Thoughts After Reading Jen Hatmaker's

7:: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess

I wish I could think of some extremely clever way to begin this post but the honest truth is that if I don't write this review at this very moment, it will not get written. It is not that I do not want to write anything, in fact, quite the opposite is true. It is just that I have put off posting this for over a month. I have had so many thoughts reeling since I closed page 221 of Jen Hatmaker's 7. Writing this post would mean I would have to face the harsh reality that heart change is not satisfied until outward change shows its face. The Lord did so much in my heart as I loomed over the pages of 7 but speaking about said changes, well, writing them rather, makes it feel that much closer to actual, real, life change. I think the pop phrase for this is accountability :: if I say something out loud, people can hold me to it. Call it what you want, if change just stays in your heart or in your head, I would contend it is not actual change....I digress.

I read Jen's previous book, Interrupted, and quickly placed it in my top 10 books to recommend. I loved it. It was such an honest, raw, beautiful picture of the Lord doing something in a lady's heart and The Lord bring that something to fruition. It was superb. Knowing my love for Interrupted I got wonderfully excited when I heard the news that Jen would soon be releasing a new book. When the idea behind 7 began to circulate, I got even more excited. But friends, my excitement was not because I thought 7 would be a challenge to MY heart but rather, my excitement was for what I envisioned God doing in so many OTHER people's hearts. Ahem.

***if you have a lofty, angelic view of me that you would like to maintain, please excuse yourself here, its about to get ugly as I bare my prideful heart to the world***

You see, I heard that 7 was going to be about a 7 month experiment against excess. Excess of Clothes, Shopping, Waste, Food, Possessions, Media and lastly, Stress. I literally thought to myself, "I wear the same thing everyday (jeans and a v neck), I LOATH shopping, I am the only person I know in my city who recycles, we regularly eat organic/non-processed foods, we don't have enough money to have a lot of extra possessions, we have no TV and I am not easily stressed. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check and Check." I know, sickening, but welcome to my heart. I got excited about 7 knowing that Jen was hilarious and fun loving, yet still willing to tackle the hard issues. I mean, that IS the best type of book to recommend nicely to a friend...ahem (wink). Little did I know that it would be my heart's issue being addressed...not my friend's....ouch.

As I plunged into the pages of 7 I found a beautiful picture of heart change leading to outward, life altering change. Change that moves beyond personality and preference to God honoring worship.

For me, thinking of having only 7 items of clothes to wear for a month is somewhat of a relief. I am a simpleton. I hate clutter. I was raised to reuse and not waste. I sometimes have to remind myself that certain situations should arise a since of stress, because I am often way too laid back even in the times that stress would be appropriate. ALL of these things are just part of me, Amber Burger, my personality, my preference. What I learned from 7 was that, while these things might be considered "good, wholesome and healthy" ways to live, they have cost me nothing. It is normal to me to purge our home of excess clothes and clutter 2 to 3 times a year. Loading up our excess and hauling off to Goodwill is rather therapeutic to me. On the other hand, collecting our excess (and even harder:: things we are currently using), keeping them separated and nice while asking God where He wants them used in His Kingdom to spread His name...that is an entirely different song. The first is personal preference, the second is worship. 7 taught me that my personal leaning toward the simple life is not of great gain in the Kingdom of God with out personal sacrifice that leads to beautiful communion with Christ.

Throughout 7 Jen tells stories of God using the excess they relinquished to further His Kingdom and how she got to come face to face with the people God provided for. There is a big difference between 1) taking a trash bag full of extra house hold items & clothing to Salvation Army because they are annoying me and 2) walking around our house, perusing our closets asking the Lord what to give away and to whom to give it. The heart:: that is the difference. Communion with God:: that is the blessing.

With all of that said, I would like to highly recommend to you (not out of haughty, vein heart but out of an honest, changed heart) Jen Hatmaker's 7:: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess. It is hilarious, honest, straight-forward, practical and full of insight. You will laugh and cry and you will come face to face with honest facts about what our excess is doing globally.

HERE is a link to check it out.

And if you would like to win a copy of 7 :: leave a comment and check back on Saturday to see if you won!

Unity Among Educational Camps

I have started and erased this blog so many times because of its subject. I cant seem to get a grip of exactly what I want to say. I have sent this video clip out to so many friends who were struggling with schooling decisions and just realized the other day I had never posted it on any social media. It speaks to the heart of what I would like to write.

We all make educational decisions for our sweet children. We love our kids. Education is important to us and we have personal, real reasons why we choose the education routes we choose. None, not even the one we choose, is perfect and right. Let us not defend them as if they are. Let us love one another with brotherly love and seek to show hospitality to all as we serve our families. Let us not put others on pedestals because they have chosen a specific route that the Lord has not set for your family to take. Let us be confident that, in Christ, the Lord has given you and your children all that they need for Life and Godliness, not placing our hope in any schooling system but in Christ alone. Let us strive to edify one another and be unified in our vision to love the Lord our God, love and serve our family and proclaim His goodness to the world.

Please watch this little clip and be encouraged::

One of The Many Reasons We Do What We Do::

This footage was captured at the His Voice/ EPC Orphanage in Lura, Sudan by a member of The Village Church's team, Jesse McKee. :: I love these kids :: Videos like these remind me that all the administration and networking done everyday on our side is worth every bit of our effort. Sometimes, since my heart is often in Sudan, being on this side seems like unnecessary busy work. But the Lord uses videos like these to open my eyes to the Truth. He has called us to serve and sometimes "service" doesn't mean going (although sometimes it does). Sometimes it means staying here and being voice for these kids. Sometimes it means staying up late or getting up early to return emails, calls or send mailouts. Sometimes it means printing and mailing and setting up booths. Sometimes it means brainstorming, creating videos and posting photos. Sometimes it means having less and giving more. Sometimes it means being home and raising boys who love the nations so the next generation will carry the Gospel to many.

I hope you enjoy their joy::

Sudan Orphanage from Jesse McKee on Vimeo.

My Love/Hate Relationship With Running

So most of you know that I was an athlete back in the day. But what most assume about athletes like myself, is that running comes easy and enjoyable to us. Let me take a moment to break this assumption. I, myself, loath running, I might even go as far as using the word hate. Well, not ALL running, I suppose, but the kind of running that consist of mileage. Give me a basketball and a court and I'll run till I drop, and LOVE every minute of the pain, but just put me out on the road, just me, my shoes and the pavement....cant stand it. In high school, during tack practice, if the coach said to run 2 miles I would beg him to let me sprint 32 100's instead. He would look at me like I was crazy and make me run the two miles but in my mind it was worth the ask! I told this same coach when I was a Sophomore in High School that I wanted to metal in EVERY event that our district offered for Track and Field by the time I graduated, I was a little competitive (and a little ADD I might add, I got bored practicing the same events). This goal came with one stipulation, every event UNDER 800 meters! I remember the first meet I ran the 1600 mt relay (4 girls all running 1/4 mile, once around the track). At this point I had never competed in anything longer than a 200mt sprint. I nervously looked at my coach on the bus ride and asked, "Coach, how do you run a 400? Whats the strategy? " thinking he would give me advice like sprint the straights, stride the curves and he looked at me with a grin and said, "Gaddis, you get the baton, run as fast as you can and take two left turns." Y'all I almost died. I am a competitor, I hate loosing and I didn't have the 1600mt relay metal. So thats what I did, ran as fast as I could and took two left turns....and you know what?? I made it, we metaled AND I didn't die! I learned a big lesson that day. A lesson I have to re learn two or three times a year it seems. My mental/emotional state severely affects my physical state and vice versa.

I know, I know, seems simple really, but when applied to life as a Follower of Christ, it gets a little more intense. After college, sports for me were a past time. No longer an identity or something someone forced on me, but more something I could choose to do. I soon found out my body functioned at an overall higher level, mentally and spiritually, when exercise was in its place.

As we are a very busy family and travel alot it didnt take me long to realize that running is really the only "exercise" that can go everywhere with you. You dont need a machine, you dont need weights or equipment, just some shoes and a path. GREAT. Here I was again, facing my hatred toward running. I began to ask the Lord why it was that I was a "sprinter" and not a "long distance runner" and why I was made how I was and why it was so hard for me to run for long periods of time. And you know what He revealed to me...I REALLY hated running because it revealed the state of my heart. It humiliated me. It humbles me by revealing my ugly pride. It reveals what I really think about and care about, that I am easily swayed by my flesh, I don't finish things well, I am self centered and self loathing, the list can go on. I found that as I run, my mind is my biggest enemy. As is in life.

This is why I now LOVE running. It reveals the true state of my heart. When I have to do something I dont what to do, what is my response? Thankfulness that I have legs and a working heart? or complaint that I cant just snap my fingers and be in shape. I really do LOVE running now. In a strange sorta way. It has a way of bring out sin I seem to be oblivious to otherwise. I generally like to cross train, I love to swim and bike. BUT about two or three times a year I set a goal to reach at distance running (my distance running and yours are probably way different, remember I though 1/4 mile was far!). I do this to check my heart. To see if there what evil ways are in me. To " beat my body to ready my speed," to "discipline the body in Godliness."

Something I love doing while I run is to use it as a time of prayer for others. This gets my thoughts off of myself and on to GOD and others. I like to make a playlist for my iPod that will point my heart and mind to GOD and at the same time bring to mind certain friends and family that I particularly want to pray for. About 4 years ago a friend of our started an organization call I Run For Orphans. Immediately this resonated with me. So while I train for my distance goals, I think of and pray for the Orphans in Sudan. I pray for them as I run, some by name, that the Lord would do great things in them and through them in their country.

This coming Memorial Day weekend, Vernon, Justin, Allison and I will be running in a 5K to raise money for the starting cost of the 4th His Voice Orphanage in Sudan. I am so excited about this run. I love the idea of raising support for the children! And as I have trained, the Lord has been gracious to me, to reveal yet again, the depths of my sin and refined my heart again.

If you would be interested in supporting our team HERE is my donation page, or you can click on the First Giving button in the side bar!

Happy Running!

37 Years of Injustice

Most of you, I am sure, are aware that today, January 22, 2009, marks the 37th anniversary of the passing of Roe v Wade. In this, the US Sepreme Court held that a woman may abort her pregnancy for any reason, up until the "point at which the fetus becomes 'viable.'" As today has gone by, I have seen many pictures flash onto my computer screen from various blogs and news pages. Groups of people who feel strongly for or against Roe vs. Wade showed up today at many captital buildings and planned parenthood clinics all over the US.

What some are celebrating, others are begging to change.

I am among those who are begging for change.

I did not, however, get the chance to go to our capital building today or stop by the planned parenthood clinic and I am sure many of you reading this did not as well. So I decided to write a little blog about it, maybe to reach a small few and to honor the sanctity of Life.
Last year on Sanctity of Life Sunday, Pastor John Piper spoke these words:



"Mr. President, some of us WEPT for JOY at your inauguration and we pledged that we would pray for you. We have hope in our sovereign God."

And that we do.
Pray for our leaders.
Hope in our God.

A Letter on Contentment

Recently I got an email from a friend who was struggling through wishing she and her family were in a different place in life. She was vulnerable and reaching out for encouragement. As I wrote her I couldn't help but think that this was for more than just her. I have walked this road and walk it everyday really. These are just a few things I sent her to chew on, things I (attempt to) fight the battles with everyday. Thanks to all the ladies along the way that have poured this Truth into my life. Thank your Lord for your Word. Amen.

Here is the letter (I took out somethings in order to keep her anonymous)

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As a wife and mom who has moved 6 times in 7 years, lived in three different cities, worked from home while my husband finished school and dealt with the trials and emotions that come along with all of the aforementioned, I would say I can relate with how you are feeling. I have been where you are and have learned so much along the way. I am honored to share with you what the Lord taught me during my days of wishing for root planting. (and wall painting ha!). I have to hold to the below thoughts each day to not fall prey to the Joy quenching snare of the enemy.

There is no particular order to what I am going to share; all have had tremendous affects on my heart.

1) “Wherever you are BE ALL THERE” This is a quote from one of Vernon and my heroes of the Faith, Jim Elliot. I have held this motto since I first read it in college. It has helped me in times that seem “transitional” especially. It is easy to get caught up in what is going to be and TOTALLY miss out on what is happening that very day. It is easy to hope in tomorrow or hope in the next “season” and where it will take you and completely miss what is right there. People do this all the time, especially women, i.e. when you are single you want to be married, when you are married you want to finish a degree and have kids, when you have a degree and have kids you want more kids or your own home, when you get both of those you want more time to yourself and with your husband. On and on the cycle goes, satisfaction placed in your own desires and not in what God has provided for you THAT day. Which leads me to my next though:

2) Covetousness. Yes Covetousness. I use to think this meant wanting what someone else had, and it does. But ultimately it means “wanting/longing for something God has not provided for you in that moment in time.” Covetousness when played out in this scenario might lead you to not be thankful for what He HAS provide for you. A sweet Girl, (who will grow up so fast!) a husband who let you pursue your dreams over his, a home that is affordable, although with white walls, it is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, food for the three of you and great relationship with those around you. Thankfulness generally squeezes out the sin of Covetousness that we all struggle with. Give Thanks to the Lord for HE is GOOD and His love endures forever! He has not forsaken you and will not put you to shame.

3) Unrealistic Expectations. It is easy for us to think when we are in one place in life; the next place will be better. But when it comes to moving back to your home state, reality is, it will be NOTHING like it was the last time you lived there. You are different and so are all the people you know and love there. It will be just as transitional to move back to an old homeland than it was to move away. Be careful not to fool yourself that somehow God will provide more Joy for your in your next season (or wherever is next for you) than He has offered you today.

Knowing you, I am sure you know and have counseled people in this:: THE #1 REASON, IF NOT THE ONLY REASON for frustration or disappointment is UNMET EXPECTATIONS. If you have high and lofty ideals of what life will be like “someday” you will often find yourself frustrated and disappointed with life NOW. Also, when the transition does happen and you find out you are moving or what ever it is you were longing for, you are likely to be disappointed with the end result, and thus the cycle continues.

I know you are a women who fears the Lord and wants to follow Him. My advice to you in this season is to make SURE SURE SURE that your husband knows you are up for anything he feels led too. Your husband MUST, and I MEAN MUST, know that you will be joyful and loving no matter if he finishes school and moves y'all to Delaware?!?! He needs to know that you trust him and his relationship with the Lord and his ability to hear from the Lord. Your husband does not need a lot of your input on this. He will lead your family and he will follow what God has told him for y'all. You, my friend, get to sit back and enjoy it and bring your husband Joy!!!

Okay that was way long but I hope you are encouraged today friend!

Some Thoughts on Mother's Day

I have had a lovely Mother's Day. Church, Red Robin, a long nap (both boys slept at the same time!) and then ended the day with a little Marble Slab. I have received a plethora of cards and homemade things from Titus this year. I even wore a bracelet he made me out of sparkly pipe-cleaners this morning to lead worship at church...he was so proud.

I spoke briefly to my mom today and was once again reminded of how amazing she is. My mother is wonderful. She is a hero to me. Widowed with 3 children under the age of 9, my mom has taught me the meaning of perserverence. She loves deeply, encourages strongly and serves tremendously. She is steadfast. She taught me how to be creative. She taught me how to be frugal. She taught me how to cook, clean, sew and crochet. (although I will never be as good as her!) The list could go on and on. I am blessed to call her mom.

While I am so blessed, the entire day my heart has been heavy for those who are hurting on Mother's Day. I have many friends who have lost children even this year. I have friends battling infertility. I also have friends who experienced their first Mother's Day with out their mother. Loss is a deep wound. Grief is a cycle. Its hard to understand why and how God gives and takes away.

Today in Church, Jason, our college pastor preached. Our church is going through the book of James verse by verse and this was the first Sunday. He was in charge of James 1:2-4.

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

I found it ironic that on Mother's Day, Jason would be preaching over these verses. You see, less than a year ago, Jason lost his mother in a very traumatic accident. The family was horseback riding through a mountain pass. His mother fell off her horse into a strong and freezing cold current of water. Both Jason and Jason's father tried to pull her from the water but the current was to strong, her body was too wet and they watched as she struggled to her death.
Now THIS is an example of "Testing of your faith." In that moment Jason had to decide if he was going to believe that God had All things in control. He had to hold to the knowledge that God had numbered his mother's days. He had to believe in the face of this tragedy that God was good and in some way He would work this out for the good. At this moment his faith was tested. He had to choose to believe that God's Word was Truth.

Jason did NOT share the story of his mother's death this morning, but those of us who know what he has gone through this last year know that Jason not only preaches James 1:1-4 but believes James 1:1-4. His faith was tested by a trial and has produced in him steadfastness.

To all the mothers and daughters that are reading today that have had a hard day, you are loved. You have been thought of and prayed for. I am sure there were times today that the wounds of loss were so deep and piercing that it was hard to see the light of Truth and steadfastness seamed a distant dream. I pray that the God of ALL comfort bless you and give you peace. amen.