Emerging Compassion

I meant to post this yesterday but it ended up being so busy I didn't get the chance. Yesterday was an incredible day in my life. Almost surreal.

Yesterday morning, I went to a Seeds of Compassion prayer breakfast where I got to see the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. To be in the same small banquet room with these two men was something amazing (I had to pinch myself to make sure that I was really there and not dreaming). Both men have gone through so much in their lives that could have left them bitter at the world but they are joyful. They kept making fun of each other and cracking jokes. The Dalai Lama commented on how the archbishop had put on a few pounds since they had been together last :) From observing them, I decided that all great world leaders have three things in common: (1) They truly see the needs of the world and are willing to adjust their lives to meet those needs. (2) A life of prayer. (3) A sense of humor.

Last night, I went to an Off the Map gathering at the Vineyard church in Shoreline. A lot of emerging church leaders were already in town for the Seeds of Compassion stuff so they put together a relatively small gathering to discuss church topics. Some of the people that shared were Jim Henderson, Rob Bell, Doug Pagitt, Todd Hunter, and Rose Swetman. So many good thoughts came out of the gathering. The topics ranged from women in ministry to the decline of the church.

Lately, I feel like I should constantly have a pen and paper with me so that I can write down my thoughts when they happen. So many questions have been brought to my mind at the stuff that I have been attending recently. Even in my time alone with God, He has brought my attention to things that I've never seen in scripture before. It feels really good to be in a place where I feel free to ask questions and seek answers. It's like my soul is shaking off some old cobwebs and is reaching for new heights.