Tag: justice

The Justice Conference and Film Festival recap

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What an incredibly exhausting weekend. I just spent the last five days in Philly for The Justice Conference and The Justice Film Festival. It was such a blast to be there with Venture Expeditions. Their community was the most at-home I have felt since I moved to Chicago.

Our first night there, a few of us ran around some of the sites at night (Rocky steps, the Liberty Bell, etc.). We also saw a beautiful view of the skyline.

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The weekend reaffirmed my passion and call to a life of justice-seeking. It challenged my commitment to the poor, and consequently inspired and encouraged me in the 1000 miles “Run Free for the Border” challenge. The film festival was radical and I was thankful for great story-telling with raw, unedited content. The films were my favorite part of the whole experience.

However, the most influential part of the weekend had little to do with the conference. I was at dinner with a Venture friend, and four strangers who work for or are connected to International Justice Mission. Part way through our meal, I had a burning desire to tell them my story and I couldn’t shake the feeling. I prayed, “God, right now? You want me to tell then right now?” Just moments later, I was prompted by one of the strangers with a question that naturally led to my story, and I shared.

It was challenging, embarrassing and nerve-wracking. I don’t like having all attention on myself in groups of people (especially those I don’t know) for long periods of time, so I always tend to cliff-note, abbreviate and pass through what I have to say as quickly as I can. I always have the mentality, “Am I boring them? They don’t want to know all of this.” I assume on my blog, people can stop reading whenever they want 😉 While I still left out much of the details, I slowed down and explained myself more than I usually do. It was a growing experience.

I never realized how much of an introvert I am, until I uprooted to Chicago without promise of making friends or connections through school or a job. I have deeply turned inward and find it more difficult than ever to branch out.

Quotes from the weekend:

“Heroes are ordinary people sick and tired of trying to be neutral.” Micah Bournes

“We ought to be sharing that stewardship with the poor. But the poor need something more than materialism.” Dr. John M. Perkins

“All mankind was created in the image of God. People don’t have to do anything to earn dignity.” Dr. Perkins

“You’ve got to have affirmation that God has called you to justice, and you will always come back to that voice.” Dr. Perkins

“We live out our call most fully when we are a community of faith with arms wrapped about a community of pain.” Dr. Perkins

“We must not only recover justice. We must recover prayer.” Gary Haugen

“When the grass looks greener on the other side, God wants us to water the grass we are on.” Eugene Cho

“We must be honest at how laborious and messy pursuing God and doing justice is.” Cho

“We might be living amongst the most overrated generation. People are constantly telling us how we’re going to change the world.” Cho

“Seek justice. Love your neighbor. These two imperatives do not conflict.” Dr. Nicholas Wolterstorff

Regarding poverty: “It doesn’t matter how they got there. They are past that now. It’s not up to you to ask ‘how.'” Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil

Film Festival Favorites:

Every movie this weekend was excellent, and I truly enjoyed the experience (even if it meant I sat watching the films for more than 13 hours straight 😉 ) I chose my top three favorite films, which you can find below. I strongly encourage you to watch the trailers and also consider watching the films.

1) NEFARIOUS: MERCHANT OF SOULS: a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery.

I had been anxiously waiting to watch this documentary since it was released. It was absolutely excellent: raw, realistic, informative and gut-wrenching. I want to show this film to every person I know.

Nefarious: Merchant of Souls Official Trailer from Exodus Cry on Vimeo.

2) RAPE FOR PROFIT: Realities of sex-trafficking in the U.S. (Seattle).

While this is another documentary on sex-trafficking, it is based in Seattle and brings a completely different perspective with even more gripping interviews and raw footage. Another must-see.

Rape For Profit – Theatrical Trailer from RapeForProfitFilm on Vimeo.

3) I AM: “We started by asking what’s wrong with the world, and ended up discovering what’s right with it.” –Director Tom Shadyac, Four-time People’s Choice Award winner (Ace Ventura Pet Detective, Liar Liar, The Nutty Professor, Bruce Almighty).

I was blown away by this film! I shook Tom Shadyac’s hand about four years a go in LA, and thought he seemed like an interesting guy (I mean, he DID direct two of my favorite comedies). However, this film was such a different journey. After he was in a serious accident and struggled with the thought of dying, Shadyac decided to take a film crew around the world asking the question “What’s wrong with the world?” to several influential leaders.

It was the most intellectually stimulating film of the weekend as well, as it explored the scientific proof that we are all connected. He challenged “Happiness=more stuff” and radically changed his approach to life through the process.

It’s a new year.

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It is just over a week since the new year, and it has already been an eventful year. January 2 was my 23 birthday and early in the morning my sweet nephew Oliver was born! I am already in love with this little boy and we get to share our special day for the rest of our lives–I feel privileged.

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Aunt Lydia and her little lamb, Oliver Daniel.

I spent a couple days in Indianapolis visiting my brother, sister-in-law and little Oliver. It was such a special time. I can honestly say, he has been such an inspiration of hope for me the last few months. I have been looking forward to his arrival, and I find some redemption in his birth on my birthday. Thankful for this little miracle.

When I returned to Chicago, my friend Matt was in town from California for his brother’s wedding. Matt and I played music in the Blue Devils and RCC indoor percussion for three years together, and it was wonderful seeing a familiar face. We ended up at a blues club that plays live music seven days a week. It was an awesome find.

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New Year Resolutions

Some people are wary of new year resolutions and skeptical. I have never made many in the past, but I think the idea is lovely. It is a chance to make a fresh start and try to challenge ourselves and grow. This year I have made a few commitments and with so many questions about my future right now, they have rejuvenated my drive and given me a renewed sense of purpose.

First, I will be more available. Bob Goff, in his book Love Does, encourages his readers to be more readily available to others. He specifically refers to answering the phone, and not letting it go to voicemail. I am going to be much better about this, and this will be a huge challenge for me.

I have never been a huge fan of talking on the phone. I’m awkward, I often pace while I’m on the phone, and I never know how to end a conversation naturally. It seems silly right? If you have talked on the phone with me, you’ve probably quickly noticed this. In any event, I am putting my fear aside and being much more readily willing to answer the phone and not let it go to voicemail. Call me? 🙂

Second, I am going to learn how to live more sacrificially. With a group of 18+ other people, I am challenging myself to run 1000 miles (about 20 miles/week) and save $1000 throughout 2013. This money will send food to the Thai/Burmese border. With 18 people participating, we will run 18,000 miles and provide 274,000 meals for Burmese Refugees.

I hesitated to write about this, because I do not want this to come off as just as another “cool” thing I’m doing and to come across prideful. I share this will you in an attempt to share our deep rooted desire to grasp what it means to respond to biblical justice and respond to God’s heart for the poor and needy.

A friend of mine initiated this goal and talked about his goal to live more dangerously, sacrificially and generously in 2013. I am thankful for this challenge and for another year to seek those things that stir God’s heart–how special it is that he allows us to respond and participate in his story of justice.

More on this to come…

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This May, I will run my first mini-marathon, and it will be soon after I have a follow up scan regarding my thyroid cancer (we will see if the first round of radiation did the trick). I can imagine completing this race will be quite an emotional experience, especially depending on those results.

Health Update

I have returned to the weight I was before I was diagnosed last August. I never gained that much, but it was enough for me to notice and enough to struggle emotionally. I had no control over my body, and it was certainly a struggle. It didn’t matter how much I went to the gym, how little I ate or how much I slept (or didn’t sleep), my body responded to the lack of thyroid and medication however it pleased.

I have always been able to control and maintain my health and body, and I didn’t realize how much I took that for granted. All of this was taken from me the last few months, and I was not emotionally or mentally prepared for it. I am thankful for the struggle and the time I had to spend reaffirming my identity  without the exterior I was used to. I’ve always been confident in who I am, but I didn’t realize how much I depended on my physical strength to present this confidence.

Here’s to a new year, improved health and new beginnings.

Here’s to new adventures.