Check out the blogs and video reflections of Jackson team members after returning home.
It is our prayer that our journey in doing justice, loving mercy, and walking humbly would not end here, but that God would continue to move and work in our hearts, bringing forth His Kingdom, here and now.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
The Choice to Move
Coming back to California, staring at all the LA traffic, it hit me. It’s over. I went to Jackson, I learned a lot, and now it’s done. All the good times I had, listening to John Perkins speak, living in that house, was over, and there was nothing I could do about it. But as I sat there, I began to realize something. It’s not over. This is just the beginning. I didn’t have to come back from this trip thinking “what a great experience, too bad it’s over.” I can turn what I’ve learned into a lifestyle. I don’t have to take my memories put them in an album, talk about them for a week or two and then store it away in a box or in the back of my mind. I can live it out! I knew having this mindset wasn’t going to be easy. I would go back to school, to people that wouldn’t understand what this trip meant to me, or to people that refuse to open their hearts and minds to hear what I have to say. I also wouldn’t have the Jackson team to help me out as much. During the trip, I felt like they were carrying me and helping me learn and grow to become the person God wants me to be. Now, coming back, I have to walk alone and grow and learn by myself. I won’t be carried anymore. It’ll be my turn and I’m afraid that I’m going to fall. But I can choose to have that fear consume, discourage me, and hold me back and I can remain stranded, OR in the words of John Perkins “have courage, and follow my convictions in the face of fear,” and MOVE. I can take what I’ve learned and apply it to my life and teach others to do the same. Even though I won’t have my team there every step of the way, I’ll have God and He will strengthen me in so many ways. He will lead and help me if stumble and help me to be Joshua to my school and community. On that bus, thinking of all these things as I began to fall asleep, I made a choice. To Move.
Kara
Kara
Glowing
'In this world of darkness people listen to those who glow.'
My experience in Jackson, MS. was an eye opener and my heart was changed.
My time of devotions and experiences with fellow Christians reminds me of the many lessons learned in Jackson MS. And now, weeks later, from our return from Jackson we are more aware of injustice happening even in today’s society.
I ask, Can we as high school students; and as a team, make a change in this broken world?
As we go further and further from the week of service, in all that we have learned, and been equipped, is it harder to take a stand?
Sadly, our glow, our inspiration, our emotional high, maybe is slowly fading as we move about in such a secular reality that is all around us. Today I heard a great message that strengthen and encouraged me to not loss hope.
I am reminded that prayer changes things and brings up a glow that reflects the glory of God and will attract others live differently.
Luke 9:28 is where Jesus and three of his disciples go up to the mount of transfiguration to pray. After he had finished praying, the disciples saw that His face was glowing brightly, the appearance of his face changed. Prayer doesn’t just change our appearance before others, but makes a difference from inside out. In Exodus 24 Moses also goes up a mountain. He is up there for forty days and forty nights, In the presence of the Lord. (This is when he receives the Ten Commandments) Later in Exodus 34 Moses comes down from the mountain and his face was glowing! The children of Israel saw this and were in awe and wanted to hear everything Moses had to say. They saw God through him, and knew that God was with him. Paul lets us now in 2 Corinthians 3 that Mosses' glow was fading away! Because of this he would go and be with the Lord and the glow would return to him and the people will continue to listen to what he had to say; after awhile the glow would fade away and he would have to 'recharge the glow' in the presence of the Lord. The point is that Moses knew that he needed to be recharged if he was going to affectively lead the people of Israel. He knew that in order for things to be impacting and affecting, it wasn't just about changing things, but him being altered personally. Spending time and seeking after God gives us a 'glow' in which others will see and want. The glory of God is reflected in our lives and this brings about change in others and ourselves.
- Sam P.
My time of devotions and experiences with fellow Christians reminds me of the many lessons learned in Jackson MS. And now, weeks later, from our return from Jackson we are more aware of injustice happening even in today’s society.
I ask, Can we as high school students; and as a team, make a change in this broken world?
As we go further and further from the week of service, in all that we have learned, and been equipped, is it harder to take a stand?
Sadly, our glow, our inspiration, our emotional high, maybe is slowly fading as we move about in such a secular reality that is all around us. Today I heard a great message that strengthen and encouraged me to not loss hope.
I am reminded that prayer changes things and brings up a glow that reflects the glory of God and will attract others live differently.
Luke 9:28 is where Jesus and three of his disciples go up to the mount of transfiguration to pray. After he had finished praying, the disciples saw that His face was glowing brightly, the appearance of his face changed. Prayer doesn’t just change our appearance before others, but makes a difference from inside out. In Exodus 24 Moses also goes up a mountain. He is up there for forty days and forty nights, In the presence of the Lord. (This is when he receives the Ten Commandments) Later in Exodus 34 Moses comes down from the mountain and his face was glowing! The children of Israel saw this and were in awe and wanted to hear everything Moses had to say. They saw God through him, and knew that God was with him. Paul lets us now in 2 Corinthians 3 that Mosses' glow was fading away! Because of this he would go and be with the Lord and the glow would return to him and the people will continue to listen to what he had to say; after awhile the glow would fade away and he would have to 'recharge the glow' in the presence of the Lord. The point is that Moses knew that he needed to be recharged if he was going to affectively lead the people of Israel. He knew that in order for things to be impacting and affecting, it wasn't just about changing things, but him being altered personally. Spending time and seeking after God gives us a 'glow' in which others will see and want. The glory of God is reflected in our lives and this brings about change in others and ourselves.
- Sam P.
3D & the big picture
Have you ever seen something in 3D? Three dimensional stuff is so cool; it’s a graphic display of depth, width, and height. It’s overall a enhanced picture of something. As I look back to our trip in Jackson, I see the story, no the legacy of Medgar Evers leave a deep 3D image in my mind.
While we were in Mississippi we had the privilege to go to the house of a leader in the struggle for justice and equality. For those of you who do not know, Medgar was a field secretary for the national association for the advancement of colored people (NAACP). This man was someone that decided to stand up for justice and fight for equality. He was murdered in the front of his house because of what he fought for. This tragedy is real, and it even becomes more real when you stand in the mist of where this took place. As our group sat in on the drive way of this brave man, of this role model, questions started to bombard my mind.
Why was he willing to stand up for what he believed in? Am I willing to do the same? What am I standing up for? Do I take courage and uphold it when it seems like I am the only one? What am I willing to sacrifice so that God can be glorified? What can I do in this struggle in finding meaning and purpose in life? Am I fighting against all that comes against what God has called me to be, to become? Do I have courage when others around me are choosing the way of self pleasure? As those questions came I didn’t want them to escape me without giving an answer. I want to live my life with a purpose and I want to follow the example of Christ.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2
As we see the big picture. As we step outside of our box of comfort, we are able to see God’s desire for us in 3D.What are we going to d o about it? Or better yet, what are we willing to sacrifice, our time? Our energy? Our dreams? Our own desires? Our money? or even our life?
- Tiffany
While we were in Mississippi we had the privilege to go to the house of a leader in the struggle for justice and equality. For those of you who do not know, Medgar was a field secretary for the national association for the advancement of colored people (NAACP). This man was someone that decided to stand up for justice and fight for equality. He was murdered in the front of his house because of what he fought for. This tragedy is real, and it even becomes more real when you stand in the mist of where this took place. As our group sat in on the drive way of this brave man, of this role model, questions started to bombard my mind.
Why was he willing to stand up for what he believed in? Am I willing to do the same? What am I standing up for? Do I take courage and uphold it when it seems like I am the only one? What am I willing to sacrifice so that God can be glorified? What can I do in this struggle in finding meaning and purpose in life? Am I fighting against all that comes against what God has called me to be, to become? Do I have courage when others around me are choosing the way of self pleasure? As those questions came I didn’t want them to escape me without giving an answer. I want to live my life with a purpose and I want to follow the example of Christ.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2
As we see the big picture. As we step outside of our box of comfort, we are able to see God’s desire for us in 3D.What are we going to d o about it? Or better yet, what are we willing to sacrifice, our time? Our energy? Our dreams? Our own desires? Our money? or even our life?
- Tiffany
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