learnings

So I am typing this from a borrowed office at Community Bible Church in Baton Rouge. Brad was able to get into the church facility yesterday and he brought back my laptop (hooray). It looks like much of my day will be spent online, making sure that we are communicating well with our church body and with other churches that want to help. So, if you want to contact me, email is always a good option. Also, the office number to reach me at is 225-924-3647.

I can't go through an experience like this and not ask myself, "what is God teaching me?" So I did. No really, I just said aloud to myself, "Doug, what is God teaching you through this?" I then replied to myself, "Thank goodness no one is here to hear you talking to yourself like this."

Okay...anyway...I think I have learned a lot about what grace means. It's really kinda crazy. I talk to others from New Orleans and their experience echoes mine. Over the past two weeks, I have had oodles and oodles of people ask me if I needed any help. Like a good American, I yelled back at them: "No! Who do you think I am? Some sort of charity case? I am a red blooded American and I am gonna pull myself up by my bootstraps and get through this!" Okay, not really. That would have been rude. Instead I just thought those words and politely replied, "No thanks. We are doing okay."

After having that conversation about ten times with people, you begin to wear down. You start to say to yourself, "We could use some help, I guess. What would it hurt?" You start to realize that it is not normal to be evacuated from your house for weeks on end with only three sets of clothes. You watch the news and remind yourself that this is maybe the worst natural disaster to ever hit the United States...and it happened to you.

So then, all of the sudden, this amazing thing happens. You swallow your pride. Gulp. It's gone. You are now free to say YES when people offer you money. You don't feel guilty when you accept gifts from total strangers. (Although you still feel a little awkward.) When people ask you what you need, you actually try to think of stuff you need instead of immediately turning them down.

Once this happens, you begin to find out that the people who are benefitting the most are the people who are giving. You see the joy on their face as they hand you a Walmart gift card. You hear their story about how they prayed all night about what clothes to buy for you. You realize that they not trying to make you feel bad...they are only trying to follow God's leading in their lives.

Then you start thinking about what the gospel means. The gospel means God gives when no one deserves it. You realize that we all live lives that were wrecked by a hurricane. We are all nomads who have been taken from our homes by sin. We deperately need help, and God Himself is asking us, "What do you need? Just tell me, and I'll give it to you."

Do I really understand grace? I mean, I have said the words, "I am a sinner in need of God's grace." Do I really know what that means? Does it affect the way that I live my life? I don't know about you, but I am so puffed up with pride. I don't think I need any help in my life. Not from God, not from anyone. Maybe I believe that I am saved by grace, but I sure as heck don't live by grace.

So...to you who have helped me and my family, thanks for showing me grace. You have been used by God. God is channeling is grace through His people towards us whose lives are affected by this disaster. I love you all!