Anybody Story # 5 - Clair Sweatt

I am oh so excited to introduce you to Miss Clair today.  I met Clair when I was working for a non-profit that puts on a little something something every summer called Op Camp [yep, the place that God used to talk to my heart about adoption?  same place.  it's pretty special part of my story]  She now works full time for the ministry as the girls youth leader basically and she's amazing.  like no one else I've ever met before.  last week [when we went to hear Bob Goff, ya know?] well Clair was there as Op Camp was putting it on.  and she said something really profound about her time with her girls at Op Camp, she said...."I helped change their story, but really more than that they changed mine".  

I teared up a little bit because that's exactly my experience with Op Camp and I've taken it to every part of my life.  

so I asked her to share today!  Enjoy ;) 

“I had a good loud voice, and I wasn’t afraid to be goofy or zany.” – Carol Burnett

Anybody can change the world: I’m just a clown.

Eight years ago, I lost my mind.

I lost my mind, and I loved it.

It happened when I stepped off a bus of screaming children and into one of the most ridiculous and rewarding weeks of my life. Armed with my Bible, a dirty A&M ball cap, and a suitcase full of outrageous costumes – I only thought I was prepared for what Opportunity Camp had in store for me.

If you’re not familiar with Opportunity Camp, let me break it down for you – Take 200 at-risk elementary kids, 100 high school students on fire for Jesus, throw them in cabins together for a week, teach them about aforementioned Jesus, love them (even if they don’t want you to – especially if they don’t want you to), eat as much food as possible, and act a complete fool and I present you with: Op Camp.

Now, for a 15 year old girl who loved her Jesus, loved people, and was nothing but braces and legs with a sense of humor attached to ‘em, this sounded like Heaven.

It sounded like Heaven, and I knew I was made for it.

For as long as I could remember, I’ve made people laugh. Being the middle child, I’ve heard it’s something I have no control over. We’re destined to be the entertainment. It only seemed fair that I take on this role since my older brother Tom had the certified genius thing covered, and my younger sister Grace had to take one for the team by being gorgeous and head cheerleader. Obviously, we needed someone to cover jokes and being slightly artistic - you’re welcome, family.

But I embraced it, and I loved every minute of it. I loved it because it brought people joy. And if there’s one thing I know my Jesus is all about – it’s joy. So I took that joy and my jokes to camp with me, and very simply said, “Do with me what you will, Lord.”

And oh, how He did.

I could tell you countless stories from my experiences at Op Camp. You may hear a few that sound like, “And I knew in that moment, the Lord had changed something in her heart.” But more than likely you’ll hear ones that sound like, “So, it was the middle of the night, and my entire cabin was standing on the side of the hill, holding a mattress, and we were taking turns surfing down to the bottom – all in complete silence – because we knew if we woke up the adults, we were all dead.”

[just for fun, some of the girls at Op Camp summer 2011 (or was it 2010?) clair on far right, me on far left..right after we did a killer skit for the talent show]

But as I write this, there’s one story that’s sticking to my heart.

It was my second year at camp and fourth session. By this point, I was in a committed relationship with Op Camp, and we couldn’t be happier. Before we loaded the bus to leave Midland, we had a little bit of time to get to know our campers for the week. Things were looking pretty promising, until I met Darrion. Now, you have to understand, I’ve always been tall. Tall and lanky. (Tom often refers to me as Betty Spaghetti – I allow it because she has killer hair) So, standing at 5’ 10” I rarely encountered another girl of my height or taller, especially not one younger than me.

Enter Darrion. This girl walks into the gym, 6 feet tall, 180 pounds, and a look of “Get out of my face, or I’ll strangle you with your nametag lanyard in 20 seconds.” Naturally, I wanted to be her best friend.

I came to two conclusions that day though:

1)   Darrion might kill me in my sleep.

2)   Darrion did not want to be my best friend.

Despite her rejecting my best friendship advances, I didn’t let this deter me. In classic Clair fashion, I persisted, and when we stepped into our cabin that first day, I again quietly said, “Do with me what you will, Lord.”

This time, I heard His answer loud and clear – “Love her.”

And that’s exactly what I did. I hugged her constantly, I danced with and around her, I talked about what our best friends t-shirts would look like, I engaged her, I made her feel uncomfortable, and finally, that Wednesday – I made her laugh. Soon, she was hugging me back, hugging me first. She was dancing with me. She was insisting our shirts be maroon.

She was smiling.

She was happy, and I loved her.

The following night, as we sat on her bunk bed, and she said, “Miss Clair, tell me about Jesus.” I looked her in the eye and smiled. “He loves you. More than anything.”

She gave her life to my Jesus that night, and He became our Jesus. The next morning, before we loaded up the bus to return home, she woke me up and said, “Miss Clair, I heard they’re baptizing people in the pool today. Will you baptize me?”

I tell you now, I have never been more humbled in my life. That day, in the shallow end of a pool filled with freezing water, I baptized all 6 feet and 180 pounds of Darrion… and then I baptized three of her friends. Three friends who had listened as Darrion told them what the Lord had done in her heart. Because of her, they made the decision to follow our Jesus.

Eight years ago, I lost my mind.

I lost my mind to gain His heart.

I love that Wynne asks us to challenge to you. I can’t limit myself to just one, so I offer you –

CLAIR’S MAGICAL LIFE-CHANGING SUPER AWESOME CHALLENGES LIST 2013 (the title needs work)

1.  Lose your mind. Jump into something insane and simply say, “Do with me what you will, Lord.”

2.  Laugh hard. Do whatever you can to bring joy to those around you. Be goofy. Be terrible at dancing. Do a somersault and pop up in front of someone you just met before shaking their hand. Be a clown.

3.  Love hard. Hug until someone hugs you back. Listen. Engage. Care. Gain His heart.

Anybody can change the world: I just like to make people laugh.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

“Joy is the serious business of Heaven.” - C. S. Lewis

 Clair can be reached...

Clairsweatt@gmail.com

432.230.2959

PO Box 2411 

Midland tx 79702 

clairsweatt.blogspot.com

[Ben + Trisha, Bob, Addie, Clair, Tyler]

the full time Op Camp staff + Bob Goff.  
they are doing amazing things for the kingdom of God by mentoring at risk youth.
would you pray for them today? 

anybody, January stories.

hey yall.
so month 1 of my "anybody" series is wrapped up.
you've heard 4 stories of people that are changing the world.
[48 to go!]

people who are moms.  wives.  sponsors.  non profit workers.

[if you are new to the blog, read this post to see what this is + why I'm doing it]

you've heard stories from: Katie, Katie #2, Becca, and Beth.

so my question for you is....have you taken their challenges? 

have any of their stories struck a cord in you & made you think, "hey, I can do that!"  

I hope so.  that is my goal in this.  not that we would just READ the stories, or be inspired by them, but they would push us to ACTION.

Katie challenged us to Be inconvenienced. Be encountered. Be changed.
Katie #2 challenged us... in your story. Are you choosing easy and comfortable? What part of your story are you missing out on because its too unknown or uncomfortable? Do you trust the Master Storyteller enough to take some risks? I'm not advocating for foolishness but you know what I'm talking about. I mean the moment a change in your story presents itself and you make a fear based decision instead of a trusting one. What could God do with your "yes?" After all, who could write a better story?

Becca challenged us to get involved.  Do something. Say YES! Be the change. [all in your local community!]

Beth challenged us to sponsor a child.  and if we already sponsor a child, You're challenge is to pray for your child right now, and then communicate with them. Send them a letter or a little care package. It would mean so very much. You could change the world for one, too. 

where have those (or just 1) of those challenges taken YOU? 

I personally have been really challenged to be more intentional with the kids we sponsor.  I started making a names + faces book so we can be praying for them and I've gotten notecards out to write them throughout the week.  

we can't all do everything, but we can all do something!  

I'd love to hear from you.  let's start a conversation! 

stay tuned for the next Anybody story this week! I love to see who God puts in my path the week before & just screams, "have them tell their story".  if you have someone you think could challenge and encourage, feel free to email me wynne.elder@gmail.com

Anybody Story # 4 Beth Cupitt

I am so excited to introduce you to my good friend Beth today!  Beth is a fellow Texan, but we met in real life in Ethiopia.  She started a little something you might have heard me talk about, Give1Save1.  That was an amazing God thing, but now the Lord has lead her to step down from running that full time, now that her son Jude is home! and He put the amazing opportunity in front of her for her + her husband to be the sponsorship coordinators for a community in Ethiopia called Greenlight (through Children's Hope Chest).  See, it's so cool how He puts those opportunities in front of us and all we have to do is be obedient and say yes!  Beth is for sure using her gifts + talents for good!  I'm excited to hear her words + be challenged (I know I am!).  

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Any body can change the world: I'm just a sponsor. 

[Beth & her recently home from Ethiopia son, Jude.  fun fact: I was the one that took this picture the day after they met in Ethiopia!]

It may seem like a little thing, but it truly changes lives. I've been sponsoring the same little boy in Swaziland for five years and it really didn't mean that much to me and to be honest, I didn't really think it meant that much to him either. I thought that my $35 a month was helping, but not really sure what it did. I just figured I could part with that much. Over the last few years I've been woken up to the reality of third world poverty. Sometimes I do wish I could sell all I own and give it away and live in a mud hut in Africa. I really do! But, alas, that is not my calling right now, and it's actually sort of hard to accept. Right now I'm in a season of hands-on mothering to three little ones. And mothering is not exactly like seeing lives saved and restored and turned around in front of your face. It's more like doing laundry and agonizing over the amount of protein in your toddlers snack. And though I know with certainty that that's the place for me, I'm not indifferent to the suffering around the world and the knowledge that a small bit from me can make a big life change for someone else. More so than I ever thought possible. 

[sponsored momma, Mulu, through Because Every Mother Matters and her son]

About a year ago I read an article on the World Vision blog. They send these little cards and all you have to do is sign them and send them back and your sponsored child will get it from you. Sometimes I did them, but most of the time I didn't. I just thought they weren't very personal and I was too busy to go to the post office. For real. But in this article they said that they don't deliver your letters and packages to their "houses" individually. (Duh, why had I never though of that?!) They deliver the Christmas cards and Easter cards and all those little things that they send to you and want you to send back, they deliver those at school all at once. Did your jaw just drop, cause mine did. And my stomach sank. The kids that get cards are special and loved, and the kids that didn't... 

I've gotten a letter recently from my little guy's uncle. He said that he prays for us and kisses my picture every single day. How sweet is that? I'm truly important to him and he cherishes any little thing I say or send. I've gotten a letter from a mother that we sponsor through Because Every Mother Matters that literally says "Before I get sponsorship my life was miserable. When I get you it all changes. From your money I rent a house, I feed myself, I feed my child. When you come here you will see our changes!" Someday I plan to. 

[Samrawit, sponsored through Children's Hope Chest, Greenlight in Ethiopia]

Sponsorship might just seem like parting with a few extra bucks that you might have pissed away at Target, but it really makes the world a different place for someone.  

So Wynne won't let me off without challenging you. So here's today's challenge. 

If you don't have a kid to sponsor, consider doing it. 

 I could show you a million reputable agencies. So could Wynne. Ask away. The cost is normally $30-$35 a month. And if you have a child that you sponsor, you're not off the hook. You're challenge is to pray for your child right now, and then communicate with them. Send them a letter or a little care package. It would mean so very much. You could change the world for one, too. 

[this is my little guy from Greenlight, Keneisa and I'm going to write him a letter now!]

If you'd like to chat with me about child sponsorship I'd love to answer any of your questions. My email is b.cupitt@yahoo.com and my blog is artisticdomestic.com . My husband and I are the coordinators with Children's Hope Chest for a carepoint in Ethiopia called Greenlight. We have 63 kids and all but two are sponsored. If you're interested, let me know. 


so, how about it friends.....how about we get Beth's LAST TWO children sponsored?!?! 

also, on my "pray give go" resource page I have a list of organizations we sponsor children through.  

ANYBODY Story #3- Becca Yocham

I am really really excited for this story.  You've heard me talk about this woman before.  That's right, it's my mentor and "midland mom" Becca.  Her daughter, Katie is the one from my first anybody story.  Crazy thing is, when Katie challenged me to pray about adoption  her mother (who knew me very well unlike Katie just yet ;) ) had already felt that stirring for us.  pretty cool huh?  and Becca is adopted - so that's pretty cool (she talks about it later in the story).  So every week I have no idea who the next story is going to be, I just pray & ask God.  and this week it was so loud and clear.  My husband and I volunteered last week at our local high school for something called Challenge Day.  It pretty much wrecked us both + it was awesome.  Never have I hugged/danced/cried so much all in the same day.  If you don't know what I"m talking about, head over to their website and check it out.  and if your local high school hasn't ever done one of these, you should talk to someone about that.  it's pretty much an amazing day that allows kids to feel safe enough to open up and actually TALK about whats going on in their little world.  I'll probably talk about it more once I can process it, but all that to say - Becca is the one that told us about it.  She's the one that volunteered last year and THIS is her story.  

Anybody can change the world: I’m just a wife and mom. 

Even though my kids are grown, I will always be a mom. Wynne calls me her Midland mom – I love that!

My awesome husband Todd and I have two grown sons, Ryan and Jason. Ryan is married to his high school sweetheart, Shelly. They live in Denver.  Jason lives in Midland and is dating a wonderful girl, Sarah Greer. 

Our daughter is Katie #1 in Wynne’s story. She lives in Waco and is dating a great guy, Charlie Walter. 

I love these guys and am humbled that God chose me to be their mom. I learn a lot from them.

(Charlie, Katie, Jason, Sarah, me, Todd, Ryan & Shelly) Christmas 2012

“I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I'm more afraid of succeeding at things that don't matter.” -Bob Goff, Love Does 

I have been around a while, so I have lots and lots of stories to tell, but I think I’ll tell you the one about my buddy Thomas…

I love how God works in the ordinary events of our lives. It all began in November 2011 at a tv repair shop run at the time by Mike Mills who is now the full-time coordinator of XY Zone at Midland and Lee High schools.

I suspect the shop was actually a front for a counseling service! Mike asked about my Thanksgiving plans. I shared with him that my family was meeting my birth mom Ann and her family for the very first time in Oklahoma! I was pretty much bouncing off the walls (another incredible story to be told someday.)

(Shelly, Ryan, me, Ann, Jason, Katie & Johnny)   Thanksgiving 2011

Anyway, we got to talking and Mike encouraged me to meet Andrea Morales with CIS. He refers to her as the Mother Theresa of Midland High! I had to meet this woman!

(Andrea)

I met Andrea and she and I have become close friends. She is truly an inspiration to me. She asked me to be a volunteer at Challenge Day in May of 2012. That is where I met my friend Thomas.

When Thomas shared his story in our small group, I knew something had to be done to help him. I told Andrea that I would make sure Thomas got braces. She took me at my word and told Mike, who is Thomas’s mentor.

A few days went by and I couldn’t stop thinking about Thomas. One morning, I posted Thomas’s story on Facebook. That is all I did, told the story. Within a matter of minutes, my inbox and phone were buzzing with people wanting to help. It was so incredibly humbling.

Thomas needed quite a bit of dental work before he could get braces.  A local dentist took care of all his dental work and he is now in the process of getting braces! This has changed his life.

I hope Thomas sees Jesus in me. I see Jesus in him. In spite of the hardships he faces, he is the first to reach out to others.

I love this quote: “Other people are going to find healing in your wounds. Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts.”

― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth am I Here for?

There are so many kids like Thomas in our community. (or in whatever community you find yourself in)

My challenge to you is to get involved and you will find them. 

Do something. 

Say YES! 

Be the change.

James 1:22 -25 starts... ^"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." 

this is a short segment from the local news about Becca + Thomas.  it's worth the 2 minutes. 

You can find Becca: 
Facebook  
email: yochams@aol.com

she's involved with....

Challenge Day 

Communities in Schools 

XY Zone 

Op Camp 

Birthmother Bridge Ministry 

KWO 

anybody story #1

anybody story # 2

ANYBODY Story #2- Katie Mohr

It is really an honor to introduce you to anybody story #2 writer, Katie Mohr.  God used her story (as you'll see below) in a major way in OUR adoption story.  So it was only appropriate that she followed Katie #1.  Although Katie and I have only met once IRL (in real life) she is a real life friend.  She has been there the past 2 years all through the ups and downs of our adoption and always serves as a source of encouragement, and as you'll see by her writing - a little comic relief.  Guys, the story God is writing for each of us doesn't ONLY affect us or isn't ONLY about us.  her story proves it.  Meet Katie. 

"The story of the forest is better than the story of the tree."*

Anybody can change the world: I'm just a Mom. 

Although, I don't say that lightly. No title I’ve ever claimed took more work than that. Not even my PHD.

(I don’t actually have a PHD.)

Getting that title was a real-life version of Chutes and Ladders. Every time we’d catch a break, it seemed the next turn involved a chute sending us further back. But don't hear complaining, every victory and setback over the last 15 years is what has made up our story.

Our story.  His story. Your story.

Wynne asked me to share after Yocham. (Hi Katie! Esther says hi.) Egad! Who wants to follow her post? Geesh. But I get why. And I’ll never pass on a chance to share what God did on this one.

Wynne asked me to follow Katie because me being a mom has a little something to do with their oh-so-casual fireside chat. 

Backstory:

At it's simplest: The Hubs and I adopted 1 of the 2 greatest kids on the planet (Eliot!) from Guatemala in 2007. 

At it's most complex:  Um…see 28+ chapters of the memoir of the most life-changing time in our lives, coming 2014. (give or take 2-3 years.) (Yes, it takes that long to write a book. Don't judge.)

At it’s most interesting: Hearing that we'd had a small hiccup in our international adoption, I left at Thanksgiving 2006 to spend a few weeks in Guatemala with our son before they let us bring him home at Christmas. That was the plan. Their plan. Our plan. 

Not God's plan. 

"Part of me wonders if our stories aren't being stolen by the easy life."*

Delay after delay after delay. 8 months of delays. 8 months was God's plan. 

8 months seemed like eternity when adding it to 7+ years of infertility. 

However.

8 months was long enough to get over the culture shock. Long enough to bond with my baby. Long enough to get a killer tan. Long enough to form some of my best friendships. Long enough to stop throwing tantrums and start opening my eyes to the needs of the culture my son is from. Long enough to fall in love with a people and a nation. Long enough for the unknown to become the known. Long enough for his people to become my people.

Near the end of those 8 months I received an email that stated, "God is often doing more than one thing at a time." 

While I don't think they meant the guacamole recipe I'd mastered along the way, I had no idea what God was up to.  I’m sure I won’t know this side of heaven all that He was doing but we finally got to come home in July of 2007.

A year later (2008) because of special circumstances, we were asked to lead a youth mission team to Guatemala with very short notice. Within 24 hours, every detail of the trip was planned with just a few emails and phone calls.  Just like that. We had a hotel we trusted, local caterers making us authentic meals, transportation and two mission sites ready for our work. I was dumbfounded at how easily that came together. And yet? Of course.  “For such a time as this.”**

A year later (2009) we were asked if we’d be willing to lead a group of Baylor Kappas. And if you hadn’t connected the dots yet, one of those KKG’s was Katie Yocham. In 2010 Katie helped lead another group of KKGs back to Guatemala with us. 3 and then 4-year-old Eliot made enough of an impression on her that when she went to camp a few weeks after the second mission trip, adoption was her topic of conversation with Wynne.  Him and ya know, the Holy Spirit and stuff.

We’ve now led 5 trips back to Guatemala, with a 6^th planned for this spring. I don’t know even a fraction of what God is doing with our story. Not that I have delusions of grandeur but I know these trips can’t be fruitless. God is always doing more than one thing at a time.

"Somehow we realize that great stories are told in conflict, but we are unwilling to embrace the potential greatness of the story we are actually in. We think God is unjust, rather than a master storyteller." *

During our roller coaster through infertility, our pastor gave a sermon on Hannah. The essence of it was that in order for Samuel to be the kind of leader he needed to be, he needed to have a mom with great character. In order for Hannah to become that person, she needed to go through deep struggle. Hannah’s battle had very little to do with Hannah.

At some point we started trusting His “no” more easily, knowing that God has an amazing story planned for our family. Hoping that our battle has very little to do with us.

And to be honest? Our story has only gotten messier…but our story has only gotten more beautiful.

My challenge for you lies in your story. Are you choosing easy and comfortable? What part of your story are you missing out on because its too unknown or uncomfortable? Do you trust the Master Storyteller enough to take some risks? I'm not advocating for foolishness but you know what I'm talking about. I mean the moment a change in your story presents itself and you make a fear based decision instead of a trusting one. What could God do with your "yes?"
After all, who could write a better story?

now, go give katie some love.  you can reach her here: 

Blog:katiemohr.blogspot.com

Email: katielmohr@gmail.com

Instagram: katielmohr

Facebook: Katie McCoon Mohr

*quotes from Donald Miller's A Thousand Miles in a Million Years

**Esther 4:14

anybody story #1 here. 

ANYBODY Story #1. Katie Yocham

Hey friends!  So...I've been hit with a little something called a sinus infection, and have been in bed pretty much the past 2 days.  but I couldn't let another day go by without sharing the first ANYBODY story.  and I'm so excited for you to meet Katie.  You know how in every conversation I have about the "young college girl who encouraged me to pray about adoption".  yep, that was Katie.  We often joke and tell her she was the one who "started it all".  So it's only appropriate she's my first story.  especially since we had lunch in Waco the day I was dreaming up a name for this gig & SHE came up with the name ANYBODY.  she's pretty genius.  This is her and her BF Charlie (you'll hear a little about him in the story below).  Katie is like no person I've ever met.  she's special & I love her.  and I'm so glad her momma Becca (my mentor!) introduced me to her that summer at Op Camp.  Enjoy.

I’m just a doer.

A what-er?

A doe-er? A female deer?

No, just a doer. The regular kind.

Give me a task and you’ll never see it again.

Ask me to go on a hike and I’ll have my tennies on before you can spell Obama. O-B-A.. tennies on. BOOM. We’re hiking.

Adventures and completing tasks are some of my favorite things. I think it is because they both include movement and they both come to an end at some point.

I sit at a computer most days. I check emails, I plan trips, I answer emails. I glance at my to-do list, I cross things off, and I check emails. I go to meetings, I research things for my job, and I check emails. And I check emails. And I check emails.

Then, I go home. I read, I cook, I clean my room. I go on a hike through Cameron Park with my boyfriend Charlie. He likes to move with me. He’s got the doer curse as well. And if I didn’t get my task-fix that day, I’ll organize my spices or something riveting like that. It’s a glorious life that I lead.

What can I say, I’m a doer. It’s what I do.

But that’s not all I do. I let things be done to me. I don’t just encounter but I seek to be encountered.

I seek it because I don’t want it.

I seek it because I don’t want to just be the one that does.

I seek it because I want to be the one who has things done to them.

That is the Christ in me.

But it was once not. He once was not.

I did not understand. I did not understand this Christ. This one who was alive and came for me. I didn’t ask. I didn’t plead. But he came. He came to encounter me.

He came to encounter me.

It started with an encounter. An encounter with God.

It was the first time that I knew, that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Christ was real.

It was one of those real, feel it in your bones encounters. It was real, and I will not forget it. I will not forget that rock under me. Or that sea breeze in my face. Or the paper that I held in my hand. Or the ocean that I couldn’t tear my eyes away from. But mostly, I won’t forget the waiting.

I won’t forget the sitting, the asking, the pleading to be encountered. The pleading. The longing.

 I asked, I waited, and it came.

I was encountered by Christ and I have never been the same.

But the encountering, there is more. There is more!

He didn’t just encounter. Christ came to be encountered. And so, I want to be encountered.

On my way to get coffee during a jitter-induced work break.

After I turn off my vacuum cleaner to speak to a woman as I am cleaning my car.

While I’m walking to my car with Charlie after we’ve gone to an improv show.

On a hill overlooking a field full of campers while I hear from a woman who desires to be a mama.

I listen, I turn, I squint my eyes and nod my head when I understand.

These encounters. They are snapshots; they are just glimpses. But they are people. They are opportunities.

                  They are bringing out leftover food to a couple who is hungry.

                  They are Joyce, who I have walked with and cried with and prayed with.

                  They are a homeless woman who recently lost her mother.

                  They are Wynne!

They are opportunities. Opportunities to be encountered. To change and to be changed.  To listen and to speak. But mostly, to listen.

So I stay. I stay and walk on the same side of the street, as a homeless woman is coming my way. I yearn to cross over, to dodge her gaze, but I stay on her side. I position my body to cross, but I stay on her side.

I stay on her side.

I let her encounter me. Because, really, I need to be encountered as much as she needs to be encountered. Christ knew that. He came to be in the world. Not just to change, but to be changed.

So I stop. I turn my head to hers, and I listen. While she talks, I war against those things that want to overtake me. I think of what I need to get done that hour. I think of my car that she is blocking me from. I think of why she is where she is. I judge. I grow impatient. But I remain. I let her encounter me.

I remain because Christ remains for me.  I let her encounter me because Christ encounters me.

I want to have the dust from my Rabbi’s sandals on me. So I must move with Him. I must go where He goes and stay where he stays. I must follow and I must be willing to be sandy, to be dirty, to be uncomfortable. To be inconvenienced.

So my challenge. Oh boy, a challenge! My challenge is this:

If you love to go, to move. Go somewhere new. Go back.

And then go back again.

Again.

Again.

Speak to someone new. Speak less, hear more.

If you are keeper-to-yourselfer. Move. Move to people

          to things,

          to opportunities.

That you would see. That you would be soft and that you would see.

My challenge is simple and it is this:

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Hear the stories of people.

Touch the hands of those in need. See the Christ in people.

Be inconvenienced. Be encountered. Be changed.

you can find Katie on facebook here.  or email her at katie.yocham@gmail.com 

ANYBODY can change the world.

world changing.

itʼs for ANYBODY.

not just “radical” people.

literally, any one who has a body. which Iʼm pretty sure is everyone reading this.

anybody can do something.

anybody can live missionally & make a change in the world right where they are. 

do you believe it?

to me, changing the world means loving with abandon, really seeing people, telling the story god has written for you, and loving + living big.

life is real, messy and beautiful at the same time. It is meant to be lived in community. We were meant to tell our stories because they encourage, affirm and keep each other accountable.

A passion of mine is telling the story god has written for me, not just telling the story but inviting people into the story.

I strive to be real, raw and transparent.

I love telling my story because I love connecting with people. (if you haven't yet, read & respond to this post)

They fuel my energy, they encourage and challenge me to live a better story.

speaking of challenging questions.

my dear friend Katie spoke the most challenging question of all when she asked me in August of 2010 if I would pray about adoption.

somehow something was never even on my radar, became something so possible.

it followed me around.

we said YES.

and God has gloriously ruined our lives from that moment on.

I started thinking that most people probably do things because someone in their life challenged them to do it.

so that got me dreaming.

what if we all told our stories, challenged each other, kept each other accountable, and did things that changed the world?

I believe that ANYBODY can change the world.

you donʼt have to sell everything you own & move to africa to change the world. anybody can change the world right where they are.

itʼs my desire in 2013 to share 52 stories of people who are doing just that. 

one story for every week of the year.

not just to inspire you, but to start a conversation.

a conversation that moves you to action.

and action that moves you to say YES. 

ANYBODY can do ANY THING.

my hope is that you let these stories get into your soul, let them (and the people who write them) challenge you to act.

oh, and I'm excited that my first anybody story will be by none other than the girl who started it all, Katie.  coming later this week ;) 

make Him famous,
wynne