.the.difference.

"Today in a corner of the world someone is hungry, hurting, homeless. That someone could be you. People live without light, without sight, is that right?

I'm an average joe just trying to make ends meet, can I make a difference?

One day in a corner of the world a light went on an idea was born, I AM THE DIFFERENCE between justice and injustice between right and wrong.

The voice lives on when someone takes a stand and says, 'I am the end of poverty, I am a different path. It's never too late, I am belief in your humanity, I am a wave of compassion, I am the end of ignorance,
I am the call for human rights, I am human, Love can change the world, I am jobs not jails, I am clean water, I am the hands that heal all mankind, I am light and the gift of vision, I am the heat that keeps a child alive, I am the dream that becomes reality, I am greening our industry.'

What about now?"

This one one of the key things our youth group (Eikon) focused on about 3 weeks ago when we launched causes. Many of us have been on missions trips and it is always so fulfilling coming home knowing that you have helped people in so many different ways, but we have started to wonder why not here? Why not where we live? Do we always have to travel out of state or country to still be a blessing in peoples lives? No, we don't. there is so much to do here in the surrounding community that we decided that it was time to find causes that we could invest our time into.

The following are just my thoughts as I sat at the alter reading the above, and taking in everything:

Just sitting here looking at the screen reading those words just floods my mind with memories of missions trips and encounters with people who have been less fortunate, miserable, or lacking hope. Knowing that I can be and have been a difference in peoples lives makes me cry just remembering all of those times that I looked into those eyes or somewhat felt that pain or need. There is also an overwhelming sense of joy and I feel so blessed to have been apart of something that is and was so much bigger than me. To be able to extend a hand to the hurting, a smile to the hospitalized, or an encouraging word to the homeless are all experiences that I will never forget. Every moment of my life is worth it knowing that I am extending God's love to those who may need it most. Causes is an exciting thing that will do so much for our community and I am looking forward to the days to come to be a light in a world of darkness and confusion. I think people are so desperate for something more and this is going to be an amazing opportunity to meet the needs and desperation of these people.