H.O.P2.E

H.O.P2.E - what does it mean?
According to some of my facebook friends it means "Hope to Pee" (AJ) or "Hold On People to everyone" - Tina.

What it actually stands for is something that I hope my life will reflect for the rest of my days...

H= Humility
O= Obedience
P=Prayer
P=Purity
E=Expectation

2 Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

I long to see Heaven invade Earth. I long to see God move in power. I long to walk in a greater measure of the Kingdom of God - to see people healed, restored, set free.

For me - something that helps me make that a reality is H.O.P2.E - I not only put my HOPE & TRUST in Jesus, but as I apply H.O.P2.E to my life it keeps me grounded and expectant.

I am convinced more and more that we expect too little of God sometimes. We need to learn to expect much in the every day. We owe everyone an encounter with Jesus.

I am reminded of that once again today as one of our residents in our retirement village passed away. The fragility of life, the certainty of death, the gift of breath, the value of knowing whose you are....

if I do nothing else with my life I want to live a life of H.O.P2.E

Saturday for Samoa

In some ways I am glad I don't have a tv. I am not being bombarded with the images of destruction and death in the wake of the Tsunami that hit Samoa this week. In another way I wish I could see the coverage. Moving images move the heart (well at least my heart). I know in the days to come there will emerge stories of bravery and incredible escapes. In fact already there are stories of people dying as they attempted to save children who were being swept out to sea.

In moments like this I just want to pack my bag, jump on a plane and head over and do whatever I can. Whether its holding people while they weep, cooking food, clearing away the rubbish...whatever. I feel useless here when there is so much need. So I do what I can. Just like the bushfires, our church is responding. We are having a "Saturday for Samoa" day at our family store. All of the sales from Saturday will go towards the appeal that the Salvation Army in New Zealand has launched. We will also be taking up a love offering at church on Sunday. In the grand scheme of things it might not seem like much, but I believe every bit helps and if it turns our hearts towards our brothers and sisters in Samoa then all the better.

I am praying for a response that goes way above what I would have thought possible. I'm praying for the right people who can respond as Samoa needs it most to be released to go and do the work. I am praying for the families who have lost loved ones, for those who are still waiting to hear; and I'm praying for those whose response to this has been one of disappointment that the tsunami warning for New Zealand amounted to nothing - I'm praying that their hearts might be moved with compassion.

God bless Samoa.