If people ask about your faith or service habits, we typically talk to them about the very small, limited spectrum of what we're doing, rather than what we're actually doing.

When a kid drops his books, and you help him by picking them up, you're not just collecting a kid's educational materials, you're dying to yourself and picking up His cross.

When you say thank you to the janitor for cleaning the school's floors, you aren't just acknowledging a necessary completed task, you're recognizing Jesus in the eyes of a person, and loving them through Christ.

When you give everything you have to the poor, you're not just giving away goods-- you're acting justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with your God (Micah 6:8--Siena's 2010 Bonner theme).

How did Christ truly live?

What are you doing to promote justice, mercy, and humbleness through Christ's Counsel?