Brave or Safe - Pick!

The head of International Justice Mission (IJM) spoke at our church this morning and I want to write about the notes I took because there was a lot I can relate to regarding Open Hand.

1. Following Jesus can be dangerous.

2. Do you want to brave or do you want to be safe - b.c you can't be both.

3. If you are on the field and nobody is making contact with you - you need to question if you are actually in the game.

4. Brave people live large lives

5. Loving people and telling the truth can be dangerous.

Ok. Now my thoughts - I have always been one who loves to bend the rules, get as close to the edge without going over type person - I love adventure and being 'a little bad' and you know what - after 35 years I think maybe just maybe that God made me this way. Shocker. It takes guts or balls (if you are a guy) to start a non profit and not only that to be working in third world countries and let's add the fact that we are women. Traveling without our husbands. There is a high level of risk involved. It's not safe, it's outside of your comfort zone and the funny thing is - IT'S A FREAKIN BLAST. I've been discouraged about Open Hand and the lack of funds - we have $68,000 dollars more to collect to reach our goal for our 300 loans. Trying to get money is almost impossible. It would be so much easier to find someone to partner with then try and do this on our own. That would be the easy way out. Lord knows easy isn't always the answer :) I want OH to be successful. I want to make a difference. I want to be hands on in changing lives. I don't want to be huge I just want to be able to provide the money needed to fund the loans we agreed to in every location we go to. That's not asking too much right?

Being brave or safe goes along with my Peter stepping out of the boat story that I always fall back on. He had to lift his foot over the edge of that boat and put his weight on the water - how else would he know if he could walk on it?
Safe - stay in the boat. Brave - hike your leg up and over and put your weight on the water.
Safe - go to Africa and see and do great things. Brave - start a non profit with no funding and no platform. Safe - let someone else make a difference. Brave - be the difference. Make it happen. Be the answer. Be Jesus to those who are in need.