And all that jazz...

"The problem is not out there; the problem is the needy beast of a thing that lives in my chest” (Blue like Jazz, Donald Miller, p. 20).

As I begin to read Blue Like Jazz I am painfully reminded that if I want to fight for social justice and if I want to see a change in the world that it must start with me. Often times we neglect the person staring at us as we look in the mirror and point the finger at others. We speak words that we hope will fight the injustice of others but we are not practical in our giving of money or time unless of course doing this will show others that we are socially concerned. I do believe that one voice can make a difference in this world but only when that one voice stops thinking about themselves and how they look or what will make them feel better and focus’ on others.

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get waht you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, becuase you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" - James 4: 1-3. 

The problem and the solution can be me, it is I that choose to follow God, His path and for the glory of His kingdom. And it is only through Him that I can focus on others and not myself, and instead of thinking about myself a large percent of the time, think about others, and help others. But before I can begin to help others, I must first look in the mirror and see what is wrong with me. Change is contagious once I begin to change the dirt inside myself it is like a spark quickly lighting a field on fire, one corn stalk at a time.

“Nothing is going to change in the Congo until you and I figure out what is wrong with the person in the mirror” (Blue like Jazz, Donald Miller, p. 23). 

- T. 

Guatemala 2008

If I want to see change here... 

...With Me.

Then it has to start here...