Let me be the first to welcome you to Something More. Gathered here are a collection of friends' raw thoughts, experiences, and adventures as we seek the incarnation of the Kingdom of God in Abilene, Texas.
The web address of this journal contains a certain significance. Stolen from a book by Robert Lupton entitled Theirs Is the Kingdom: Celebrating the Gospel in Urban America, who stole it from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, we hope that as we befriend and become the poor in spirit we will also encounter the kingdom of heaven. And as we are persecuted for the righteousness, we will embody the kingdom of heaven. It is our poor and oppressed neighbors to whom belongs the kingdom of heaven. We want to learn from them, walk with them, share life with them.
We don't know what is going to happen. We don't know what God will do. We don't know if its even safe to be in the houses we've stumbled upon, or even if its safe to seek God's will (see Paul's testimony in 2 Corinthians 11). But we do know this: God has called his people to love their neighbors and provide the poor wanderer with shelter, feed the hungry and clothe the naked. We will be inviting strangers into our homes. We will obey his word.
Some of us are timid. Some of us are gung-ho*. Some of us are just straight scared. But all of us are trusting the Lord will provide, protect, and persevere. We believe that God has something more than average planned for us. We believe that He has something more than brokenness we all experience all too often. We believe there is something more to this life than getting up, working, coming home, watching tv/ ignoring our families and friends, going to bed, and doing it all over again. We will not be satisfied with the pleasures of this world. We crave Something More.
We want to keep you readers informed so that you can pray for our new friends and us, ask meaningful questions about what is happening in our lives, and be encouraged - maybe even to move into something more where you live. We anticipate difficult times of emotional drain and physical need. We aren't asking for handouts but if you have gifting or way you can help, may the Lord bless you as you give of yourself. We know our dreams are too big, but our God is bigger than our dreams.
So stay tuned for stories, tales, tribulations, satires, eases and challenges, ups and downs, bumps and bruises, and perhaps a parable or two of our lives as we attempt to commune with each other and the poor, beautiful, unique neighbors we have sought to be surrounded by.
*Please note translation of this word.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gung-ho
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