Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 9/21/2011
Yesterday, I was incredibly inspired. I've been at a workshop this week led by AIM called Project Searchlight, and although most of the program has been amazing, one moment stands out. Seth Barnes, the director of AIM, was teaching a lesson on networking and the importance of making connections in order to fulfill our God-given dreams. He decided to use me as an example.
"Curt, if you could do anything in the world, partnering with any person, what would you do?" he asked me. The question seemed so limitless, and with 40 people awaiting my response, I blurted out the first thought that popped in my head. "I'd collaborate with Donald Miller to write a book on human trafficking," I said, intentionally sounding over-the-top. I assumed Seth was being rhetorical, so I spit out an idea that seemed unfeasible and slightly ridiculous. 
"Okay," he said. "Let's give Donald a call."
What? He can't be serious, I thought. Seth then whipped out his cell phone, called another contact and said, "Hey Daniel, I'm here with Curt Devine, a writer for Relevant Magazine. Can we connect him with Donald Miller now and talk about the possibilities of a partnership?"
Unfortunately, this random contact Daniel said that Donald was busy getting married this week, but he would be happy to connect the two of us in the future. All I could do was laugh. Seth proceeded to put me in touch with another author named Tom Davis who has multiple books published on trafficking and child abandonment. As amazing as this is, even more important than the possible connections with these authors is the lesson I learned. We should never brush our dreams aside as foolish or impossible. God delights in doing great things through people who admit they can't do much. Seth Barnes started AIM after being fired from his job at age 31, having nothing more than a wild dream and an empty wallet. Through trust in God, connections with others and a lot of determination, he developed one of today's most innovative missions organizations. Now, it doesn't seem absurd to him to connect a young, inexperienced writer with a big-name author because he knows that with God's help, dreams can become reality. I'm going to commit to dreaming bigger and banking less on myself and more on God. Who knows, maybe I can partner with Paulo Coelho and Steve McCurry and write a NY Times best-selling graphic novel? This could be fun.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 9/16/2011
In college, I remember panicking that I didn't know God's will for my life. I thought if I became a businessman instead of a writer or a lawyer instead of a missionary, I could entirely miss my God-given purpose. I even remember asking a friend, "Why won't God just tell me what I'm supposed to do?" Now looking back, I just laugh at myself. It's been incredibly liberating to learn that God cares less about me knowing His ultimate will for my life and more about me becoming His will today. Hebrews 11.8 says that Abraham obeyed God and followed him "not knowing where he was going." Often I demand to know the final destination before I take the first step, but this isn't what following God looks like. As God said to Joshua, "I am with you wherever you go." This gave Joshua the confidence to move forward knowing he carried the will of God with him, regardless of whether he decided to go right or left into the promise land. In short: it's not about finding God's will; it's about becoming it. Bill Johnson says that God desires to transform us so deeply that He can say to us, "Your will be done." We've all been created uniquely, and so long as we honor God through faith in Christ, we are free to become His will by living out our own passions. As Augustine said-"Love God and do what you want." 
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 9/6/2011
The other day, a friend of mine showed me what it means to be free.
As we sat in Starbucks catching up between talking moms and hissing espresso
machines, she began to sing. Loud. I had asked about her song writing, wanting
to hear some of her thoughts on creativity, expression and the music industry,
but she had something entirely different in mind. She opened her phone to a
page of lyrics, smiled, and then just went for it. Hitting high melodies in
lofty falsetto and singing rhymes of love, joy and life, she wanted to share
what was inside of her, openly and honestly.
Mid verse, I noticed two tennis yuppies and a chubby rabbi
staring at her behind her back. I could hear their thoughts- "Does she know
people can hear her? Isn't she self-aware? Why doesn't she just talk like
everyone else?" My friend had no idea they were listening, but I was pretty
entertained to say the least. 
Even though this happened in two minutes, it spoke a lot to
me. My friend couldn't care less what other people think, because her identity
isn't in popularity or worldly dignity; it's in God. Because she knows who she
is, she is free to awkwardly and passionately serenade coffee shops. Most of us
walk around chained to the opinions of others. Personally, I know that I want
all people everywhere to like me always, and this is a problem. Before I do
something, I often consider all the judgment and feedback I could get, and if
the judgment outweighs the benefit, then I don't do it. This is not how God
wants us to live however. Just as He led the Israelites out of bondage to
Egypt, he leads us out of enslavement to worldly opinions and into the freedom
of His love.
We all have something unique inside of us. Whether it's a
story, song, dream or idea, we need to share it Sure, there may be people who
think it's odd or rude or unsophisticated, but nothing great has been created
without risk and nothing profound has been said (or sung) without criticism.
I'm not so sure this means we should all bust out Amazing Grace next time we
get coffee, but it does mean that wherever we are, we're free to be who we are.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 9/2/2011
Check out my latest article on Relevant's social justice page. The story is about Neema, a craft shop and cafe in Tanzania that employs disabled people as a way to show grace and restore dignity. It may have been the most inspire place I visited on my race. Check it!
http://rejectapathy.com/poverty/features/26081-from-outcast-to-empowered-in-tanzania
Also, if you want to get a sweet gift for your bff's birthday or just want something great from Africa, check out their website: http://www.neemacrafts.com/
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 8/26/2011
God is the same-there
and here
When my team did
ministry in Iringa, Tanzania, we partnered with a young teacher named Peter who
seemed a little over excited about America. He told us, "Wow, I'm so happy to
be with a team from the U.S.A. I love American churches. I love American books.
One day I will go to America and learn so much about God!"
I stared at him in
disbelief, thinking, "Does he really think America has more of God than
Africa?" I told him most of my friends couldn't wait to come to Africa to
experience more of God's presence. He didn't understand.
The truth is, we are all
guilty of thinking the grass is greener on the other side. The misconception
most of us buy into says that community, miracles and true passion only exist
in the third world. On the other hand, much of the third world falsely believes
effective ministry only happens with lots of money and high-tech resources.
Jesus says something completely different. In Luke 17, he teaches his disciples
not to listen to people who say, "Here it is" or "There it is," referring to
the kingdom of heaven. Rather, he says, "The kingdom of God is in your midst,"
meaning that experiencing God's presence has nothing to do with where you are
and everything to do with how you live with those around you.
I've had friends tell me
America is different from other countries because of rampant consumerism and
selfishness, however, the truth is, every country has its struggles and poses
unique problems for those seeking God. In Ukraine, alcoholism runs rampant. In
Thailand, the sex industry plagues hundreds of thousands. In Tanzania, theft
and crime create serious problems. Every country uniquely needs God's grace,
but the good news is that He faithfully pours it out on those who seek them, no
matter the place or time. 
New chapters bring
new opportunities
Honestly, I do miss the
World Race. I miss my community of friends. I miss the adventure of not knowing
what next month will bring. I crave those raw experiences with God, yet I have
to trust that new seasons in life bring new opportunities for living and loving
well. Whether you've recently experienced third-world poverty or you simply
want a change in your life, the great thing is that none of us have to sink
back into the empty routines we used to live in. Here are a few helpful questions
to ask yourself:
If you had all the time,
money and resources to make an impact on the world, what would you do?
Now, with the limited
resources and relationships you do have, what impact can you have on your local
community? Or, what small steps can you make toward making a global change in
the future?
America is not your
enemy; it's another opportunity. You don't have to wait till your next
short-term missions trip to experience God and share his love with others. Take
the lessons and experiences you loved from your trip and reapply them to your
dorm room, church or neighborhood. The adventure isn't over.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 8/23/2011
As I step into the
church, bass booms against my chest. Neon lights reflect off the worship
leader's guitar as he sings, "There is no one like our God," with an auto-tuned
effect on his voice. I feel slightly uncomfortable. As the song builds, my
friend turns to me and says, "Doesn't this sound amazing? They just spent
$300,000 on a new sound system." I oddly laugh with a hint of anger. I'm now
back in an American mega-church, yet I can't help but think about the
third-world churches I visited this year, the ones with one Bible, no
electricity and a lot of passion. I think about the impoverished faces I
met-the toothless street children in Nepal, the drug addicts in Kenya and the
young prostitutes lining the streets of Thailand. I'm torn by the contrast. Even though I want to worship, I
only feel bitterness.
Coming back to America
after experiencing third-world missions is no easy process. I recently finished
the World Race, an 11-month missions trip to 11 countries in Asia, Africa and
Eastern Europe, and while I've loved being home with hot showers and cold
air-conditioning, the transition has been rough. It's so easy for me to judge
friends when they drop $100 on a night out, thinking, "That could feed the
homeless boy I met in Tanzania for a year," or to think I'm better than the guy
with a Lexus because my Grand Am is barely worth a grand.
Last week, a friend even
told me she woke up crying every day when she returned from Africa because she
couldn't stand the wealth around her. While everyone coming off the missions
field will struggle to different degrees, none of us should become bitter,
America-hating cynics. Here are a few reasons why.
Abundance is not a bad
thing
The first day I woke up
in my own bed after coming home, I decided to go to the grocery store for some
breakfast. I found myself in the cereal aisle reliving the scene from The
Hurt Locker, staring at an
endless array of General Mills cartoons staring back at me. I'd forgotten that
America is a land of excess. We can choose from more than 50 types of
deodorant, 115 kinds of toothpaste and now 1,000 channels on TV. 
This conflict between
excess at home and scarcity abroad can be a lot to handle. The temptation will
always be to either hate the abundance of America, judging your community for
its consumption or to forget the poverty abroad and go back to the way you
lived before your trip. The key is live within the tension. As Christy Vidrine
says in her book Unearth,
"There is a balance between the humility of scarcity and the peace within
excess."
James the brother of
Jesus writes that every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from above,
meaning that every good thing we have is from God. Therefore, the first
response we should have to the excess around us should be one of thankfulness.
God has given us food, water, shopping malls, restaurants and Venti Mocha
Frappuccinos even though we don't deserve them.
Our second response
should be wise stewardship. I recently overheard a friend saying that she has a
closet overflowing with clothes, yet she complains that she has nothing to
wear. This reminded me of Jesus' parable of the 10 minas, where a ruler gives
10 minas (large amounts of money) to his servants to steward. Some make wise
investments and use the money well, while one servant hides his share in the
ground. The master returns and reprimands this servant for doing nothing. In
turn, if we have full closets, stocked refrigerators or fat bank accounts, we
should look for wise opportunities to give those things to others and encourage
our friends and families to do the same.
Maybe the reason God has
allowed us to live in abundance is so that we can be a blessing to those who
don't. If we live within the tension of American excess and global poverty, we
can respond with thankfulness and generosity, thanking God for what we have and
giving much of it away to those in need. In this way, abundance is a gift.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 8/3/2011
11. Watching two dozen orphans become carefree, goofy children at a water park in Mindanao, Philippines.
10. Laying hands on an elderly man with tuberculosis confined to an African hospital bed. His eyes lit up when he realized society could isolate him, but Jesus would still send people to comfort him.
9. Laughing as a monkey stole bananas from a man offering them up to a Hindu idol in a Malaysian cave. The monkey gobbled them up in seconds.
8. Pranking two girls on my squad by hiding fish in their backpacks. They may have gotten away with putting ducks in the guys' bedroom, but they went home smelling like moldy tuna.
7. Jamming praise songs with Rwandan youth in front of thousands of joyful people in Kigali. Despite the genocide, the country has forgiveness for the past and hope for the future.
6. Doing the electric slide with Maasai worriers at a dance club in Zanzibar. I got served.
5. Attending a gypsy church in the middle-of-nowhere Romania, seeing that God truly reigns in all the Earth.
4. Praying for Elova, a demon-possessed woman in India. She screamed and flailed her arms like a wild animal, yet after losing conscientiousness for 10 minutes, she sat up with a quiet smile and said, "I feel like a new person. I want to praise Jesus."
3. Leading worship for prostitutes and tourists in a seedy bar on Bangla Road-the center for Puhket, Thailand's sex industry.
2. Realizing God still works miracles when Joseph, a young deaf boy, had his ears opened and heard his name for the first time.
1. Finding my identity in Christ. As I stood on top of a giant boulder overlooking a Tanzanian sunset, I heard God whisper, "You are my son with whom I'm well pleased."
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 7/19/2011
No one likes a story with a bad ending. If Rocky didn't last 10 rounds with Apollo Creed, or if Marty Mcfly failed to make it back to the future, or if Holden Caulfield abandoned his sister for the city, these stories wouldn't be the classics we remember them to be. Since the World Race began in September, I've viewed this as a matchless adventure unfolding month by month, and from all the blogs and articles I've written along the way, it really has felt like a story. So when I arrived with my team in Ukraine for our final month, I hoped it would make for a great final chapter-one filled with opportunity, memories and closure. Sadly, this hasn't been the case. Last month, we received a contact sheet telling us that we would be doing music ministry in the city, living with a big family on the coast of the Black Sea. I even read a blog from another team describing this ministry site as beautiful, challenging and heart-warming. Needless to say, I was excited. But somehow, there was a mix up in the contact sheets, and when we arrived in Ukraine we found out we were with a small, non-English speaking family, far from the coast, with no music ministry involved. Frustration soon set in. We've really tried to make the most of the month, but with no translators available in town, our ministry is limited. Most conversations with our host Dema consist of short phrases like this: "Dema, what shall we do now?" we ask him. "Brothers, water. Sisters, no!" he says, meaning he wants the guys to get water from an old-fashioned well while the girls do nothing. After the first week of this, I was incredibly disappointed, feeling more useless than I ever had on the Race. I asked God in prayer why He would send us to a rural village with no translator for our final month, thinking, "This is not how a good story ends." Yet after taking a step back, I've realized this isn't the end of a story; it's merely a cliffhanger. I didn't sign up for the World Race so that I could get a fix of excitement before settling into a stable office job accumulating comforts for myself. If anything, this month reminds me that life is filled with twists and turns, and so as I continue to follow God, I know He will surprise me with another twist of adventure after the Race. Regrettably, I think I've seen one too many movies ending with happily-ever-afters, and I therefore find myself demanding God give me movie-script experiences in the present. At the end of the day, this is just one chapter in my life, and my life is just one sentence in the saga God has been writing since the beginning of time. Even if this adventure doesn't have a perfect conclusion where everything wraps up nicely, I trust that the master of storytelling knows what should happen next in the bigger story of the world's redemption. I'm just glad I get to take part in it.
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 7/16/2011
Journal entry from the other day (Month 11):
I constantly write blogs about how I don't need popularity, status or even security, but in my weakness, I ache for all of these. Yet it would be ridiculous to let the sharp judgments of others carve the shape of my life. Sculptures have more meaning than rocks because they are formed with purpose. Michael-Angleo said that before he began sculpting, he would look a stone tablet and envision every detail of his soon-to-be masterpiece. Despite the intricate difficulties, he always kept this final form in mind, and by never straying from his original purpose, he turned a shapeless boulder into the Statue of David. I know my purpose and my passion. I've spent the last five years defining my dreams, and it would be a tragedy to throw them by the wayside simply because I don't know the next step... 
| |
|
Posted in General Posts by Curt Devine on 7/1/2011
I've decided to become homeless. But before you assume this means I'm taking some trendy Shane Claiborne-influenced vow of poverty, let me explain what I mean. I'm currently sitting on a mountain of raged backpacks in the middle of Ukraine's busiest train station. My team and I are stuck here for 10 hours, looking like a band of traveling vagabonds, waiting for a ride to our final ministry site on the World Race. With freezing tile beneath my feet and uppity passersby staring at me like I'm a circus clown, I have every reason to feel uncomfortable. Yet the honest truth is, I'm not.
When I began the World Race, I packed a ridiculous excess of luxuries, bringing along hair conditioner, 20 T-shirts and Ziplock bags packed with vitamins. I remember taking off at Miami airport feeling my nerves explode inside my chest, thinking of all the people and comforts I had left behind. Yet all of this just revealed my desire to hold onto home and my reluctance to let go and embrace a home in God. This is exactly what the Israelites did when God called them out of Egypt to follow Him through the desert. In Exodus 16, they grumbled to themselves, saying, "We sat by meat pots and ate bread to the full [in Egypt]." Even though God had called them into the land flowing with milk and honey, they looked back on their slavery with desire.
I think many of us do the same thing. Even though God has called us into a joy-filled, eternal dwelling, we instead build homes out of earthly comforts, using trendy wardrobes, IKEA décor, iPhones and gym memberships. None of these things are inherently bad, in fact I'm looking forward to them when I get home, but when they replace the refuge we have in God, there is a problem. Home is where our hearts feel secure, and if Christ has paved a way into the presence of God, why should I make mine anywhere else?
Oddly, a younger Russian man just knelt down next to us in the terminal, and said, "You guys must not care what people think, huh?" Even though he meant it as a sort of insult, I take it as a compliment. No Dmitri, we don't care what people think because God is our refuge, not this heap of moldy backpacks you see us sitting on.
So I'm becoming homeless- meaning I'm rejecting the fantasy that I'll ever obtain enough physical comfort in this world to satisfy my soul. Even though the World Race ends in a month, I can honestly say the adventure is not over. I'm okay with going wherever God leads, whether that be to a prestigious graduate school or back to a mud hut in Kenya. I fully plan on having a family in a great house with a stable job one day, but that will never be the place my soul finds ultimate refuge. I'm homeless in this world because I have a home that's much better.
Psalm 23:6 "I shall dwell in the house of God forever."
| |
|
Next 10 Articles >>
|
|
|
