Angel no, I think you've come too soon, it's not my time to go.

So, next year in Kansas City has pretty much consumed my thoughts.

Living in the inner city, in the "Murder Factory". Crazy stuff.

This last weekend we met with Jake from the Hope Center. He said something, a casual comment not meant to be made into a bullet point, but none the less, something that really caught my attention. When talking about poverty in the inner city and people sitting around and collecting Welfare checks, he said that, "When the church doesn't step in, the government has to."

This angered me so much. Should we ever have to hear those words?

When the church doesn't step up, then the government has to.

Wow, this just set a fire in my heart. Mainly because I think hes exactly right. Unfortunately we're faced with a country full of Christians that live there pampered lives, vote for a person who will take care of social concerns, and proceed to live there comfortable, safe lives.

But WE are the church. Heaven forbid a secular institution need to pick up our slack.

I really just want to cuss right now. At Christians. At myself.

I blame God, he seems to call just about every Christian I know to a 9-5 job, life in the suburbs, big screen TV, diversified portfolio, and an early retirement.

God, quit calling people to such a comfortable life.

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I also discovered the idea of the two kinds of sacrifices this weekend.

The first is the thing that you give up, and its hard, but you feel so good about yourself for giving it up that it about equals out. It's something that is a frill of life, far from a necessity. This sacrifice is primarily trendy, completely manageable, and always has an escape plan. I think the better word for it is "purged" rather than "Sacrificed" from your life.

The second kind of sacrifice is never something we want to do or give. It's either forced upon us, meaning that it is out of our control, or it presents us a choice, but the only real option is sacrifice. It's the killing off of something in us that is so important to us that we fight for it, but in reality, it has become an idol. And the death of it is very painful. Its the kind of sacrifice where after the fact, the only option we have is to rely on God. To trust in God. To hope in God. To believe in the goodness of God. It leaves us completely wrecked and completely needy. That is true sacrifice. This sacrifice always involves death.

So far I'm prepared for the former kind of sacrifice next year. But now I see the reality and inevitability of the the latter kind of sacrifice.