North

There was a movie that came out in the nineties called "North." It was a horribly-done movie about a boy who is tired of his parents and essentially travels around the world to find better parents, and in doing so, meets all kinds of different people with different lessons. To be honest, I barely remember the movie, but I know I saw it because I had a huge crush on Elijah Wood, who played the boy in the movie.

Anyway, I feel as though my life is one big world adventure like this boy's. I'm not looking for new parents, but for truth, beauty and prespective from others. I'm gleaning wisdom and experience from so many different people as I travel around this crazy world of ours.

Here's who this young girl met with in the last two weeks on the road and is taking notes and learning from...

Scotty Smith (airplane): The Kingdom is coming and the Kingdom is now. Gaze your eyes upon the first and last books of the Bible - the only two places in the Bible where we can envision a world without sin and brokenness. Believe the vision that John had in Revelation. As we ache for the Kingdom to come, we celebrate that it is already here. Stay committed to that hope, regardless of the frustration of the brokenness of the world.

Phil Keaggy (airplane): In most ways, a handpump well is life-giving. For Phil, it was the cause of his loss of a middle right finger as a young boy. He laughs because his way of "getting back at it" is to be a professional guitarist. He eats a turkey sandwhich and pours red chili pepper spices on every bite. He eats ANYTHING and pours the chili pepper on it. Maintain a zest for life, for people, and for peculiarities of life.

Derek Webb (In N Out): Jesus said to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are all neighbors. Our "enemies" are neighbors.

Rob Bell (conference): We are a part of redemptive history. The cry of the people in Exodus inaugurates that redemptive history. Who in the world hates us most? How can we love our enemies and bless them? Where is the cry coming from? What kind of empore are we a part of and how can we change it?

Chris Heurtz: The first thing that kids in the slums of our world ask the visiting Americans is "When are you leaving?" American youth who have a passion for "serving the poor" rarely stay long enough to be relational, rarely return and are the ones who come away with the benefits (instead of those they intend to serve).

Scott Hillstrom: The AIDS crisis is more complicated and nasty than any of us can even imagine. If you've seen Constant Gardner, that is not an exaggeration, it's an understatement about what's going on with drug companies. The information we're being given is false. It's become a beast of an industry. Compassion is a gift, but don't let it become misguided compassion.

Shane Claiborne: Love. That is simply what I see and understand from Shane. Love.