Then I saw a new... (fb)

Then I saw a new Oklahoma City...

It's people were healthy- perfectly healthy, vibrant, playful
It was peaceful- there were no good neighborhoods, no bad ones
There was a tangible sense of joy in the neighborhoods, the market, the streets
The Myriad Gardens and Will Rogers park were green and the flowers were bright and fragrant- the trees like the cedars of Lebanon- a tall strong canopy
You could drink from the Oklahoma river and all of the waters were clear and beautiful and full of life- from the farm ponds to the lakes
The fields were abundant- the outdoor markets overflowed with the most gorgeous produce- I can't think of any other way to say it- beautiful abundance
The mayor and the city council and all of the leaders were humble and their actions were just...just
Flaming lips alley, every sidewalk cafe (yes- sidewalk cafe's- everywhere!), every building, every park, every bridge was a place of connection, a place of relationship
ABC and KRXO produced content with a level of beauty and creativity like nothing ever before seen or heard
Dance and drama and visual art were everywhere, continually celebrating both Creator and creation- even the Red Dog- full of light and life and families and a spirit of thanksgiving
And deals were done with a sense of justice and joy and collaboration- the Devon tower an amazing gathering place where right commerce was displayed in such a way that those who used to feel marginalized felt awe and ownership of the mechanism of provision and could marvel at the glory of work
The Health Science center and the Ralph Ellison Library and Quail Creek Elementary and Dove Acadamy and all of the institutions of learning held a continual sense of discovery in an environment of expectant cooperation
The east side was as wonderful as the north side was as wonderful as the south side was as wonderful as the west side
And everyone had a place to go home to, full of food and love and family
Every street had a warm, inviting glow and a sense of security- a sense of "I belong right here right now"
There were no places of worship, because the tangible sense of the presence of the Father and His Son and the Holy Spirit created a continual atmosphere of praise, thanksgiving, life- spontaneous drum circles at Mitch park and slam poetry of praise on the capital steps and indie-pop-metal-alternative-classical-latino throw down everybody just jump right in barn dance PRAISE right there- right there- yes there- everywhere!
And every child was happy...

And then I looked and I saw Portland, Atlanta, Pawley's Island, Yucaipa...

What did you see?

Tada (fb)

Tenacity (fb)

Six weeks ago I saw the strangest thing in my backyard.  A 13 year old kid was standing in his boxers covered in mud and water, hosing out an old tire that he had dug out and dragged up from the creek.  When I inquired about this bizarre behavior he told me, matter of factly, that he was making sandals.

Over the past 6 weeks that kid has spent hours in the barn.  He has officially used three hammers, a hacksaw, a drywall saw, a reciprocating saw, a jig saw, 2 chisels, a utility knife, and a couple of screwdrivers.  Do you have any idea how difficult it is to cut a pattern out of a 30 year-old steel belted radial?  He does, and from time to time over the past 6 weeks he’s had to just walk away in defeat.  But yesterday we had a breakthrough.  A combination of the right clamp in the right place with the right blade and the right saw and together, we saw a right and a left sole emerge.  He wanted to work all night last night but it was a “school night”- you know.  He’ll finish those sandals- no doubt about it.

I still don’t understand it.  Some of it is the way God made this kid.  But there is some vision that was planted in his mind six weeks ago that is so exciting and compelling that he has persevered where the 99% would quit.  Would you spend two hours sawing through steel with a drywall saw only to cut through one of four “bands?” 

The Lord showed me something last night about this kid, about myself, about people.  “Anything that is worthwhile is difficult.”  There are billions of great ideas and plans.  The difference between vision realized and hope deferred is usually one more pull of the saw blade that the next guy just was too tired to take.  There are always moments of hopelessness and moments of breakthrough; and, in the end, it never quite looks the way we thought it would.

So I get the joy of watching one more step in THE prayer being answered, “Lord, give this boy a heart like yours.”  Today it’s rubber and steel;  one day it will be loneliness, rejection, betrayal, and a cross, and then…everything comes alive! 

One woman = One business (fb)

Read the "One woman = One business" report from the ICRW- more fuel on the fire.  Here's the deal:

Empowering women may be THE key issue in the economic development of developing countries.

WHY?

Investment in the economic well being of women has a huge, exponential effect on the children, families, communities, and economic development of a nation.

SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

Women are the most marginalized and vulnerable group in developing countries, especially young women.  Black women in sub-saharan Africa are the most vulnerable.  Laws that prevent women's rights, crazy unhelpful social norms, lack of access to funding, unequal pay, disease, marriage at a young age, and lack of educational opportunity are just a few of the reasons.  (The spiritual realities behind all of this, coupled with what Jesus wants to do in our generation are - WOW- but that's for another time).

This report concludes that much is being done in the area of micro-finance to address the lack of access to funds for women entrepreneurs, BUT the greatest need is for "leadership training," "entrepreneurial skills training," and "peer networks."

What if a movement gave a "cookies on the bottom shelf" entrepreneurial opportunity to women all over the world?  What if that movement was built on leadership development, peer connection, and training? What if it offered substantial income opportunity?  Welcome to Bloom.

You Will Run (fc)

You are going to run, my boy.  You must find your faith, my dear boy.  You must recover the faith of a child.  You will run, boy!  Do you hear what I’m saying?  Like Elijah, down from the mountain.  You will run through the kingdom, if you yield. So you must!  He must be allowed to sweep you off your feet!  Do you understand?  This is beyond you.  You must enthrall your mind with God.

You have no idea of the breathtaking power that awaits you there.  You want to know how to rediscover the kind of belief you once had, as a child?  Enthrall you mind with a ravishing vision of God.  Find the pearl.. 

Waste your life for the treasure- this extravagant love for Christ.  Swim in His ocean and breath His water.  And then, my sweet child, you will run.  Run like the wind through His kingdom.  You, my dear boy, will be fortunate to survive the herd of horses that stampedes through your heart.

(Bill Bright- A Man Called Blessed)

'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.

Joel 2:28

New St. Anthony's billboard at 235 and 36th (fb)

What is God up to in OKC?

One house clean at a time (fc)

I’m a revivalist at heart and believe we’ll see revival when the most marginalized people on earth are overwhelmed with the glory of Jesus- manifest in freedom of worship and a radical forgiveness.  (I believe that group is black women but that is another conversation.  Racism IS the big dog daddy that this generation must war against, and it will cost us everything. )

I believe in the Church and I believe in the marketplace as the pioneering frontier of mission where the church can BE the church (it’s a lifestyle led by amateurs when it transforms- but you know that).

I believe that impacting the working class in America is a gateway to impacting the poor in the developing world.

We want to bring a practical mechanism of economic freedom and all that goes with it, built on the values of Jesus to the women of the developing world.

We’re doing that by starting a movement among working women in America.  

Our context is the house cleaning business.