content Words From The Editor
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O Me! O Life!
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Becky Ostil
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From a Youth Pastor’s Desk Interruptions
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All That's At Stake
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Mary and Martha
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Identity, Image, and Instagram
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The State of Love
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Beauty Matters 12
Love is Moving Journal & Study
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Feeling Alone?
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Hello From the Other Side
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No Passport Required
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Trinity Fashion 24 Appropriate and not? Five Ways To Stay Focused on God
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On Fire For Worship Encouraging the Art of Worship in our Chruhces
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Reset our Viewfinders How To Take Good Pictures On This Summer's Mission Trip
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Welcome Home[coming]
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2 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
Words from the
EDITOR
Life Is Movement and the Evangelical Fellowship would like to congratulate everyone who just finished the school year. The summer is always an exciting time of year where you get to relax, enjoy the sun, go on mission trips, attend or volunteer at summer camps, find a job, or simply embrace the privilege of waking up at various times of the day. The summertime is a great opportunity to explore different activities that are going on in your community. It’s a perfect time to research places or people in your area that are in need. You don’t have to go to another country to experience the beauty of giving. Grab a friend or two and find ways on how you can to help, whether it’d be at a women’s shelter, children’s camp or even right in your church.
Facebook /joinlovemovement Instagram @loveismoving Cover Credits: Joel Gordon SUBMISSIONS & CONTACT Crileidy@lovemovement.org Publisher The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada www.evangelicalfellowship.ca Read Previous Issues www.faithtoday.ca/LIM
If you will you be taking fun and creative pictures this summer, send them to us or upload them on social media by using the hashtag #LIMsummer16 for your pictures to be featured in the next issue of LIM. LIM magazine is always looking across Canada for talented individuals across Canada who are interested and skilled in writing, poetry, photography, design or any other form of artistic gifting and ability. If you would like to write as a contribute to LIM magazine this summer or contribute in other artistic forms, contact us at Crileidy@ lovemovement.org.
ART DIRECTOR MARK STEWART
SENIOR EDITOR CRILEIDY LIRIANO
EDITOR IN CHIEF & FOUNDER BENJAMIN PORTER
EDITOR IN CHIEF & FOUNDER JOEL GORDON
We would like to wish you a very safe and enjoyable summer! Like something in this issue? Like, share and comment on our Facebook and Instagram pages, or your personal and favourite social media accounts by using the hashtags #loveismoving and #bettertogether
JULY/AUGUST 2016 | LOVE IS MOVING 3
O ME! O LIFE! DOING LIFE TOGETHER Our culture can be very individualistic. We are trained to think of me before we. Undoubtedly, some of this thinking spills over into our church life. Many church services are structured so we can have a little bit of small talk at the end of a sermon, and then we each get into our cars and go our separate ways. Is this really what Jesus dreamed of for His Church? In the Bible we see the church being described as a body made up of many parts, a family and a bride. Clearly, being together like a family is important to Jesus, and part of being a family is to come together, share meals and spend time with one another. I’m convinced we need to get involved in each other’s lives. God doesn’t just want us to be acquaintances. He wants us to be friends, parents and siblings to one another. Weekly Sunday meetings are a nice time of teaching and worship but not a substitute for authentic community gatherings where we are meant to fellowship with one another at a family level. This summer, have a group of friends over for dinner; find a project to do together to help someone in need or do a study book together. God wants us to love each other as friends and family and to have quality time together. He wants us to be there for each other in the good times and the bad times – not just the five-minute small talk.
Josh Lewis
Described as gentle, considerate, and bold Josh Lewis (comic) Cristina Cerda / unsplash.com
ARTIST SPOTLIGHT
BECKY OSTIL Becky Ostil is a graduate of Sheridan College, Oakville, Ont., where she studied in the crafts and design textiles program. Her focus is working into surfaces and creating textural surface designs. Her interest in pursuing an artistic practice began at a co-operative education program at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, where she was introduced to screen-printing and developed a fascination with designing fabric. She has since been in three group shows and completed a successful internship with Mississauga artist Natasha Gouveia. Now that she has graduated, she volunteers her services at outreach programs within her church and intends to continue as an emerging artist.
Becky Ostil
beckyostil.com Described as loving, personable, and witty Becky Ostil
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From a Youth Pastor’s Desk INTERRUPTIONS
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ave you ever been interrupted before? One thing that really gets me riled up is when I get interrupted during a really good show or movie! Am I the only one? Let’s just say that with a six-month-old son I rarely make it through anything without being interrupted somehow. Have you ever had your faith interrupted? Is your faith currently interrupted? Many times in my life I have felt far from God, alone among a crowd of family and friends encouraging me and guiding me back on the right path of a deepening relationship with Jesus. The reality is that being far from God will always result in the feeling of emptiness. The world has gotten pretty good at finding some counterfeits for filling the void that can only be filled by our loving Creator, but these things always end up creating a larger space to be filled, a bigger gap between us and what we need most.
He created us to do. Wherever you are at in your relationship with God, however old you are, we all need this sequence in our life. We all fall short, we all get interrupted and we all miss the mark. What is the dream that is hidden in your heart? What have you been created to do? Who have you been created to reach? How have you been created to do these things? Every day we are given the opportunity to humble ourselves and allow God to nudge us back on track and give us the tools we need to succeed. Are you interrupted? Ask God to step in and hit the reset button.
The beautiful thing I’ve been learning about God is that His heart is always to restore, to recharge, to reset, and to restart! No matter what, His desire is that no one would perish, and that all would have eternal life. That means along the way everyone needs all of these things to happen. The even more amazing thing is that we don’t even deserve it once! But we have this gift whenever we need it! Of course, it’s so easy to stray and find yourself in a place you never thought you would be, doing things you never thought you would do. But it’s the act of a loving God who hits the reset button to restore us. After an interruption, it’s God who brings us back to how we were created to be, recharges our call and restarts the work 6 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
Nathan and Sarah White Damian Zaleski / unsplash.com
ALL THAT’S AT STAKE The lure of scent tingling senses bright The fruity flavours sharpening my sight Don’t look, don’t smell, forget this moment My mind shifts, twists away from my opponent My soul being pulled at the sudden thought My heart beating wildly as if I were caught No, I will not give in and lustily partake No, I know what my Saviour had at stake The mouthwatering sweetness lingering on my tongue Just one more bite, no one will know what I’ve done Heartache, pain, despair suddenly come to mind Can’t shake it, can you? Give into the chocolate you find I won’t, pushing back the urge to lick my fingers Breaking the hold it deceivingly triggers No, I will not give in and gluttony partake No, I know what my Saviour had at stake My ear twitches with the sound of her voice on the phone Her juicy words dripping with news I wanted to know Letting her consonants and vowels take the place He could only fill While His own words were silent, forgotten, left alone and still My eyes shift to where my Bible lays on the nightstand by the door My insides break, I know the bread I partake of leaves me wanting more No, I will not give in and sinfully partake No, I know why my Saviour died, my place He willingly did take
Melanie Kilsby
Described as sweet, creative, and diligent Viktoria Hall-Waldhauser / unsplash.com
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MARTHA AND MARY Nobody starves to death at the feet of God Though they kneel in ugly places Poor or crowded houses Or in rooms of mental illness. Their hearts break in their chests And their eyes are burnt from their skulls They go mad from discontentment And die of wonder. But no one starves at the feet of God They are murdered and chastened And chased by voices To run all night. But no one starves at the feet of God The light is too strong And the wind is too joyful And no one dies until he speaks.
Mike Bonikowsky
Described as introvert, oversensitive. and over thinker Olenka Kotyk / unsplash.com
Identity, Image, and Instagram H
ow much time do you spend scrolling the newsfeeds on Facebook and Twitter, or posing for the perfect selfie on Instagram, hoping your post will get likes and comments from your friends and followers? To get those likes, you post what is – according to social media standards – pretty, popular and acceptable.
number of likes and retweets can too easily steer our sense of self-worth and send it flailing in different directions. This is a spiritual problem.
You hide the messy parts of your life, play up the fun times and maybe even twist the truth a bit so you look a little more interesting. But is the identity you are presenting an authentic view of your real self?
Maintaining this false sense of identity is a gravitational force pulling our hearts away from Christ. But we can’t allow social media to overshadow our identity in Christ. Social media doesn’t define your worth. The number of likes you get on a picture or the number of views you get on your Snapchat story have zero correlation with your value.
Deep within our souls, we long for validation. We want to be liked. We all have that need to be accepted. That need is rooted deep within us, and it stems from our need for Christ. Our souls long for completion through an intimate relationship with Him. It’s not really the number of likes. What you’re truly looking for is to be accepted and loved (or liked). That type of love and acceptance can only come from having a relationship with the Creator of the universe who loves you regardless of the number of likes you have on Facebook or the number of followers on Instagram. Social media has an increasingly stronger role in our notions of value, worth and identity. We live in a world where the
Although social media has its benefits, it can become another tool to deceive us with the oldest of lies, that we are what others think we are, not who God made us to be.
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It’s time to drop the masks and embrace our true identity in Christ.
It’s time to drop the masks and embrace our true identity in Christ. Go ahead, close your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat, spend time in the Bible and pray that God would empower you to live knowing that you are fearfully and wonderfully made regardless of how many choose to like your pictures and statuses.
Candace Maxymowich
Described as peace seeker, resilient, and human Jay Wennington / unsplash.com
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The State of Love
I
still believe in love But how can I When I look at the world it’s hard to deny When I see it with my own eyes That the lives of babies are on a steady decline? I’m inclined to think love has left us I’m inclined to think infant euthanasia would be a step up Dancing around the truth so we dab around a gushing wound Destined to bleed out while waiting for soon While we’re waiting for someday or some place There’s someone waiting for us to see that we do not add up to the sum of one Our tears don’t seep into the concrete for no reason But being cemented in the rock will help us through those seasons Love moves, it cannot stay stagnant When it’s truly realized it has the power to shift a planet I love you, you love me All those childhood weekday afternoons and we still don’t understand it And that’s not our fault We always acted “good” when we needed something, so love was always synonymous with “action”
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Who will go for us, because the ones now just seem to be acting? So we settle for this false sensation of being in or wanting to be in love But it’s all imaginary if we do not make the trudge Love is built on sweat and blood Like my heart bleeds for yours And my forehead perspires in hope of cooling you down And below those brainwave frequency sounds Is a mind that hopes to inspire you the other way around And below that is an intellect that knows it will lose the game of love inevitably But I choose to not give up because that would be the death of me But it’s so easy to lose and forget when you have push back from a fallen world Pornography is secretly raping culture Yet we wonder how we fostered the “she’s asking for it” slogan It’s a gun that has been loading up the rape message for years She’s asking for it is the gun’s smoke but it doesn’t disappear Which leads to putting girls on leashes – but just remember you’re on a short one
Putting girls on the streets “Your lamp is about to go out, Hon” “Honey, Sweetheart, Sex Slave, Baby, Bae” Those words, like “bae” in old Danish, don’t mean what you think they do Look it up Or just look up Look forward Down Side to side Love is moving Look forward Not because it’s trying to run past But because it runs long beyond your past
So they become Apathetic Boy Creeps But we know our ABCs don’t we All Belong to Christ It’s the reason why I can wake up because if this is true then the gathering process has already begun and we’re the basket cases that choose to pick up the harvest in the Son
Look down Into the depths of your heart and you’ll find a wanting of an unconditional love Not because you’re selfish But because it’s a desire that can only be filled from above Look side to side Because love envelops us That’s why I pray and wish for a better day It sounds so simple But it’s really faith, trust and hope just simplified a little Look side to side and you’ll see pimps who gave up on the search for real love And threw away their ABCs
Michael Antwi Morgan Sessions / unsplash.com
JULY/AUGUST 2016 | LOVE IS MOVING 11
Beauty Matters
A Perspective on Art and the Church
A
s a child I remember plunking down a huge pile of scrap paper on the floor in my living room and spending entire afternoons doodling whatever came to mind. Sometimes it was faces of characters that I’d come up with for short stories, the occasional imaginary monster and quite a few wild animals. Sketching away with those orange pencils has been a part of my life as long as I can remember, with acrylic paint getting thrown into the mix in more recent years. I find it inspiring and enjoyable to see the finished products. For me, however, talking about “art” feels superficial. Often the word “art” conjures up tacky images of colour wheels and badly painted landscapes that a hotel manager thought would brighten the place up. Physical art – whether it’s a painting, pencil drawing or a play – is the fruit of a mind that is alive, with the imagination at work, showing internal and external realities. Through good art, we are confronted with the glory, sorrow and mystery of human life in all its intricacies in a moment of power and awe.
Art has lost its place in the church and society as a whole because the imaginative core of humanity has been neglected, and instead society focuses its effort and attention on whatever can make us most productive and efficient. With every waking hour full of activity, moving from a day of school, to 3 different extracurricular activities on different weeknights, and then the pile of homework always looming with our phone constantly buzzing in our pockets, life can become shallow. We often lose sight of transcendence and avert our gaze from mystery. Art is a product of curiosity and the experience that results. It is cultivated by a rich understanding and experience of the lives we live. If we drown our sense of wonder with the ravaging influences of unrestrained JULY/AUGUST 2016 | LOVE IS MOVING 13
technology, superficial friendships and a cold monotony of day-by-day life, the effects are obvious.
imaginative, active Logos that hold together the natural order of existence on a secondby-second basis.
We will not be able to be floored by the depths of beauty, truth and goodness that God allows us to experience in the world He has created. Our senses will be dulled and emotions fogged.
The work of the artist is not to engage in creative self-expression, but rather to render the deep truth of things in a way that strikes and resonates in a threefold experience of truth, beauty and goodness.
To fully receive our inheritance of joy and be effective as Christians, we need to engage with the beauty that surrounds us and show that God is the creative mind behind it all. Passion cultivates passion. That’s the job of the Christian artist – to pierce the heart of an increasingly uninterested and vapid culture with the fiery sword of the Spirit through artistic representations of reality. We need to do away with the idea of art as being mere “inward expression” and instead see it as a remolding of God’s already created order, which we can present in fresh and powerful ways through imaginative work of artistic construction.
“Pierce the heart of an increasingly uninterested and vapid culture”
“Sub-creation,” as J.R.R. Tolkien termed it, is the re-crafting of elements of God’s
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Good art enlivens and inspires, it quickens the soul to act or else brings restful peace and a spiritual stirring that is often unexplainable. We’ve all encountered this connection at some point, whether it’s the ecstatic rush while watching Les Miserables, the profound sense of closeness we may have felt with characters from our favourite movie or the wrenching of the heart caused by a poem written during a World War. Through whatever artistic medium, we can all relate to this sense of awareness of the richness of being human and the untouchable mystery of transcendent vastness. Author Andy Crouch analyzes the world’s view of Christianity as it relates to our cultural mandate to live beautiful lives. I wonder what we Christians are known for in the world outside our churches. Are we known as critics, consumers, copiers or condemners of culture? I’m afraid so. Why aren’t we known as cultivators – people who tend and nourish what is best in human culture, who do the hard and painstaking work to preserve the best of what people
before us have done? Why aren’t we known as creators – people who dare to think and do something that has never been thought or done before, something that makes the world more welcoming and thrilling and beautiful? Christians must create in a manner that is reminiscent of God who created us, treating our craft in the highest regard, finding goodness to portray rather than being mere critics of everything the secular world creates. God is the author of beauty, and the closer we get to Him the more the world becomes alive and exciting even in that which is small and mundane. He is lifted high by the simple act of bringing beauty into a culture that so desperately needs it. Follow Conor and his art at @conorsweetman on Instagram.
Conor Sweetman
Described as amiable, artistic, and chill Jay Wennington (page seven)/ unsplash.com Conor Sweetman (page eight & nine)
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TAKE ACTION SAMPLE STUDY & JOURNAL
FOR GROUPS OR PERSONAL REFLECTION
LOVING OTHERS
Love is Moving Study Guide & Journal is designed to revive a biblical understanding and expression of love. This resource tool empowers small groups to grow in their love for God and their love for others. Journey with others across the nation and explore God’s love by building relationships, engaging in mission and committing to reflecting the love of Jesus in everyday life. As you prepare to learn more about what love is, remember to pray and ask God to lead you closer to him and deeper in his truths.
It took God Himself to come down to earth in the form of man and lay down His life to save us from spiritual death and separation from God. Because of God’s sacrificial love, we received the free gift to choose to accept Him and experience His forgiveness, faithfulness, grace and hope. In both difficult and joyous times, we should stand firm in His love for us. As it did in the Garden of Eden, sin separates us from being in relationship with God. Because God loves us and wants the best for us, there are consequences for sin- just like any good parent would enforce as well. His love is unconditional and never fails. It is through relationship that love is expressed and found. It is expressed through actions.
QUESTION TO THINK ABOUT
LIM encourages taking action to demonstrate love towards others, our hearts need to be moved by the things that move Jesus’ heart. While He was living on Earth as a man, Jesus cared for and had friendships with people- some hated Him. How can we love others at home, school, work, sports teams, and the church who we may not get along with?
HERE’S A SAMPLE OF THE SMALL GROUP RESOURCE WE’RE DEVELOPING. THERE ARE 6 PARTS IN THE ENTIRE RESOURCE. COLLECT ALL 6 ISSUES OF LIM IN 2016 TO PREVIEW SOME OF THE TAKE ACTION APP CONTENT.
Use #loveismoving to share what you have learned.
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I JOHN I3:34-35
Love each other just as I have loved you.
JOURNAL WEEK 4
TAKE ACTION Make a list of practical things that you can do in your daily life to be more caring toward others.
JO UR NA L E NTR Y
DAY 22
When we understand what love is, we will better understand why we should care about others. Love Is Moving encourages you to take action with your friends by partnering with churches and Christian organizations that are committed to loving others.
Use #loveismoving to share ideas for putting God's love in action. JULY/AUGUST 2016 | LOVE IS MOVING 17
DAY 25 DAY 24 DAY 23
GALATIANS 5:6
TAKE ACTION
I JOHN 4:7-8
TAKE ACTION
As followers of Jesus we are to care for one another. Ask God to bring to mind someone in your school or university that you could get to know and be supportive towards.
J O U R N AL E NTR Y
What’s important is faith expressing itself in love.
When we are living selflessly in obedience to God’s Word, we are bringing Glory to God. What ways this week can you seek to live out your faith through loving others?
J O U R N A L E NT R Y
Love comes from God and God is love.
PHIL 2:I-4
Be humble and think of others.
TAKE ACTION Brainstorm some ways you can put others above yourself.
Use #loveismoving to share ideas for putting God's love in action. 18 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
J O U R N A L E NT R Y
Take note of those who are made fun of or left out. We are all made in God's image and should all be treated with respect, love and dignity.
JO U R N AL E NTR Y
Love out enemies.
TAKE ACTION
JOHN I5:5
God is the vine; we are the branches.
TAKE ACTION If we try to love on our own strength we will get burnt out. Ask God for help.
J O U R N A L E NT R Y
DAY 26 DAY 28 DAY 27
MATTHEW 5:43-48
JOHN I5:I2-I5 Jesus is our friend.
JOU RNA L E NTR Y
TAKE ACTION What are some caring things you can do for your friends?
Use #loveismoving to share ideas for putting God's love in action.
FEELING ALONE? God can work with that L
oneliness is a scary word. Though many of us wouldn’t admit it, loneliness is something we’ve probably all felt or dreaded feeling. If you’re experiencing it now, take the courage to admit to yourself that it’s real.
Loneliness can actually draw you to God – whether you feel He’s with you at the time or not. When no one else can satisfy your need to feel loved, validated or a part of something, sometimes that’s when we are drawn to the one and only relationship that can satisfy all those needs.
Maybe you’ve had a recent move to a new city, or switched churches and don’t know anyone yet. Or maybe you’ve experienced the loss of a relationship.
Although people usually talk about loneliness as something to be avoided at all costs, actually loneliness is useful. Feeling alone is an opportunity to allow God to fill you more than you have ever been in your life. It’s an opportunity to experience the perfection of relationship with God, who would do anything to encourage and develop your character to become more like Christ – even allowing you to feel alone.
One of the main ways we experience loneliness is feeling we don’t belong or we aren’t being part of something. In the church community, we have a habit of saying, “But you’re never alone. God is always with you!” There is an incredible truth to that, but when we are in the depths of feeling alone, such a blanket statement can be hard to take in. “Do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand,” says Isaiah 41:10. This is a promise. So, how does that pan out when you feel your prayers aren’t being answered "It’s an opportunity and your desperate to experience cries to the perfection of God are relationship with God" met with silence? The problem is we see a black and white answer as to how God can help us feel better. Maybe the answer is for you to find new friends, to move back to your old home, or get back to your high school friends. Or maybe God is just asking you to stay and be still in His presence.
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In that place of loneliness, choose to trust. Trust that God will fill your needs. Trust that He is enough, even when you can’t feel Him there. Trust that in His timing He will restore you. In the meantime, learn from the pain of loneliness and draw closer to Him. “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:6-10).
Emily Cook
Described as genuine, kind-to-a-fault, and “probably in the top 7 funniest people my friends know.” Greg Rakozy / unsplash.com
Hello from the other side I
t is 4:15 a.m. The blaring alarm stings my ears. I have no choice but to get up off my bed and get ready. As I look at my suitcase for the last time I rehearse in my head all I need to bring. I am packing to start a new life miles away. As I wave my last goodbye to my parents and make my way through the gate to board the plane, it finally dawns on me what is actually happening. I’ve heard it said before, “If you are brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” I don’t think I understood that quote until I said goodbye to all that was comfortable and familiar. I think many times we desire to say “hello” to what is new; whether it is a new set of friends, a new environment, a new identity or a new way of thinking, but often the fear of “goodbye” is greater. We only rob ourselves of what could be.
told Lot and his family to walk and not to turn back. Lot walked forward but his wife, in a split second, looked back and instantly became a pillar of salt. When we resist the need to move forward, we can look a lot like Lot’s wife. When I contemplated moving to Belize for medical school, it scared me for months. Fear paralyzed me. Fear gripped my mind and heart. I could only think of what I might lose or what could possibly go wrong. “God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind” (1Timothy 1:7). That scripture became my saving grace. I had heard it before, but I needed to hear it again. I needed it to sink down where my heart was trapped by fear, and release me from the prison of illusion. Fear really is “false evidence appearing real.” Remember, when fear says you have no control, power gives you the authority to control what is necessary (Luke 10:19). When fear says you will be hated and rejected, love gives you the
"God has given me all that I ever needed to not only survive, but also thrive!"
There is a story in the Bible about this, the story of Lot and his wife. Lot was the nephew of Abraham. Lot and his family had to leave the city where they lived because God was about to destroy it for rebellion. The angel of God very strictly
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ability to connect with God and man (John 13:35). When fear sends you confusing thoughts, a sound mind makes you capable to make good decisions (1 Cor2:16). Fear wanted me to believe I would be unable to survive but God has given me all that I ever needed to not only survive, but also thrive! I may be saying goodbye to what I am comfortable with – maybe you are in a place where you have to as well – but never forget the most important thing: God is with you in your “goodbye” as well as in your “hello.” He will not leave you. Neither will He abandon you. It is just not in His nature.
Rosemond Ennin
Described as funny, caring, and reflective Kazuend / unsplash.com
NO PASSPORT REQUIRED On mission with Compassion Canada
W
elcome to On Mission With Compassion Canada, where you’ll hear stories about youth like you and me who are discovering their role in God’s story of redemption for the brokenness in our world, and taking action through the ministry of Compassion Canada. I hope these stories inspire you to do the same and encourage you along your journey.
HEIDI’S STORY A CONNECTION LIKE NO OTHER When Heidi’s family in Hamilton, Ont. first started sponsoring Wendy from Bolivia through Compassion, both Heidi and Wendy were 3 years old. “We grew up together, but on opposite sides of the globe,” says Heidi, now 19 and going into her third year studying psychology. Heidi grew up going to church and became a Christian when she was seven. Growing up, both following Jesus and reaching out to kids 22 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
in poverty were big parts of Heidi’s life. It was something she eventually had to own for herself. “I wanted to make a difference rather than it just be my parents’ idea.” Heidi took over writing letters to Wendy.
Eventually, when Heidi and Wendy were 14, the two girls had a chance to meet when Heidi and her dad travelled to Bolivia. “It was amazing and a memory I will cherish forever!”
The day started at the Compassion Bolivia office, where Heidi and her dad met their translator and a Compassion staff member. “Then we took a taxi to Wendy’s Compassion Centre where all the kids were waiting. I didn’t know which one was her at first because there were so many kids! But then she came up and we hugged.” Heidi visited Wendy’s classroom, met her classmates and saw the kinds of activities they do at the Compassion Child Development Centre where all Compassion kids attend regularly. Heidi showed Wendy and her classmates pictures of snow and the
Hamilton
Canadian winter. Then, Heidi visited Wendy’s home, where she met Wendy’s mom, siblings and niece. “Seeing the house was really hard because it was just this one room, and she shared a bed with her mom and sister. It was just . . . real.” Despite that sobering experience for Heidi, the two girls also managed to have a lot of fun together, going shopping, eating ice cream and visiting Bolivia’s Cristo de la Concordia statue. Even the language barrier couldn’t stop the connection between Heidi and Wendy. “I don’t speak very much Spanish so I couldn’t understand her, but the whole day we
would just laugh and smile at each other. We just became really instant friends which was really cool.” After a tough goodbye, it was time to part ways. Heidi says the experience in Bolivia made her more appreciative of the little things people take for granted. She says she also realized just how important the ministry of Compassion Canada is. “God’s love is a really important part of Compassion’s ministry. As much as money is great and can help, teaching kids about Jesus and telling them that they are loved is even more important.” Today, Heidi sponsors her own child, Maribel from Peru, and is also a volunteer with Compassion, encouraging other people to become Compassion sponsors. “I wanted to do more, but as a student, there’s not a lot of extra money to sponsor another child. But volunteering is something I can do to be part of a team that’s making a difference.” When asked if she believes youth can make a difference, Heidi’s answer is absolutely. “There’s always something that can be done be it through prayer or financial giving or just writing to a child to encourage them. If youth can stand together and show that we care, it’ll encourage adults or other people to consider sponsoring or doing something to help. There are so many stories of youth that are able to make a difference.”
Alyssa Esparaz
Described as compassionate, talkative, and happy Alyssa Esparaz Bolivia
JULY/AUGUST 2016 | LOVE IS MOVING 23
Trinity Fashion Appropriate and not?
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here should young Christian women set limits for themselves on shorts, bikinis and tight clothing? Love Is Moving discussed some of the issues with Josie La Corte, a Toronto Film School student and creative visionary, and Armaane Testoni, a UK native and fabulous hair dresser, two fashionable young Christian women from Toronto. LIM: When do you think shorts or skirts are “too short” or “inappropriate?” JLC: It’s not only the length of the garment but how tight it fits. Some skirts are long but show every crevice of your legs. Is it really honouring God if you’re likely to distract a person, guy or girl, with your body as you’re talking? Ask yourself that question when you’re getting dressed and I think you’ll get the answer. Armaane Testoni: Shorts and skirts or even dresses can start to look too short when you start feeling uncomfortable. If you constantly need to pull down your skirt or dress or you can’t sit comfortably, to me that would be crossing the line. Ladies, don’t get me wrong – as Christian women you can dress modestly and still look mighty fly! Always remember you have the Holy Spirit to guide you when you’re unsure in these situations. 24 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
LIM: When are bikinis okay to wear? JLC: I hate to sound like I’m over-spiritualizing it, but you can wear bikinis any time you feel the Holy Spirit’s confirmation that it’s alright. I went to a party with my fellow youth leaders last year, and I knew I’d feel uncomfortable wearing a two piece around them. I didn’t want to be a distraction to my fellow brothers, and so I opted for a more modest one-piece that looks like a two piece from the back (yeah, ladies you know those). It’s about being who you are and having the responsibility of carrying the title of being a godly woman. If the motive behind your dressing is telling you otherwise in your heart, change and go for something different. AT: As women in general we all know it’s nice to wear a bikini when we are on vacation or at our friend’s pool party. However, being a Christian woman we know that’s hard because we don’t want to put our brothers in Christ in a situation where they will fall into lusting, for example. There are many different types of bikinis you can wear that aren’t as revealing but still cute and fashionable. American Apparel for instance has cute high-waisted bikini bottoms and a top to match. Or you can even find a nice one-piece that looks like a two-piece from the back.
It’s all about being creative by finding new ways to wear the things you like but still respecting others and yourself. LIM: Is there such thing as clothing that’s “too tight?” JLC: Yes there is. Sometimes what might not be tight for someone might be tight for you. Keep our previous comments at the back of your mind when you dress, and the Holy Spirit will lead you. I was out buying clothes one day, when I stumbled on camel-coloured corduroy skinnies. I loved them and they fit amazing! But for the first time ever the Holy Spirit checked me, and I didn’t understand why. I asked my mom what she thought of them, and she liked them. But still the Holy Spirit was pressing onto my heart and I couldn’t get it. So I took a few steps back from the mirror and – Oh my goodness! I looked naked! The camel colour was blending into my skin and from far I looked pant-less! Invite God in every area in your life, including your clothing, and watch Him move mightily. AT: Yes, there is such a thing as clothing being too tight when it starts to become revealing – for example, if your cleavage is showing or the material of your clothing is skin-tight and showing off all your curves. Use your discretion when it comes to dressing yourself and know where your
Tommy Bahama
motives are at. Are you dressing to please others at the end of the day, or are you bringing glory to Christ by dressing as a godly woman? Be creative and have fun with your wardrobe! Show the world that Christian women can still be fashionable but in a different way. My sisters, let’s be trend setters!
Garent Hill
Nanette Lepore Maharaja
in the Real World of Sexual Temptation (WaterBrook Press, 2002). Let’s admit that we actually need to intentionally train ourselves to avert our eyes or change our thinking! Let’s show respect for women, all of whom bear God’s image, no matter how they’re dressed.
SIDEBAR A GUY’S POINT OF VIEW Hey, guys, this interview suggests the issues are all about girls being careful how they dress so they don’t cause us to lust or sin in other ways. Sure, that’s good for women to think about, but what about us exercising self-control? We too should call on the Holy Spirit about these issues, inviting God to cultivate this fruit of the Spirit within us. Have you heard of the phrase “bouncing your eyes?” The idea is to train your eyes to bounce away immediately from a woman’s cleavage or tight clothing or the like. If you aren’t familiar with these strategies, you can find a great biblical case for them and more detailed, practical tips (and even biological research that supports them) in books by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker such as Every Man’s Battle (WaterBrook Press, 2000) and Every Young Man’s Battle: Strategies for Victory
Marc Jacob
Josie La Corte & Armaane Testoni Crew (left) / unsplash.com
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answer for me is no. I know that God has conquered sin. Reflecting on the nature of suffering may help you realize that enduring all things will cause you to bear fruit.
3
Follow your own advice: Just as I am writing this article right now, you may also be giving advice to Christians and others. I try to remind myself to follow my own advice, especially when I need it most. When we offer advice in love and gentleness, the Spirit is moving us. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel, or explain things in various ways to get the same result. Follow a piece of godly advice you have given someone else.
4
Five Ways to Stay Focused on God I
f we are going to survive in a world that rejects or tries to ignore God, we must stay focused on God and our faith in Him.
I try to do all of my acknowledgements at 3:00 p.m. every day (the time Jesus Christ died on the cross).
I’m referring especially to what occupies our mind, to our thoughts and how they inform our faith. Even subconscious thoughts are important – research has shown how much they shape our conscious thoughts and actions.
Isaiah 30:15 says, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.’ ”
Practically, this means the messages we take in every day are important. They are the fuel that feeds our subconscious. Of course God is also at work in us, and I believe any good within us and evident in our actions have got to be credited to God. Here are five practices that have helped me stay focused on God.
1
Psalm 46:10 says “Be still and know that I am God.” Take the time to quiet all of the hustle and bustle of your life (and mind). High school students, college students, professionals with careers and everyone in between can benefit from this quiet. When we give too much power to all the tasks we may have in our lives, or all the negative thoughts that we may have about ourselves and our stress, we diminish our focus on God. Taking five minutes out of our day to acknowledge this goes a very long way. It has helped me a lot. 26 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
There is a parallel message in these two passages in the Old Testament. Be still, quiet yourself and trust in God. This is spiritual food for the hungry soul. Try these steps and document or journal your experience. Reflect and repeat.
2
Acknowledge our suffering and rejoice in it. My favourite way to understand this in Scripture is the writings of Peter. Take a moment and read through the books of Peter while working through this five-step workout for staying focused on God.
Give all glory to God, in all things, for all things, and at all times. This is by far the most important step. But for me – and many others – it is the most difficult. The complete story in the Bible is one of salvation and the plan afterwards. All of this is meant to glorify God. God seeks to be worshipped, to be the only one true God that you believe in and to be the one you love before yourself or others.
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Maximize your time with other Christians. Do not undervalue the importance of being surrounded by people walking in the light the same as you are. It is the light of Christ that shines from all of us that gives hope and peace to the world. Reflect on Paul writing to the churches. Think of how he rejoiced and was strengthened by their faith. Iron sharpens iron. We are all stronger for being with each other. We all shine at various degrees of brightness – so don’t feel bad for being dim sometimes. As I write this article I have prayed and reflected. I feel that my light is shining brightly. But come to me in a week, and you might see me flipping through the pages of Love Is Moving or Faith Today seeking to have my spiritual self recharged. I look toward my peers and my fellow Christians. We shouldn’t feel embarrassed or ashamed to seek help. Feel free to modify this plan or completely create your own. The most important thing to know is that there are many ways to stay focused on God. Remember that every relationship with God is unique in its own way.
Romans 5:3-4 reminds us to “rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” We are tested in the fire. The measuring stick for our faith and spiritual strength is adversity and suffering. I ask myself this simple question: Is there any amount of suffering that is greater than God? The
Shawn LaVie Louis Moncouyoux / unsplash.com
ON FIRE FOR WORSHIP Encouraging the art of worship in our churches
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et’s face it, the art made by Christians today is not always good art.
But there was a time when this was not the case. In fact the church was where the best art was created. The Renaissance age alone gave us numerous artists that are unsurpassed in their brilliance, and they did it all in homage to God. So how did we end up with a lot of Christian art being underexposed or even underdeveloped? How do we bring our work and our message to a wider audience to save souls? There are a few things we can do:
CREATE ART SO GOOD IT CAN’T BE DENIED. Integrity in your art form, whether it’d be drama, dance, interpretive dance, singing, or painting, especially as a Christian, is key. The world is all too often looking for a chance to disregard you. We need to push our worship ministries to higher levels of both integrity and artistic ability. Great. Now, how do we do that?
INVEST IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP ART STARTING AT A YOUNG AGE. Encourage youth groups, youth pastors and young people across the body of Christ to make artistic material. Get in there and work out some of the feelings you have, share your testimony, explore the word and new art forms. Try dance, human video, drama, song writing, spoken word, or painting. Practice is key, and other kinds of training will develop naturally from that.
RECOGNIZE THAT WORSHIP ART IS AN AMAZING WAY TO ENGAGE YOUNG PEOPLE. As a young person, music and worship arts were the glue that connected me to the church. It was an easy way to feel God’s power and to express what He was doing in my heart and mind. Using easy modes of communication for young people helps them connect to God and to the church community. Not to mention, the best way to teach someone something is to ask him or her to teach it to someone else.
IT DOESN’T HAVE TO START AT THE TOP. Many of you might be saying, “We don’t have a drama team, a spoken word team, or a human video team at our church, so I can’t join one.” Well, maybe you should start one. If you are a youth with an idea, approach your youth pastor or church about what you’d like to do. Maybe you are a match that lights the flame for youth in your community. Allow for time and training and space for your team to work on their art form. You can give them guidance, bring in other performers, watch videos of artists, provide workshops and instructional handbooks, or take them to performances. Time is what is needed to perfect and excel in anything that is done. If we want integrity and excellence in our art of worship, we have to invest in it. Give our young worship artists opportunities, tools and time, and watch them be on fire for Christ!
Dagmar Morgan
Described as considerate, enthusiastic, and energetic Lia Leslie / unsplash.com
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I
’ve had the privilege of going on a few mission trips, .and as much as it may sound like a small part of the experience, how we take pictures can be very important.
RESET OUR VIEWFINDERS How to take good pictures on this summer’s mission trip.
28 LOVE IS MOVING | JULY/AUGUST 2016
I was in Senegal with a group of Canadians learning about a mission project. We visited the slums where a local boy lived. As we gathered in his home, the group I was with, all kind-hearted people, immediately started taking pictures. A few wandered into other parts of the house, snapping shots of the children who lived in this house that would not even be considered an adequate garden shed back in Canada. The reality is that these people were living in extreme poor conditions. One of the men in our group started complaining about his camera. It wasn’t working properly. With young children playing in the garbage around him, he groaned, “Well, nothing a new camera can’t solve, right?” After I returned from that trip and flipped through my own hundreds of photos, I felt uncomfortable with some of the pictures that I had taken too. I’m still figuring this out myself, but here are some guidelines I now try to keep in mind as I take pictures:
RESPECT
LOOK AND THINK
Take pictures of others the way you would want others to take pictures of you. Imagine what it would be like to have a group of foreigners come into your home, and start photographing everything that they see. It’s just weird.
Before you take a picture, ask yourself if you really need it. Not everything needs to be photographed or shared. We can actually miss what is happening right in front of us if we are obsessed with taking pictures of everything. We need to look with our eyes and use other senses, not looking at everything through a viewfinder.
PERMISSION
Don’t take pictures of people until you know Documenting your experiences is still imthem or have their permission. Can you portant though. It can help you work through imagine if somebody who didn’t live in your things that might be tough to see, and can town, walked up let you see what God was doing to you, took a later on. “We need to look picture of your Journaling, although not many face and walked with our eyes and people’s first choice, can also be away? Establish a use other senses, not a good idea to keep things docurelationship with looking at everything mented. Bring an empty notebook a person first, and write down what you’re and then ask through a viewfinder.” seeing, and how it is making you if you can take feel. You’ll be recording moments, their picture. If you are on a mission trip, you may have without offending anybody or belittling him a local host who can help you understand or her. Journaling is also a good way to check guidelines around picture taking. Sometimes, in with yourself as you’ll probably be seeing especially with kids, taking pictures can be and experiencing many new things. an icebreaker, but it has to be a combined effort – showing them the pictures, or letting them take some too can make a big difference. Don’t offer to send the photos if you know you probably can’t.
ONE PHOTOGRAPHER If you’re in a group, try to designate one person as the photographer. That person can change daily. This cuts down on the herd mentality. When everyone has his or her cameras out all the time, it seems more like a photography trip than a mission trip.
Holly Stiller
Described as determined, moody, and messy Jean-Pierre Brungs / unsplash.com
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Welcome Home[coming]
We live in the shadow of a civil war. Not the American Civil War (although there’s certainly much to discuss on that regard) –I’m referring to Marvel’s latest entries in their bazillion-dollar superhero movie franchise. The film Captain America: Civil War has come and gone from theatres but, I still find it jaw-dropping how much anticipation there is for a movie like this. Every bus, cereal box, toothbrush and (likely) kid was emblazoned with either #TeamCap or #TeamIronMan. Tickets sold out at a record pace weeks (!) before the film’s release as Marvel fans salivated over the carnage of their favourite heroes colliding on the big screen and perhaps even getting killed off. Oh yeah, and the return of Spider-Man. Sorry, Black Panther, I mean no disrespect, especially since you were amazing in the film. But the Internet has been buzzing over the latest incarnation of their favourite wall-crawler. Arguably the most popular character in the Marvel canon, Spidey hasn’t even been absent from the big screen for that long. Remember, it was only two years ago we were given the travesty that was The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But, all of a sudden, everyone has arachnid fever again. The first tease of Tom Holland in costume (his “underoos”) in the second trailer for the next film went viral. The ensuing announcement of the film’s released date in summer 2107 (including the addition of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man to the cast) made fans pop with enthusiasm. So, why the hoopla? After all, as the song says, how can we miss you if you won’t go away? I think it has something to do with the title of the new film, Spider-Man: Homecoming. No, it doesn’t have the pop of, say, Civil War (and it is the title of a storyline from the comic adventuress in the 80s), but I think that the enthusiasm stems from what the film implies. You see, Spider-Man has come home. Here’s the other civil war I’m talking about. When the film rights to Spider-Man were sold to Sony Pictures in the late 1990s, Spidey was a hot commodity. From the
troubled production by James Cameron that never saw the light to the eventual Tobey Macguire films in the early 2000s, Spider-Man has remained a Marvel property but only in comics and licensing, not in movies. It was a similar agreement to the one that Marvel has with Fox Entertainment regarding X-Men films. Marvel is not even allowed to use the word “mutants” in their “cinematic universe” because Fox holds those rights. Until recently, the Marvel-Sony agreement was working out fairly well for both parties. Sony was cranking out Spider-Man films – they had to do so in order to retain the rights – and Marvel was busy with their own projects. Sony even had plans to start their own Spider-Man cinematic universe with spin-offs and sequels. However, when The Amazing Spider-Man 2 turned out to be … well, less than amazing, fans started to turn on Sony. Criticisms of scripts, characters and pretty much everything related to Spidey had pretty much left the franchise in jeopardy. But, after the infamous Sony email leak of 2014, all of that began to change. All of a sudden, word spread that Marvel was working out a secret agreement with Sony, one that would give creative control back to Marvel regarding the character, but Sony would reap the financial benefits. Fans rejoiced. Although much of the hype surrounded the fact that Spider-Man could finally join the Avengers, the reality is that people were happy that Marvel – Spidey’s creators and the ones who truly understand the character – could finally tell his stories the way they were intended. Regardless of what you felt of any of the Spider-Man films, it simply felt awkward that he remained in the hands of a company that didn’t seem to care about him as much as Marvel does. Whereas Sony merely used him as a franchise machine, Marvel seems to have a more vested interest in the character himself. For the record, I’m also not blind to the fact that Marvel sees Spidey as a profit-maker. However, they do genuinely seem to care about how well his stories are told. Now, he has come home. Underoos and all. There is a sense that Spider-Man simply belongs in the hands of Marvel. In the
hands of Sony, Spidey seemed lost. In an (almost) prodigal-like narrative, the firstborn has returned to the rejoicing father. Further, I think that the overwhelmingly positive response from the fans suggests that everyone believes that this is what needed to happen. There’s a recognition that he will receive better care at home. It’s a need we all have. Ultimately, I believe that we all cry out for home. It’s a spiritual need that’s deeply embedded in our hearts. Sometimes, our actual homes don’t provide that sense of refuge – some even do damage to us emotionally and physically – but we remain on our search until we find somewhere, anywhere, that makes us feel loved and accepted. That sense of hope can only be found when we realize what it means to be a part of God’s Kingdom. As Spider-Man’s story will be told properly in the hands of his creators, so too do our stories make more sense when we reconnect with our Creator. When we experience the love and wholeness that God offers His children, we experience what it means to truly come home. Now to get myself some underoos….
Steve Norton Louis Moncouyoux (left) Christian Joudrey (right) / unsplash.com
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