He's Still On Fire!

Exodus chapter 3 and 4.


I've always loved the behavior God exhibits in these two chapters. The rhythm of His watchful eye in chapter 3 verse 4 as well as the cadence and manner of His speech toward Moses give us attention to how loving and persistent He is.


As God was burning in the days of Moses, He burns yet today. It was the trouble of people He loved that caused Him to draw Moses' attention away from his daily routine. His people were in bondage, enslaved as a result of past generations, beaten, tormented and far from any hope or better future.


Sound familiar?


It should - this sounds like most people who are within arms distance from us any day of the week .. maybe even twice on Sunday.


Here's today's question: 'Where is God on fire in your life?'


As sure as you're breathing today, God is burning somewhere on your horizon. You know He's burning because there are people He loves who are yet enslaved, broken, beaten, forgotten, prisoners of their past - you remember, because you and I used to be one of them.


His burning will challenge your routine, just like it challenged Moses' routine that day.

Are you available?
Will you turn your feet in God's direction?
Will you be the one who takes one step forward?
Will you be the one 'out of line?'

I think you will.


Dan
A Runner

The Barking Dog

You've had this happen to you, seen it happen or heard of it happening.

The dog in the front yard waiting ... waiting ... waiting - and he's off. Running and barking like his life depended on catching the car speeding by his yard. It's an interesting sight really. A case to be studied for sure.

This dog displays amazing agility. He has impeccable timing. Remarkable Stamina. Disciplined patience. Unflinching resolve. Determined focus. Nerves of steel. Uncompromising in his agenda. He is in fact .. Relentless.

He's the barking dog.


Unfortunately for the dog his focus, patience, stamina and timing don't seem to be connected to a specific outcome. Was this his intended fate? Or is endlessly chasing automobiles what he has been reduced to? Designed to companion in the great out doors, like an animal at the zoo without the cage, he is now confined by his experience and limited by his environment.

I must confess - from time to time I've behaved a lot like the barking dog. With great precision, agility, stamina, determination, focus and unflinching resolve I've chased issues that shouldn't have been chased - needn't have been chased. At least not by me.

To be candid, there are one or two 'cars' I'm chasing right now.


If a measurable impact through social innovation is the goal - and it is. Then I've decided it would be much better to walk quietly if that's what it takes, than to run loudly for the sake of motion or noise. It is in fact the product of purposeful intent to experience the kind of freedom not confined by experience nor limited by environment.


Take the quick barking dog test:

1. Does your today seem a lot like yesterday?
2. Do you believe or behave your experience to date disqualifies you in some way?
3. Do you believe or behave that your present surroundings has confined or limited you in any way?

If you answered yes - you have barking dog syndrome.

Here's the antidote. Stop it! Stop it now! Seriously ... stop!


The behavior of the car told you a long time ago it didn't care you were chasing it. With not so much as a mechanical yawn it just keeps driving by. Unaffected by your diligence, uncaring for your pursuit and untouched by your focus the issue you've been chasing remains unchanged and perfectly intact.


It dawns on me the only lasting impact of the barking dog is the rut left behind from constant chasing and endless pursuit. Here's the lesson. You and I possessing perfect skill, tireless ethic and unwavering focus may still wind up in a rut.

May I suggest the wrong thing is being chased. Instead, let's turn to the open road ourselves - that's where God is waiting. He waits for us to join Him far and away from the familiar motion of things. Clearly His desire is for us to run alright, but be the kind of runner that attains, strengthens, solves and leaves behind better.

Here's today's question: 'What is the internal adjustment you need God to make inside you?'


Dan
A Runner

No Pastel Thinking Allowed!

Pastel; any of various pale or light colors

As I said last week, because we live in a platitude accepting drive-by-conversating world, you and I will have to say something different, and be willing to do something different just to be the one person in the 'row' of lined up public opinion who dares to take one step forward.


Stepping away from the crowd of commonly held opinion is awkward and away from the order of things.

I do like order though, and the positive outcomes of well thought out and executed chain of command. I like the progress and power of agreement and the fruitfulness of unity. I love the 'getting on the same page' moments shared with people in my life. The Bible speaks about agreement and unity repeatedly in an effort that we may understand the depth of greatness acquired when we are together - truly together.

There are times though, when the majority of opinion is not right. There are times when you will be the one who breaks rank to find yourself alone on a topic. Don't be afraid. Remember there's a difference between lonely and being alone. Taking a stand may be a lonely place, but you're never alone. There are those all around you who wait for leadership - they wait for you.

One of the great aspects of Cherry Street Mission Ministries, and certainly one of the many reasons I love serving here, is that we live in a platitude free environment. Here, the phrases of 'kind of'' and 'sort of' have no meaning because they are not resistant to the acidic nature of serving in the river of the human condition.

Lives weighing in the balance of heaven and hell don't respond well to direction that is unclear nor love that has no sharp contrast against the backdrop of trouble.

That's the problem with pastel colors - you're never really sure what the color really is. So we're forced to describe the color as pastel [pale] yellow or pastel blue.

It's also the problem with pastel thinking or pastel leadership - you're never quite sure what the decision really is. 'Not really sure [pastel] thinking' works well when you're looking at a menu or trying to decide what you really want at the ice cream stand.

But - when people are placed into the equation, that's a whole different matter. People in the equation will require decisiveness. These are decisions that stand in stark contrast to the problems of life and decisions that will most often stand in stark contrast to the opinions of those around you - no pastel here.

Decisions of stark contrast are made at Cherry Street Mission Ministries [and I hope where you serve] every day. Whether a meal, a conversation, a prayer or a moment of kindness - all stand in sharp contrast to the 'pastel colors' of life.

Here's today's challenge: Make a decision that stands in stark contrast to____________ (you fill in the blank).

Dan

Moving Parts

I like to golf.

The thing I like the most about golf is how completely uncomplicated swinging a club appears while in the same time and space how incredibly complex it is to actually accomplish a swing that actually hits the ball where you actually intentioned it to go. The golf swing has a lot of moving parts, and if you miss just one ... just one. Well, you get the idea.

There are a lot of moving parts to the golf swing.

Whenever possible, I like encouraging people to find their voice. Finding your voice, like the golf swing, is easier said than done. To have voice is dependent on many elements coming together. Many considerations are in play for someone to speak up - even in a room where there will be certain agreement.

To have voice means you've settled the small things in your life such as confidence, articulation and mental acuity. You've also developed certain disciplines. You've learned how to research in an effort to be clear, you've gained in personal management in an effort to be heard and you've become a great listener in an effort to be respected. Not to mention you've overcome possible historical barriers that can range from family to socio-economic realities, to race and or gender limitations.

There are a lot of moving parts to finding your voice.

Like the golf swing and the personal discovery of finding your voice - there are a lot of moving parts wrapped up in the simple statement; I would rather teach a person to fish rather than give them a fish.

This statement is a metaphor often used to describe the effective work in serving others, as well as an encouragement to those who are on the 'receiving' end of relationships.

Here are a few accompanying metaphorical questions:

• Who owns the water where the fish are?
• Are there barriers around the water?
• Who will be responsible to removing those barriers?
• Is this the right water?
• Does the water have the right fish?
• Is there a license requirement?
• Can anyone fish?
• How much fish can be taken at one time?
• Is equipment available?
• Who owns the equipment?
• Are their conditions to use the equipment?
• Is training available for cleaning the fish?
• Is there adequate facilities to cook the fish?
• How will the remaining fish be refrigerated?

There are a lot of moving parts when teaching someone to 'fish'.

We live in a platitude accepted, drive-by-conversating world. You and I will have to say something different, and be willing to do something different just to be the one in the 'row' of lined up public opinion who takes one step forward - awkward comes to mind.

Here's today's question: Are you willing to break cadence with the rest of the lock step world around you?

Dan
A Runner

The Unheard

For those who have followed this blog, you already know how I feel about the unhealthy and disadvantageous behavior exhibited when people when referencing other people, seem to prefer the adjective over the noun. Like when we talk about the homeless.

Homeless - clearly an adjective only describing a condition, the term lacks the depth needed to describe a person - which is the actual noun of our descriptional intent.

Many of us who work and serve within the human condition, who are experiencing homelessness, often refer to these our fellow citizens, as the unhomed. It's a feeble attempt, albeit a sincere attempt, to move the conversational descriptions and the need to describe people, closer to the person rather than the condition of the person.

In any case here's today's question: What would be worse, to be unhomed or to be unheard?

I can think of a multitude of people who are clearly homed, living each day in the comfort of the homed and yet are in relationships in which they are not heard.

They're frustrated.

It's not that they're not talking, not allowing their frustrations to engineer new ways to communicate - you may be one of them, you know what I'm talking about. You try to date the problem, sex the problem, talk the problem, yell at the problem, ignore the problem - all in an effort to be heard.

Yet for all of your good intentions and splendid efforts, you remain unheard.

Now imagine you are unhomed and unheard - what then?

What is your frustration level like?
Do you have a low-grade irritation all the time?
What is your attitude like?
What is your appearance like?
Are you approachable?
Are you skeptical?
Will you take advantage of others?

Voice!

Do you want to be effective in today's ever dynamic and fluid environment of service?

Then listen! It's a great place to start.

Dan
A Runner

HPRP Funding

Capacity; the ability to hold, receive or absorb.
Infrastructure; the basic structure or features of a system or organization.

The Federal Government through the Housing of Urban Development [HUD] is ready to distribute portions of the stimulus package aimed at restarting the American economy and providing support funding as well for critical issues - like homelessness.

A part of this stimulus focus is going for what is called HPRP funding. HPRP is a condensed acronym meaning Homeless Prevention Rapid-Rehousing Program. The City of Toledo is scheduled to receive 3.2 million dollars to distribute among agencies the City identifies as capable of this level of distribution.

The program is a good idea, and communities who are ready with the level of capacity and infrastructure to identify those persons and/or families who are near homeless and have the same structure to identify those persons and/or families who could be rapidly re-housed will do well to receive this funding.

There is a bit of a catch though, the money has to be spent quickly. By quickly HUD mandates the money must be spent within 18 months. Now, you wouldn't think this would be a problem because there is so much need - right?

Wrong.

The fact is the Government is on to a good thing here - but haste still makes waste. The need is in fact so great, there is a chance that without the right capacity and infrastructure in place unfortunate and rather unintended consequences are likely to occur.

Let me list just one problem related to how rapidly the money must be spent:

1. Without the dollars to sustain the housing, through what could be a need longer than 18 months, the people including families who have been helped, will find themselves once again facing difficult choices and balancing precariously on the edge of homelessness.

There is workforce development money within the HPRP funding. But without job creation there won't be jobs for those who are being trained to go to.

Like many leaders of Rescue Missions around the country I support, and Cherry Street participates in, the Continuum of Care [COC] within our community. The COC is designed to identify the organizations who are serving as well as identify the gaps within the service continuum.

Despite what you may hear, the COC in Toledo is not comprehensive enough in its capacity and infrastructure to adequetly distribute the HPRP funding. My concern, and I'm not alone, is that the funding could potentially create ultimately more problems than it solves.

What the availability of these funds should be telling us [City of Toledo] is that we don't have enough of the community at the table to make our COC comprehensive. These funds should be telling us we need to get our house in order so that when funds are available we're ready for them.

I'll hasten to add however, that if our COC house was in order there more than likely wouldn't be as a great a need for the funding as there is.

Here's today's question; 'Are you ready to activate within our community in ways you've never been active in order to have what you've never had or seen?'

Let me know: danrogers@cherrystreetmission.org

Dan Rogers
A Runner

Humanity Groans

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
Romans 8:22 (NKJV)

All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.
Romans 8:22-25 (Message Bible)

I believe we live in a very pregnant time - societally speaking.

It's not that society is pregnant with potential, or even pregnant with possibility - just pregnant. Pregnancy is about expectation and as the above verse in Romans states, waiting is a part of the expectation.

My daughter in law and son just delivered their second son not more than a week ago [our fourth grandchild]. It's been fun watching these pregnancies over the last few years from a grandparent's view. Far removed from the discomfort and the travail of pregnancy, the vantage point has been in the comparison of the very pregnant mother and society's pregnancy.

The above verse talks about the whole of creation groans and labors with the pain of birth.

I was in a program staff members office recently when she had an unexpected visit from one of our program guests. The guest was visibly irritated about something and without excusing himself into our conversation just began to interrupt. We stopped his interruption long enough to instruct in polite behavior. While he hesitantly complied with the instruction and followed a more polite pattern of behavior, it was difficult for him because he had something inside that needed to get out - he, for that moment was pregnant.

So many of us groan under the pain and labor of birth - something deep inside us that is waiting to experience the freedom of birth. That's what I mean - societally speaking we're living in a very pregnant time.

We're waiting and the more we wait the more what's inside grows and the more it grows the more expectation stirs and the more expectation the more groan and pain we experience.

Here's today's question: 'Do you groan'?

Dan
A Runner