Barack the vote! I plan to.

I wrote the following in response to a Facebook wall post by a friend of mine who questioned my spiritual walk because of my decision to support Barack Obama in the upcoming election. I am glad to live in a country where we are allowed to have differing opinions and talk openly about them. So, the following blog is my chance to explain why I am voting for Obama. By the way, I want to point out that having a difference of opinion does not mean a loss of intimacy in ones walk with God. I'm just saying...

I want to first state that I completely agree that we need to do what we can to end abortion. However, I do not feel like abortion is the ONLY issue in this election, no matter how much "Christians" want to act as though it were. Abortions are at a 30 year low, is it low enough? NO! But, I do believe that we have had the decrease because Christians are not only standing around waiting for their elected officials to enact some policy to make it illegal, they are ACTING to see it come to an end. The church is finally sticking to a cause and loving people to the truth. Regardless of Obama's decision to say he is pro choice, he has stated clearly that it is a grave decision and not one to be taken lightly. He also said it was a decision to be talked through with ones Pastor/Rabbi/etc... The only way we are realistically going to stop abortion from happening is not by making it illegal; because millions of babies were killed before Roe v. Wade, we just don't have the official numbers since they weren't recorded. We, as God's children, have to continue to seek out the hurting people in the world and love them. We can't blame a lost world for acting lost; we love them as Christ would love them! We hope, by God’s grace, they will realize their state and seek redemption from it because they have met the person of Jesus IN US not just heard about Him. There have been positive changes in laws but they can be easily changed again. Rather than trying to change the law, why not try to make the law unnecessary? We need to create strong families so our daughters don't even consider abortion an option; so they aren't having sex before marriage. If we, the church, would work on building strong families girls would not have to look to boys to find their identity; they would not have to find acceptance and love through sexual attention.

Let's be honest, we are a country who talks God but we don't often live it. As a whole we live independent lives never caring for our neighbor or the hurting that we pass everyday. I can't do that anymore. My belief in God urges me to give all that I have to meet the needs of those around me. Scriptures like Matthew 25:31-45 and James 1:27 give the mandate to those who love the Father to provide for those in need. I can't give healthcare away, because I have none. I can't afford it. I have been back in the States for 3 months and couldn't get a job until a couple of weeks ago; not for lack of trying but, no one was hiring (even with my college degree and career experience.) I provide what I can to those God brings me but I can't provide for everyone. What I can do is prayerfully seek political representatives who will make decisions to better the lives of hurting Americans rather than pad the pockets of the elite. I am not saying that only Democrats are the ones who make decisions for the everyday man but I can tell you that, in this election, the one not taking money from lobbiest is the democratic nominee. My heart is at peace with where my ballot will be cast.

I believe that Obama knows the Lord; I also believe that he wants to see us, the CHURCH, rise up and take our place as the rightful caretakers of our nation and the world. I have held babies that have soon after passed away from malnutrition and AIDS; I have been through the killing fields in Cambodia and seen what happens when our government turns a blind eye. I have even sat in bars night after night and watched foreign men take home Thai prostitutes while the Thai church sits back and pretends it doesn't happen. I cannot sit back in my own country and pretend that we don't have children who are going to school hungry and at night sleep in the streets. I can't pretend that most girls who sleep around, get pregnant, and either end up aborting, on welfare, or contracting an STD aren't missing people in their lives to tell them about their worth. I can't sit back while women and children are sexually and physically abused but won't leave because the only place to go is a shelter. The church has got to rise up and start meeting these needs as well. I don't think we need welfare reform; I think that Christians should start being their brothers keeper again and make a need for welfare nonexistent. I believe strongly that we have got to wake up and allow the lost and hurting world to see Christ in action through us as we love one another and love others. He said they will know us by our love...but where, in today's church, do they honestly see that love? For the most part, we shoot our own wounded. Until this awakening occurs I must vote to give lawmakers the ability to fill in where we are not getting the job done. I hope for a better day in America; I hope for an awakening in the church where Fathers take their rightful place as Godly heads of their homes and in turn bring a revival to our country. I look forward to a day when we truly live as an Acts 2 & 4 church giving all we have to each other. (And on a "selfish" note; I'd like to be able to go to the doctor or get my teeth cleaned without having to save up for it. It would be nice to be able to get a check up after having lived the past year in some of the poorest living conditions in the world.)

I can only hope that your decision on where your ballot is cast is taken as seriously as I am taking mine. I hope that you do not discount a candidate without information about him or her and without seeking God's direction in it. Please know that I am doing my research and am praying about God's continued guidance. Thanks for allowing me to share my perspective.

It's been awhile...

The month of August was a blur. We were so busy, with wonderful opportunities, but busy none the less. The week after my last post I drove down to Charlotte with Raegan & Reece so they could spend a week with mom, at her house, before school started again. I was at Mom's for two days then I drove down to Gainesville, GA to help with training camp for the World Race Team leaving in October. The week was full of blessings where I got to spend time with some of my WR family, cook international food for a group of Racers who have no idea what they have signed on for, sit under tremendous teaching from Men of God, and have the opportunity to minister and pray for this new group of racers. While in Gainesville Allison, Sean, Jane, Julie, Cameron, and myself stayed at Scott & Carol Pitts house. The Pitts have been a wonderful blessing to all of us C squad racers; they have opened their lives to us. We are forever grateful for their love and wisdom and will never be the same because of their influence.

Thursday night, after a great night out to eat with the serve team, Cameron and I hopped in Sheldon (the most fabulous powder blue Chevy Lumina ever) and drove back to Charlotte where I dropped Cameron off at her mom's house and I drove back to Cornelius to spend the night at my mom's house. Courtney and Elizabeth Uhles had come in to Cornelius overnight as well to stay with my mom so we could leave the next morning for Knoxville, TN where two of our teammates, Brooke & Silas, were getting married. So the next day, Courtney, E-beth, and myself loaded up the car and headed out for Asheville where we picked up Christy Linhart & Heather. It was a beautiful and intimate wedding. They were married in Old Town Knoxville at the Foundry. A large number of World Racers were able to make it to the wedding so it was a great reunion. Thinking back on weddings I have attended the thought comes to mind that there have been very few that the Lord's presence and approval was so greatly felt as with the two weddings I have been to this summer. With every word that pastor spoke about their love and their relationship with the Lord my spirit welled up with the pride of the Father. These two come from places where they understand the importance and seriousness of commitment, and the results of giving up on ones commitments. They understood in that sacred moment that their words were choosing life for generations and that they have a huge responsibility to those generations following after them. I was blessed to be witness to their commitment to one another and God.

After the whirlwind wedding weekend (I dare you to say that three times fast) I returned to Cornelius, bidding goodbye to each of my friends along the way, then left the next morning on family vacation to Universal Orlando. Gavin, Emily and the girls, mom, and myself spent as many days as possible at the parks. We hung out in Suess Landing which was the girls favorite location. Emily and I had fun riding the roller coasters like Dueling Dragons, Hulk, Spider Man, and the Mummy. We ate good food, went swimming every evening in the pool, and just enjoyed being together. Mom and I took our time getting back home stopping in St. Augustine & Savannah before meeting Matt, Steph, and the kids in SC for dinner on their way down to vacation in FL. Once we arrived back in Cornelius, I spent the week visiting family and friends in NC who I had not seen since my weekend arrival back in the States in May. It was a great time hanging out with Keri & little Ari, David & Anthony, Kim, Mom, Nana, Grandmother, The Spurlings, and all the other family that I got to spend time with. I am now back in NoVa working full time at Starbucks and finally feeling like I am catching on to all the drinks they make and all the "extras" that people want. Who knew coffee could get so complicated?!