Have I mentioned that Dan and I have friends who are way crazier than us? I believe I have. We are blessed to know some amazing people -- people who really "walk the walk" and live out their faith in the way in the way Christ intended (in my humble opinion anyways).

Below is an exerpt from yet another incredible email I received from an incredible friend. Several years ago, she & her husband and their young children up and moved into one of the poorest, roughest parts of the big city they live in. They felt called by God to make this "radical" move in order to better serve the population living in the community. Here are some of her thoughts...

"There have been really hard times here when I've been tempted to forget it all, move into a safer house with a big yard, and live like none of this is going on. There have been times I have hated it here and thought I would be crushed if we stayed. But, after those times of going through the fire my passion for being here is stronger than ever. This is where we can put ourselves and be right in the midst of the darkness. There is so much that is messed up around here- both with those who need Christ and even with some of those who know Him. It's hard, it's dirty, and it's more lovely than anywhere we've ever lived and anything we've ever done. We can't forget when we are here. We can't pretend, we can't get lazy about God's business. It's all around us and if we choose not to act we are accountable by everything we see and hear. We've gone through so much- we have gone through stages of pride and judgment about why everyone else does not do this, we've gone through selfishness where we want to leave it all, we've gone through stages where we forget that no amount of physical help is ever going to heal like the truth of the Gospel, and we've had our hearts broken by it all many times. But in each of those growing stages God has strengthened our faith and taught us about how to keep getting smaller and keep letting him be bigger. We are trying to learn every day that this life is not about us, our comfort, our safety, our stuff, our plans, our desires. It is only about Him.


Here are ten lessons we've learned:

1. That getting dirty is part of the job description

2. That we are selfish and ridiculous

3. That there is a whole other way to love

4. That roaches can't kill you. That you can eat it if it looks gross and love it because it is filled with the heart of a person who knows how to give 

5. That you are safer in God's will than out of his will. That the ghetto is more secure if you walk through it with God than the burbs are if you walk through forgetting His people

6. That it is really important that my kids learn how to love a person who has been thrown in jail, who has no english, who smells bad, who needs the same help again, who needs the roach nest cleared out of their mattress, etc more than they need to learn how to find a great deal at Pottery Barn

7. That you can go to Sunday school and not even have a single crayon or piece of paper and still learn about Jesus and have a great time

8. That it's OK to not buy an American Girl Doll...ever...because for the same price we can buy 10 dolls for our neighbors and our daughter can live with one less amazing thing

9. That you can learn way more from someone who has no english, no education, no money, and no job than they can ever learn from you

10. That Jesus did it the hard way...with joy, with obedience...he never plugged up his nose, he never put on latex gloves, he held people and children who were covered in filth, he gave them what they needed most: love and words that offered them eternal life.

And that about sums it up. I can't really think of anything to add to their words. I wish I could say the words and experiences in this email were my own. Maybe one day they will be. I pray these thoughts will bless you as they've blessed me and maybe even stir some hearts into doing something radical & crazy of your own for Christ.