Crazy, Courageous, Cool Chicks
“By the time I was born, more of me had died than survived. It was no wonder I cannot remember; during the time I went thru brain after brain for 9 months, finally contriving the one model that could be human, equipped for language.”
Lewis Thomas
Dr. Thomas is poetically describing apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death in the human body. Apoptosis prunes away unneeded structures, controls the number of cells in particular tissues, and sculpts complex organs. Saint Paul describes it more succinctly;
“I die daily.”
1 Corinthians 15:31
Growth, requires death. Intellectually this could be described as conceptual suicide. The cells that are programmed to die are not “bad” cells, they are simply not best for the moment. And we are as Jesus lovers and followers invited to enter into this life giving suicidal process.
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Jesus as recorded in Luke 9:23
We are one day from breaking ground for Shechem. The daily deaths have led to this glorious birth. The birth pains have been at times, excruciatingly painful. But if Jesus is the Bridegroom, and we are His bride, the “babies” like Shechem that are born will be worth it. Obedience is voluntary spiritual apoptosis. Let’s pray.
Father you’re crazy. We want to be crazy too. Ashley, Hannah, Brooke, Kendall, Rhonda, and Julie are following you in order to lead us at your Greenhouse for People and that means they will all die. Please give them courage to face those deaths. Replace our tears of mourning with tears of joy at the birth of Shechem tomorrow. Don’t ever let us loose sight of you as we build it. Let Shechem always be an altar to you, like the one that Abram built, let it always be a well like the one Jacob dug, and Jesus met the Samaritan woman at. Give us what we need today from that well. We want so desperately to share it with our neighbors. Protect our staff from the evil one, keep us from being tempted to settle for anything less than your ways. I know it will take some time, but make us as crazy as you are. For your glory, by your power, and in your name, amen.
Pb
(former Executive Director)
