Seasons Greetings!

If you’re reading this post then there is a good chance we know one another, which means this update shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, but is nonetheless a significant development for me and my family. Next year I will be working part-time for Partners Relief and Development. 

For most of my adult life, I’ve been involved in some sort of humanitarian work, largely connected to Myanmar. A few years ago we merged our small non-profit, Bridges Myanmar (Instagram page still live! fun!) into the work of Partners and I joined their board. This past year I was asked to consider a staff position to support strategic engagement and fundraising, and after some consideration and prayer, I applied. 

Starting in January 2024 I’ll be working more deeply with the staff of Partners and doing my best to tell the story of their work and our community to more people. Partners is a unique organization that brings life-saving relief and support to kids and communities affected by conflict and war. Sadly, the reality and suffering of war is something we’re tragically seeing in headlines all too often as of late. Our work has always been in some of the most underresourced and neglected situations like Myanmar’s ongoing ethnic conflicts, with the Rohyinga in Bangladesh, in the wars of Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Ukraine, Afghanistan and more. As the picture above states, “Children shouldn’t suffer because adults are fighting”. Our aim has been to alleviate suffering and bring hope to places ravaged by conflict. Over the years our family has been involved in this work in numerous ways and I’m looking forward to supporting this work more deeply in this next season. 

I’ve you’ve read this far, thank you. If you’d like to learn more about Partners, let me know. I’d love the chance to grab a drink and tell some stories. Don’t be surprised if I hit you up over the coming weeks :) If you’d like to donate or learn more about Partners, you can go here. Especially during this holiday season, with so much suffering before us, bringing hope and love is how we push back against the forces that divide us. 

PS, In case you’re wondering, my work with Partners is part-time and my role at Oak Life shouldn’t change much for now. Thankfully the Leadership Team is supportive of this new development and I’m looking forward to the ways it will deepen me as a person and in ministry.

I can’t say for sure 

That I’ll make it home safe from this war

There were nights when no one came

13 years old confused in uncurable pain

I sleep in a bed so cold

And my story be told

My bones they ache for light

And my skin is clinging to them so tight

Mother, where’d you go

I’m alone I don’t know where’d you go

Healers have all failed me

And no one can see who I know me to be

Why can’t they see who I know me to be

When death is a gift from God

The clouds will part sunlight burn the fog

My gaze will turn from here

And finally love will cast away fear

Grandma came to me

Her mama love was overwhelming

Even from beyond the grave

It aches for her babies

She was worried about #4

That’s why she came

Word got out that I talk to gohsts

I guess that’s a thing now

Grandma I love you

I sense your strength

And I miss you

Keep letting go into love

You are held

But there is more ahead

Uncle, I see you

You are loved

I feel your pain, regert

God wants to heal

But it’s a journewy

Only you can walk

Mom loves you

There is more ahead

I see your fear

This is not forever

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit

I absolve you of your sins

Amen

It’s ok uncle

https://on.soundcloud.com/LwRse

There was always more than we pretended

Living underneath these canvases

We gave away our inheritance

Settling for all we know

But I can say

Healing is always worth the fight

Don’t forget

The spark inside this dark night

I’m so tired of trying to tell you

You don’t have to live your life this way

If only you could see behind the veil

The synchronicity of being alive

Would we weep

If we could feel the melody

If just for one

Breath behold how

Rare we are now

We don’t have to pretend

Just open up our souls let the music in

Grace everywhere

I don’t want to live

Without your light

You don’t have to go this alone

We’re all here cheering you on

You’re never alone

Just let go

Let love carry us

Know your place

Too many don’t

Huried out of their soul

No time to go deep

They chase the novel

And forgo themselves

They miss the Sun’s angle

As it shines on their face

Like no other place in creation

They miss their astonishing neighbors

Moss on trees feet away

Life on miraculous, powerful life

If only they had paid attention

Looked up to see the gift of it all

Here you have everything

And only you can be it’s witness

These souls

And this soil

Are your inheritance

Your birthright of chance

Don’t miss it for what’s over there

Instead, dig up that impulse

Like a three year old pulling roots

Whatever it takes

To be here

The love is more than you can hold

But you’d regret it if you don’t try

Sometimes you crash

The pursuit of the transcendent

Squelched by flickering screens

What’s the opposite of sacred medicine?

Cell phones

Deceitful little buggers

Poisoning my vibe

Bliss brought back to Earth

By my lack of discipline

And the algorithms of this time

I am no match

The gravity of my habits wins sometimes

Even on days off

This too will pass

Let it flow through

Like the Christmas flu

The darkness is part of your story

Trust in Julian’s showings

Mother will get her way

She loves you even right here

Drink less, sleep more, and eat healthier

And when you’re ready

Begin to walk again

Grief is true

The smell of a candle just blown out

Signaling a light that used to be

A tear loosened by loss

Is magic

Transforming pain, shock, even hell

To beauty

And there is so much un-grieved

So many souls un-seen

So much light violently extinguished

With no witness

So we must cry

We must wail

We must have courage

To run from the voice

That tells us to seek revenge

Or to medicate our sorrow back down

For this will make our pathologies stronger

And lead to more suffering

Instead

We must open our souls

Begin to bravely weep

For all the light that once was

In me

In You

Dear child, cry!

It’s ok

Let it out

You are held in love

Let go

Didn’t know what I was in for

Packed my bags headed for the door

Drove my car to the foggy coast

The places I’ve always loved the most

And I got lost for so long

And I was scared for so long

It all started with a cup of tea

Some breath work learning just to be

Looked around at the beauty

Read the words of the holy

As I lay there in silence

There was so much noise and violence

So finally turned the music off

Went outside and for a walk

And I got lost for so long

And I was scared for so long

Came across an infinite sea

Saw the sunset of eternity

Birds flying from sky to sky

Sung the hymns of the divine

Felt the breath of my ancestors 

Saw forces beyond the earth

Even hell is held in love

Though the thought was not enough

Sat down between passing worlds

Light and dark around me swirled

Threw stones of childhood pain

Prayed my secrets would not remain

Honestly, it was the only way we could talk

What could we possibly say?

Thanks be to the VCs and Tech Titans

That we were born in such a time as this

When Wi-Fi allowed our wills to stream

The compositions of our favorite composers

Each track told something true

Serotonin, sentimentalities, serendipities

Wave lengths floating through the air

A magic deeper than Hogswart’s

Giving us a window into eachother

And a mirror into ourselves

Don’t mess the vibe man!

I wonder

What this world would be like

If music was our language

Behold! The kingdom of heaven is near!

One of my goals this year was to lean into some of my poetry/music writing and in that effort here are some songs I’ve recorded on my phone over the past year. These are very rough and mostly for my own expression and personal goals to share/capture more of my creative stuff. All songs are a work in progress but mean a lot to me 🙂