http://www.sethbarnes.com Radical Living in a Comfortable World - A Blog by Seth Barnes en-us Thu, 2 Jul 2009 21:05:27 GMT 30 http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=a-week-of-new-perspectives-part-1 http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=a-week-of-new-perspectives-part-1 We all need prayer. If you'd like someone to pray with you or disciple you, our new blog ministers would like to help (just click on their photos on the sidebar at left). From time to time I'll ask one of them to share. The first of these is Patti Blakely. She explains how she found the blog and how God subsequently touched her life.  - sb   You've heard that your life flashes before your eyes before you die. I learned last week that God sometimes takes the opportunity to review your life and leave you still breathing. A glitch on my laptop led to the most amazing and fullfilling week of my life. I was playing on Facebook and a blog page appeared out of nowhere. I began to read the entries and knew that I had a connection with this person named Seth Barnes. So I sent an email to him. 15 minutes later the phone rang and it was Seth. We talked for no more then 10 minutes and agreed to meet for lunch. Little did I know, but my whole life was about to change.   I Thu, 2 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-portfolio-phase http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-portfolio-phase Having selected 30 photographers in the first phase of the photo contest, we've entered the portfolio phase. This is where you get to see the strength of a photographer's overall work. Each are submitting 20 pics. You can see the early submissions here. The photographers have another week or so to complete their portfolio.   Here's a sample portfolio:   November 2008, Burma, Villagers wave farewell as we pull away from their dock after delivering some goods and playing with children.    November 2008, Burma, Prayer.    November 2008, Burma, Worship.    October 2008, Cambodia, An HIV+ orphan girl peers up at me as I hold her hand.    October 2008, Cambodia, World Racers Josh Bruce and Johnny Pratt (July '08 squad) have fun with kids in the ocean during our Race debrief.    October 2008, Cambodia, World Racers Lisa Smith and Kara Burrows play "London Bridge is falling down" with orphan kid Wed, 1 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=thank-the-people-who-packed-your-chute http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=thank-the-people-who-packed-your-chute So many people have helped me become the person I am. How about you? Who has contributed to your life? Have you really thanked them?   This story from Charles Plumb, a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam, may encourage you to to go back and make sure they understand the gratitude you feel.   After 75 combat missions, Plumb's plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience. One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!" "How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb. "I packed your parachute," the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" P Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=bios http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=bios Welcome to the re-launch of this blog. Behind the scenes, we've been organizing it for several weeks now.   Over the life of the blog, it has turned into more of a community. I regularly receive requests for help. In general, people are looking either for prayer, for counsel, or for discipleship. Thankfully, a number of our regular blog readers have stepped up and have reached out. I've come to the conclusion that it was time to better empower them in their areas of ministry. You can read about it in this blog.   I asked for volunteers to help. Here are the ones who have stepped up so far.  I know and trust them all. I've screened them according to their gifting and call as ministers and followers of Jesus. I've asked them to send me their pictures and a short bio. If you know of people who need prayer, counsel, or discipleship, they are available Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=marisa-takes-on-the-world http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=marisa-takes-on-the-world Home again after a week away. As Amanda observed, Whimsy has some attachment disorders; he was beside himself to welcome us back.    Tonight before sleeping in my own bed, I called up a video made by two of my favorite World Racers, Ian Schumann and Marisa Banas. Whenever life's pain tempts me to drift in the direction of cynicism, all I have to do is check out a video like this one and my hope returns. The point of it is: You can make a difference.   More of us need to regain our grasp on the serious hope we've been given.  And more 20-somethings need to go on the World Race and start believing in the Jesus in them. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=fawcett-jackson-the-evanescence-of-youth http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=fawcett-jackson-the-evanescence-of-youth I'm in Savannah, a city that oozes history out of every pore. What a perfect place to contemplate the inevitable passage of time. And what a day to spend thinking about it.   In a culture that prizes youth, that takes a wrecking ball to stadiums more than a generation old, in a country where cities like Phoenix and Reno sprout from the desert seemingly overnight, we do well to push the pause button from time to time and say, "Is this the best we can do?"   Those of you older than forty grew up with Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson as icons of what the Beach Boys called Endless Summer. Fawcett's poster graced many a dorm-room door during my junior year (1978) at Wheaton College. And while none of my crowd listened to Michael Jackson, we never tired of watching the permutations of his public persona.   Jackson's obsession with youth took our cultural dereliction to an obscene extreme. His example is a cautionary road sign along life's highway: "Here's where yo Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=my-1-secret-of-success http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=my-1-secret-of-success I've been successful in building some things and people have speculated on the reason why. In the interest of trying to impart to you something that will be useful, I'll dispense with the false humility that is customary when discussing such matters. Of course God is the author of all ideas and opportunities. But I'm not a Calvinist or a determinist. We are stewards of what he gives us and he holds us accountable for our stewardship. So, what is it? Some hypotheses: Maybe it's a commitment to prayer and to try to follow God's leadership. Maybe it flows from trying to follow Jesus' model of discipleship. Maybe it's a willingness to take wild risks and lots of them. Maybe it's an ability to build large networks. Or maybe it's my commitment to build a nurturing culture in the workplace. Or maybe it's the fact that my parents taught me to wait before I eat the marshmallow. Frankly, I don't know - they're all important. But let's lo Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-winners-round-1-final-list http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-winners-round-1-final-list Here are the winners of Round 1 of the photo contest. There are 32. The names were withheld from the judges, but now we can make them public. Because we struggled to decide on a few (and didn't hear back from a judge who went on vacation), we will probably post a few more before week's end. If, after reviewing the 3000+ entries, you'd like to suggest one that we missed, please give us the URL in the comments below. If enough of you agree, we'll post one or two "people's choice" candidates. Stay tuned for Round 2: The Portfolio Round (each winner below submits a 20 photo portfolio). Nick Derington. San Juan streets. A local elderly woman begging for pocket change.   Sean Smith. Care point in Swaziland. I took photo as the children were eating. Sharon Woods. Tanzania. Longito missions compound. There were over 200 underprivledged Maasai children praising and worshiping the Lord. (Maasai jump when they worship). That day these children received a meal, and h Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-round-1-winners http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-round-1-winners We're proud to announce the Round One Winners of AIM's Missions Photo Contest. We're posting an initial group of winners today and will post the rest tomorrow. Our panel of judges selected 30 photos (from 30 unique photographers). The semi-finalists will now put together a 20-picture portfolio that will be available for public viewing.   Stay tuned to the blog, and we'll show you how to check out the online portfolios that our qualifying photographers are building. On July 15, we will selected the finalists. And on August 1, we will select the winners; including a prize for the people's choice (where you get to vote).     Neil Bruinsma. Maasai highlands in Kenya, All the men from the Oct 08 World Race team on top of a mountain screaming to the Nations during MANistry.   Megan Hale. Kibera, Kenya, children observing our mission team for the first time.   Steven Siwek. Gale's Point, Belize walking to the beach, missionary teen takes her Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=study-shows-good-dads-make-a-big-difference http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=study-shows-good-dads-make-a-big-difference Happy Father's Day!   As I've traveled the world, I'm amazed at how few good fathers there are. In many parts of subSahara Africa, they are not even around. In countries like Moldova and Russia, it's normal for them to be drunks. In Cambodia, many sell their children into the sex trade. In America we do OK on a relative basis, but too many fathers are absent or are raising little narcissists. Around the world the lack of fathering is appalling.   That's why when, on my trip last week to Minnesota, I see good ones like Dwight Buller, father of nine children, I want to celebrate them. Dwight puts his children to work on the family farm. They understand the importance of God, family, and personal responsibility. He and his wife Peggy have raised their kids to have a kingdom worldview that includes mission trips. Dwight understands the importance of hard work and strong values. And his children are growing up healthy and secure.   A study by the journal Child Deve Sun, 21 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=random-blog-notes-for-the-community http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=random-blog-notes-for-the-community Random Blog notes:   We're in the midst of re-launching the blog. Do you like the new format? We should add the faces & bios of our blog team in the next few days. They will help pray for those of you needing prayer, counsel with others, and disciple others. The hope is that this site will continue to become more of a community. I'll continue to write blogs and hang around.   Travel: Just back from a trip to visit the Bullers in Minnesota. They were an inspiration. I hope to write about it soon.   The photo contest resulted in over 3,000 photos submitted. The judges have spent the week picking the top 30 photographers. We hope to complete the judging process and announce Round #1 winners on Monday. In the next round, each of the 30 photographers will submit and be judged on a portfolio of 20 pictures.   Judges Thanks to our wonderful judges who have been working hard even while traveling to places like Argentina and Alaska. Grant Miller - Bu Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=help-the-missions-training-institute http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=help-the-missions-training-institute It's challenging for American missionaries to enter certain parts of the world -- namely, remote tribal areas and Islamic countries. But native missionaries like Ana and Janeth often receive an open door to share the Gospel with unreached groups and closed cultures.   For example, these women spent three months in the mountains of Chihuahua, Mexico (an area that would be very difficult for white missionaries to enter) reaching the Raramuri Indians. They would hike 4-8 hours through the mountains to find unreached villages and often carry the sick and elderly back to the hospital where they could receive adequate care. In the process, they earned the trust of the natives to tell them about the love of Jesus. One of them said, "I would not exchange this experience for anything in the world."   Stories like these explain why we started the Missions Training Institute (MTI) in Matamoros, Mexico. (For the full story of how the MTI began, click here.)   God led us Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=a-letter-to-my-daughters-friends http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=a-letter-to-my-daughters-friends Karen and I have four daughters between the ages of 20 and 25. They are entering the stage of looking more intentionally for a life partner. Serious business. I'm not always invited to the conversation and I'm cool with that - they need their space. At some point when they make their final decision, they all know the guy has to come seeking my permission/blessing. We're playing for keeps here.   My daughters have a multitude of friends in the same boat as them. And we've got hundreds of young, single women on the World Race, some of whom feel like spiritual daughters to me by the time they finish. I look at them with great pride and want nothing more than to see them matched up with a man who will see them as the prize they are.  Mostly I wonder if I have anything of value to say to them about this issue of "finding the right guy."   However, as a guy, I do have a few words that might help them better understand where guys are coming from. So I decided to write Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=listening-to-god-and-obeying-an-example http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=listening-to-god-and-obeying-an-example As I was running yesterday morning I picked up my pace - Toya had asked me to speak to her mission team and I needed to rush to get there by 8:45.  It was my usual route around the neighborhood - the first mile is fairly flat, but then, after passing Robert Wetherford's house it goes downhill for nearly half a mile. As I came huffing and puffing back up the hill, there was Robert's wife out in front of her house. She seemed busy and I ran by her. I was focused on getting home. Then God said, "Go back and pray for her."  Earlier in my life, I might not have recognized the voice of God. And I probably wouldn't have obeyed. But today I turned around  and went up to her.   I knew that Robert was in the hospital and wasn't doing well - his granddaughter had showed up on my blog about him and told me that. [please read the blog if you get the chance] "How's Robert doing?" I asked. "He's not doing well; he didn't recognize me yesterday." I commiserated with Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=having-a-yes-in-your-heart http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=having-a-yes-in-your-heart Challenge is hard, but it's necessary if life change is to occur. We walk around stuck in our ruts because either nobody has cared enough to challenge us to change or because we didn't trust those who challenged us. With arms crossed and defense mechanisms on high alert, we dismiss the challenge. Unconvinced of the need to change or that the change being recommended is right, we say "NO."   I love helping young people realize their true identity, but unless they've got a "yes" in their heart, I'm wasting my time.  For example, I may notice that one of the guys I'm coaching is a poor listener. Instead of acknowledging a question, he deflects it with sarcasm. Perhaps I detect fear of intimacy beneath the surface. And I discern that behind that may lay a fear of rejection. Unless we probe these issues, the young man may be perpetually stuck unable to progress. He may go for years trapped in patterns of superficiality. I may be wrong in what I perceive, but if I'm r Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=what-does-a-movement-look-like http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=what-does-a-movement-look-like Program note - we've received all the photos for the contest and the judging process is underway. We'll announce round 1 winners later this week.  Now, today's blog: --------------------------------------------------------------------- The word movement is often bandied about too loosely. People talk about movements they've started. But true movements are rare. A movement can't be planned or organized - something spontaneous and wonderful and enduring must happen along the way for it to be a movement. For a great example of that, check out the video at bottom.   At times in my life I've been a part of something that has aspired to reach movement status. The Promise Keepers thing began as a well-organized and often wonderful event. Then it caught fire, culminating in the Million Man event on the D.C. mall. But it only lasted a season, fizzling in scope. As a national "movement," it never made it any further.   Sometimes, because it's wonderful and life-changing Mon, 15 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=an-amazing-adoption-story http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=an-amazing-adoption-story Hope your Sunday is good. We're enjoying life on the Barnes farm. Karen and I think we've decided to stay here and remodel instead of moving into town. The idea will be to turn this into a place where people show up when they need restoration and fun. Actually it's been that for the last twenty years, it's just that the primary beneficiaries have been our children. Now, it may be you!   In any case, Karen proposes to do with our physical home what God has been doing with our lives - knocking out walls and making the place bigger. All of us need to constantly be looking for ways to make our lives, or at least our hearts bigger.   The  following story will do that for you. Patty Meier sent it to me and said the following about it: I am moved to share with you something that has changed my life even further by God.  And I want you to know that Moses did not die in vain, we could feel something much bigger was working in what happened in Nsoko, and it is, b Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=how-god-spoke-this-morning http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=how-god-spoke-this-morning I ran eight miles this morning. When I go on the longer runs, generally there is space and quiet enough that God speaks to me. This morning, as is often the case, it was in the form of ideas. I believe that they are God-generated ideas that he has made me a steward of.   Here they are: 1. Start a special needs kids foundations for daughters like my own. God showed me how to fund it.   2. Start a foundation to honor the memory of kids who have died while serving on the mission field. I'll be speaking to two families in the next several days.   3. Organize this blog into three caring sub-communities. This has been in process for a couple of weeks and I'll be finishing it up this weekend and rolling it out to you at the beginning of next week. To me it's a model of the activist church that Jesus had in mind. It starts in virtual space, but flows into real time and produces life change.   4. Turbo-charge a business I'm part owner of through one small bu Sat, 13 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-last-two-days http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-last-two-days The way we've set up the photo contest, there are three rounds. The first, the qualifying round, ends in a few days, June 15. $3000 cash goes to the winner.   All you need to qualify is one really great picture of ministry happening on a mission trip. By ministry, we mean it must capture interaction between people communicating the love of God. We'll select the top thirty photos and those photographers will then submit a portfolio of their pictures in the second round.   And in the third round, we will select the top portfolios and award a total of $5000 in prize money!   So far over 200 photographers have entered, but unfortunately many of their photos don't meet our criteria. So it's a wide open field at present. I'd like to give the money to some really excellent photographers and I'd like to give all the finalists a great venue to show off their talent.  Several national periodicals are interested in doing a story on the contest.  If you know someo Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=thomas-jefferson-warns-us-about-losing-freedom http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=thomas-jefferson-warns-us-about-losing-freedom Our freedoms here in America are being undermined in ever more obvious ways. Government continues to encroach, doing for us what we used to do for ourselves. It's evil insofar as it is diminishing our ability to choose right and wrong. The irony is that this is why our country was founded in the first place. The state had become so oppressive, citizens felt that rebellion was their only recourse.   In the light of the current financial crisis, its enlightening to read what Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: "The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work, and give to those who are not." - Thomas Jefferson "It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes a principle, which if acted on, would save one-half the wars of the world." - Thomas Jefferson "I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=have-you-found-your-tribe-yet http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=have-you-found-your-tribe-yet "No man is an island entire of itself," wrote John Donne 400 years ago in his immortal poem. You weren't made to sail isolated through the waters of life. We humans are social creatures who need one another in order to feel at peace and whole.   Yet America was born as an act of rebellion and independence. Children of tyranny, we pushed back and fought for freedom. And when we move beyond the adolescent need for autonomy into the maturity of a group living interdependently, it can be a wonderful thing. We need tribes to be happy.   Young people seem to know this better than their parents. They have an inner drive to find their social context, the tribe to which they belong. I first wrote about this idea three years ago and have been working to help build a tribe that believes like I do. A few friends and I believe that God is calling a generation to embrace the radical life that Jesus talked about. We may be disconnected, but we're dreaming of a better way. So we're commi Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=rich-mullins-was-a-hero http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=rich-mullins-was-a-hero Yesterday's blog explored the subject of heroes. Rich Mullins was one.  He was remarkable in that, although he achieved both fame and fortune through his music, he didn't allow himself to be corrupted by it. I look around the modern musical landscape and wonder who will take up the torch he carried for a life of pure devotion to Jesus.    Mullins penned and performed such popular songs as "Our God is an Awesome God," and won all kinds of awards.  But he put the money he made into a trust and lived on very little. As detailed in the wonderful biography Rich Mullins:  An Arrow Pointed Toward Heaven,  Mullins lived a militantly simple life.  His heroes were men like St. Francis of Acissi.  He understood that one of the great dangers we Christians face is capitulation to our culture.  He derided a church that "preaches a message of comfort to the comfortable." He couldn't abide a church that preferred to focus on throwing doctrinal Tue, 9 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=who-are-your-heroes http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=who-are-your-heroes I've got a few heroes whose lives I struggle to emulate. Rich Mullins was one (more on him in tomorrow's blog). I wish I had more.  What about you - who are your heroes?     Perhaps we need to begin by asking the question, "What constitutes a hero?"   For starters, a hero sacrifices his own needs in order to attain a greater good. He or she sets aside personal agendas to help others who are struggling.  Jesus was a hero in the way he lived. He was constantly healing people, meeting their needs and bringing them hope. And, of course, he was a hero in the way he died. He set the original example of self-sacrifice.   The church was built on the back of its heroes. Foxe's Book of Martyrs recounts their stories. They were burned, dismembered, and crucified for a faith they held dear. When you look at the current cultural landscape, you have to ask, "Where are today's heroes?" How many of us would be wiling to die for our faith like that? And if we'd die Mon, 8 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-last-week-to-enter http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=photo-contest-last-week-to-enter It's been a good week for the blog. I began by sharing how I was feeling led to re-purpose the blog. And many of you responded. We had some dialogue and a number of you stepped up and volunteered to help further develop the community that has gathered around the blog.   We re-launch on June 20, the week I go on vacation. If you're interested in helping, we'll need three kinds of people: those who write, counsel, and pray. The writers might come up with a couple of blogs a week, and the counselors and prayer people will care for those who come seeking healing or help. The idea is to help our readers move beyond complacency to develop an activist faith.  Toward that end, regularly we'll put opportunities like the photo contest out there for you to respond to.  Here's an update on where the contest stands:   With a week to go in round one, it's a wide open field at present. Over 200 photographers have entered, but unfortunately many of their photos, thou Sun, 7 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=may-2009-ministry-newsletter http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=may-2009-ministry-newsletter Because I'm a faith-supported missionary like most AIM staff, I send monthly updates to my group of supporters (if you'd like me to put you on our list, please let me know). I just sent this out to my supporters a few days ago:   Summer is underway with a flourish here at the AIM base. It's been a nonstop whirlwind of activity. Consider our last two weeks: Ukraine Debrief We finished coaching our group of 32 World Racers, meeting them for a final debrief in Kiev, Ukraine.    We were so proud of them. Not only did they finish the year in their same teams (5-6 per team), but they actually finished with more people on the squad (33) than they started with. Reason: One of the married couples got pregnant! I wish I could show you the difference that the year has made in the lives of our racers. Every one of them is returning a different person. They've learned the importance of living simply and living sold-out for Jesus. At least 75% of them are making plans to g Sat, 6 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=new-direction-for-this-blog http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=new-direction-for-this-blog For the last few days our blog community has had some good dialogue about re-purposing the blog. Most blogs exist to share what C.S. Lewis has termed "sheer information." This blog is ambitious in that it attempts to create an informal community and activate its members. God didn't intend for us to sit on the sidelines - he wants us to make a difference. Many of you have all the information you need. You've heard so many sermons that you've got spiritual heartburn. You know that "faith without action is dead,"* you're just struggling to get traction to your action.   The thing about a community is that people like to hang out. And hanging out is a righteous thing. But this blog needs to be not so much a lounge as a way-station for people in their journey higher up or further down. If you need a boost to get where God's taking you, maybe this is a place you can find it.   Some things that are helpful to know about me if you're in this blog community: I'm a pioneer and a Fri, 5 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=how-god-speaks-to-us-thru-transitions http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=how-god-speaks-to-us-thru-transitions So, I've been in a place of personal transition and it has spilled over to this blog. It's not a huge change in life; it's not prompted by need or crisis - I'm just blessed to have some strong leaders who have come alongside me at work and freed me up to re-focus. And so it's a season of asking questions about purpose and methods.   My purpose in life is to help others discover how to live the abundant life that Jesus came to bring. The purpose of this blog is to help us all navigate through the tricky cultural waters of an affluent society that has a corrosive effect in our spiritual lives. I needed to take a break and somehow assess if reality is in alignment with purpose. And in your responses, you, the members of this blog community, have been wonderfully helpful and encouraging. Again, let me say thank you. I've got some things brewing about re-purposing the blog I'll share tomorrow. [I intend to cut back some and I'd like to help some of you step up some, particularly Thu, 4 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=where-should-this-blog-go http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=where-should-this-blog-go I want to say thank you to the many people who wished me Happy Birthday on yesterday's blog. I can't adequately express how encouraging everything that you wrote was (you may want to go back and check out everyone's comments - there was some great wisdom there).  It was humbling and wonderful. I mean, in this rough and tumble life, sometimes it feels great just to be noticed. So, please know how much I appreciate it.  I've actually come to love some of you as much as one can in this virtual world that we inhabit.   Also worth noting were the many people showing up to send birthday wishes on Facebook (incidentally, have you noticed that's the one thing Facebook does better than anything else. I'll bet you 10% of the comments on FB are people remembering each other's birthdays and anniversaries). All our lives we strive for significance and well-celebrated birthdays help put enough gas in the tank to drive a little longer. Many of you were kind and perceptive in Wed, 3 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=this-blog-and-our-blog-community http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=this-blog-and-our-blog-community I'm 51 today; it's a season of reassessment. In the shower, I thought to myself, "I'm tired of writing blogs."  For nearly four years, I've written a daily blog.  I wrote my first blog in the wake of hurricane Katrina. And since then, my voice, subject matter, and audience/community have developed and come into a tighter focus.   You, this blog community, have become a life-source for me and for others. People like Carol and Mark feel to me like Norm and Cliff in Cheers. Our digital conversation is a comfortable place.   It's been a joy to see when the blogs land in a person's spirit and to see the way the blog community has ministered to one another. Jessie had given up on God, overwhelmed by pain. When God spoke comfort to her, we got to join in the ministry. When Gail's son Dru died and she asked for prayer that he might be raised, a number of you stood with her and her family. When Amy Spahr asked for prayer for her husband as he was dying with cancer, ou Tue, 2 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=when-mom-returns-from-the-sex-trade http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=when-mom-returns-from-the-sex-trade From Stephanie Fisk, this heart-breaking story:     It was the typical story. A family of 6. The mom left for work two years ago and disappeared somewhere in Kazakastan. I assumed a case of human trafficking. The dad was a shepherd and an alcoholic. The 13 year old was left to take care of her younger brother and two sisters.   They were awaiting the return of their mom. She was going to rescue them.        They slept above the stove and on a dirty mattress right beside the cat and her three kittens. Brightly colored bandanas covered uncombed, lice infected curls. Blackened pots and pans with weeks old, molded food sat on top of the broken chest. Mounds of clothes were strewn across the dirt floor. The smell of dampened hopes hit me as I entered the room. Through the streaked windowpane, a single beam of light cast a spotlight on the shattered dreams that hung defeated on the Mon, 1 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT