My Value

I wrote this poem while serving with Athletes In Action at the Olympics in Vancouver in 2010. God put it upon my heart and one evening before I went to bed I wrote it all out.

I wrote it in one sitting, so not my best work. But, at Christmas I was journaling and it fell out of my journal and my brother, Nathan, read it and told me I should post it... I forgot and was journaling last week and saw it again... so, here it is.

My Value

Where is my value found?

Can I even find it on Earth?

Is my value found in gold or silver?

Is it in the clothes I wear,

Or the car I drive?

Is my value in my performance,

If I am the fastest, strongest or smartest?

Is it found in my music or my voice,

Can it be found in my ability to dance?

Is it found in my intelligence,

Or even in my love for people?

Can it even be found in the praises of man?

Where is my value found?

Is it found in a warm embrace,

Or that smile from across the room?

Can my value be found in a special woman?

Where is my value found?

Is it in the love of my father,

Or the care of my mother?

Is my value found in being thought of as a nice guy,

Or in just simply being accepted?

I want to find my value,

And where it is founded.

It is found in His hands.

My value is found in His blood,

It is found in the cross.

I can carry my head high,

Because I am His beloved.

My value is found in Him.

I am His ambassador

I am invaluable

I am pure

I am paid for

Nothing can deplete or increase my value,

Because nothing on earth

Can be found that can match

The price that was paid for my life

Not gold, silver, diamonds or gold

I am loved

I am valued

I am pure

I am of worth

I am lovely

I am cheered for

I am the twinkle in His eye

I am the best part of His day

I am completely forgiven

I am His

I am LOVED

A Christian Response to Injustice

I have been thinking about this the last few days, obviously, and action is needed with the Joseph Kony's of the World and what is happening in places like the Congo. We need to push each other and the government to instigate change. I love that attention is being brought to this through "Invisible Children," and that it looks like the US will actually do something. The Western World, the United States, Canada, the UN, NATO, etc need to step into these countries and end these atrocities, and we need to pressure them to get past the "this doesn't effect us, so we won't get involved" mentality and actually do something, but we also need to make sure that what we do creates lasting change.

BUT, I also believe in the power of prayer and the power of God! Lives need to be changed in these countries, and cycles need to be broken! We need to pray for the cycle of one oppressive dictatorship being over-thrown, only to be followed by another oppressive dictatorship, and the cycle continuing. We need to pray for God to reveal Himself in these countries and to see cycles of corruption, selfishness, manipulation and greed broken and instead see restoration, reconciliation selflessness, honesty and peace instead! To see people turning from their retaliation and revenge and instead looking for peace and forgiveness.

Dare I say we need to pray for Kony, that God will reveal Himself to him, and that he will turn himself in. He has done incredible atrocities, and there will be consequences for this, but I pray that God will reveal Himself in this horrible situation.

Prayer has power, and if the global church rises up in prayer God will move and I believe we will see miracles in this World! My God is BIG and we need big things to happen in Africa for real change to happen. I honestly feel that a miracle is needed to see change really happen in Africa, lasting, real change.

We are called to action, and to not turn a blind eye to the problems of the World, but I think it is important that we do not forget about the spiritual element either.