“Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you out to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” -James 4:13-15
I feel a bit predictable as I begin to write about the collapse of the 35W bridge, but I can hardly not mention it. I am writing this less than a week after the catastrophe occurred, and as those of you from the Minneapolis area probably know, the bridge was very close to where I do most of my ministry. And even though I have seen the bridge wreckage up close, I have still struggled to truly comprehend the situation; it seems too surreal to grasp. For some reason, seeing a picture of a mangled U of M West Bank freeway exit sign made the reality of the collapse actually sink in more than anything else. I love my city, I love the West Bank, and this tragedy struck both very deeply.
I felt that the verse above was especially apt for this month’s letter since one of the Muslim men I know on the West Bank frequently reminds me that people of his faith do not (or should not) say, “Tomorrow, I will do such-and-such.” Instead, they say, “Tomorrow, I will do that, God willing.” Their everyday language reminds them of the brevity and uncertainty of life. We in Minneapolis have received a painful and dramatic reminder of that fact, and I do not want to ignore what it means for Christians, particularly those of us in active ministry. As far as I know, none of my friends from the West Bank were harmed in the , but they easily could have been. And how many of the people I have seen at Hard Times or at Jesus Kitchen were on or near the bridge? Have I taken every opportunity to share with them about Christ? I am sad to admit that I probably have not.
The Hard Times Café is closed this month for renovation, and I hope to spend some quality time rethinking how I go about doing ministry. God had already begun to give me new ideas before the café closed, particularly regarding interacting with people outside of the West Bank. I love and enjoy the people there, yet I hardly spend time with them in other settings. Why? I have no good answer. Even though I feel strongly about the relational component of ministry, I wonder whether I have sometimes been blind to opportunities for true friendships and relationships with the people there. So I am hoping to do a better job of integrating people into my life, inviting them to events other than church, and making sure they never feel like just “ministry objects.” I feel as if God is revitalizing my love for people, and it excites me. Doing ministry is a gift, and I love it; but it is ever so much lovelier when I passionately feel the love I have for people and the delight I take in them. God created his children so beautifully, and seeing and remembering that is a joyful thing.
In other news, as I mentioned in my June letter, I have been asked to write and record the Gospel message to give out to visitors of the Salvage Yard. I am hoping to use this time in August to really work on that as well. I have found that every year or two, God gives me a new way to describe the Gospel—a new picture to use in portraying the central elements of salvation. This year at the Gathering, I found myself using one of those new concepts. I hope that it will be helpful in this project, since I want to portray the Gospel message as faithfully, as clearly, and as powerfully as possible. I would of course appreciate your prayers in this, since it is a great responsibility. Thank you all for your continued support and love. You are such a blessing to me, and I pray you and your loved ones are all well… and seizing every opportunity of this brief life of ours. There are many important prayer requests below. Thank you!
Take hold of the life that is truly life!
Molly S. Waggoner
Prayer Requests
- Please pray that God would continue to increase my vision and my love for people. I that I sometimes get apathetic and too tired to “really care”! I want to see and feel people’s infinite value, treasure them, and make the most of every opportunity I have.
- I feel a great desire to see God move in new ways at the Jesus Kitchen. I do not know if this means that we need to do something new or different, or that we simply need his Spirit to move more powerfully through what we are already doing. Perhaps both. I want the Jesus Kitchen to be a place of prophecy and miracles, and I also want to move in whatever ways God desires—even if they look crazy or foolish. So I would ask for your prayers that God would reveal to us anything new he wants, and also grant us more power to point others to him.
- I have verified with Jodi Pierce, the leader of the New Zealand ministry school, that she wants me to help lead the school, but the format will be changing this year, so I do not know specifically what I will be doing. Please pray that God would speak to Jodi and me to let us know how I will fit into that team.
- I mentioned in last month’s newsletter that I gave a message at the Rainbow Gathering. I may now have a chance to do some more speaking, which excites me greatly! Please pray that God would arrange this opportunity the way he desires, and that he would give me insight and powerful words for people.
- I will again be teaching theology at the SHIFT Discipleship School run by a young couple in our church. The school starts in early September, and we are just in the process of finalizing plans, so your prayers are appreciated—that we would have the right schedule, and that I would speak with wisdom.
- The Salvage Yard is going to begin inviting leaders and those who want to be committed to the heart of the church to join the elders for one meeting a month. The hope is that they will be times of vision and growth. I am considering leaving behind some of my current roles at the church in order to move into areas of more passion for me, and I hope that these meetings will be a way to feel like I am a part of the core of the church again. So please pray that God would lead me to know what role(s) to play in the church, and that these times would bring about much fruit!
- I have a couple leads on roommates, so please pray that God would let me know which one is the correct person. Thank you for your prayers in this area; it seems less weighty than deeply spiritual matters, but these practical things can be important!
Thank you!
MSW
|
