I AM

It has been an eventful few days in the life of Jackie Hile.  During class on Thursday, I got to hear from several of our professors about their favorite themes in film and why they are so meaningful to their lives.  It made me think a lot about my own top three themes of Love, Family, and Reconciliation/Healing/Forgiveness... yes that last one is a long one, but I think they all encompass essentially the same thing... It makes sense more and more to me in light of the past few days why these themes have come to define my heart's beat, and nothing more so than the theme of LOVE. 

Thursday evening I was delighted to visit the home of Rebecca Van Straten - McSparren for a book discussion on C.S. Lewis's God on the Docks.  We didn't get very far into the book, but no matter, the discussion we had was important and beautiful just the same.  What would you say to a person who asked you how do I find God?  That was the topic for discussion.  Over the next hour, I think we covered almost every base--but I think it would be fare to say that the main conclusion we came to is that it's not so important what you say, but that you tell the truth as it has been revealed to you in a genuine way.  Be honest and be you.  I don't know how that fits into theology, but I personally like that approach...

Friday was rather non-eventful, except for the fact that I watched the Wedding Planner which is by far one of my most favorite movies.  Sorry, can't help that I'm a girl... Saturday though, was quite the adventure.  Rebecca and I decided earlier in the week to help out with an event our church was putting on in MacArther park; it was a way to reach out to the community and love people.  There were people giving women makeovers, tons of school supplies were given away, and there were booths for dream interpretation, spiritual readings, and healing.  I volunteered to help in the healing tent.  So Saturday morning, I got an e-mail that there were riots on Friday due to the shooting that happened a week ago where a cop shot a guy who was drunk, and some of the streets were closed down.  So I had this most excellent idea to walk to the park.  Well, as you know, maps make distance look really small, so what I thought were 8 blocks were actually more like 40 because the 8 blocks I saw were major intersections.  Needless to say, we walked FOREVER and almost gave up and headed back home.  When we finally made it to our meeting spot, we had walked an hour and a half, in dresses mind you.  

After soaking for a few minutes in preparation to minister to people, we headed to the park.  But before I get to that, I have say that I was not really looking forward to this whole event entirely.  I don't know why, but I don't usually have good feelings about doing "ministry." lol but I wanted to be able to connect with some people from church and I also kept telling myself that often when you choose to bless other people, you yourself end up getting blessed, so I decided to go.  And I was blessed.  Before I even walked over to the park to minister, a woman prayed over me and gave me a word of encouragement that I really needed, and my whole being felt blessed.  It was life to my spirit.  It's crazy when God just speaks a timely word to what you are dealing with right in that moment.  I love it.  He's so real.

At the tent there wasn't a lot of people going in and out for prayer, in all I think I prayed for maybe 5 people and prophesied over 2, but it was really awesome nonetheless.  It ended up being a big ministry to pastors and Christians, not the unchurched, which really shows you how desperate the body is in need of the power of the gospel and just the affirmation of the Father.  I didn't see any crazy miracles happen, but the change in people's countenance made it all worth it for me.  It's so fun and rewarding just to bless people.  At the end of the day we took the Metro home.  No more walking for us =)  

Funny thing happened in the pool that day.  Some of us from school were just standing in a circle talking to each other and laughing like always.  A woman in the hot tub noticed and commented how unique and beautiful it was to see a group of people actually look each other in the eyes when they're talking and really listen.  She said it's like something spiritual was happening.  I smiled at that.  It's true that people really notice it when you live in a community of love.  Real love. It's not something that can be faked.  Jesus said that we would be known by our love....

Sunday was amazing, and I really can't get into all the details because they will probably bore you, but I guess I just see it so evident in my life how much God Loves Us.  Through living in community with others who really care about you enough to listen to you when you talk and laugh when you make a fool of yourself and ponder those tough questions and give a little word of encouragement.  I see Jesus everywhere.  I see him in people all around me every day. 

To end, I just got back from seeing a documentary by Tom Shadyac called I Am and was nearly drawn to tears by the power of simple human acts of kindness and the potential for goodness in humanity.  The film was the compilation of so many things I have thought and felt over the past several years that Tom just happened to explore recently in his own life and share with us in this film.  More than anything I am convinced this life is all about love.  That's all it's ever been about and to make it about anything else is just foolish and empty.  In the film, it mentions how a group of people asked this scholar to write an essay about what is wrong with world.  He wrote: "Dear Sirs, I Am."  Tom ends with the film with the question of what is the solution to the problems in the world and answers "I Am."  We can be the agent to bring reconciliation and hope to our world if we live a life of Love.  It sounds cliche, but really what else is life worth living for?