Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Pacifism

Micah, I think I might be joining you in your reach toward pacifism. Over the last few weeks and maybe even months, I feel like I've been drawn toward the extreme end of peace. I have been investigating the Christian Peacemaking Teams (which I recommend also investigating), talking with my friend Stephen, reading books and discussing war and peace with a few of my friends here. (Actually, a side note, I was at my leadership training before school started and a sophomore boy started asking me questions--we have a somewhat long history of bumping heads, and I told him what I thought about peace, Iraq, the Middle East, life and he ended up asking me out on a date that next weekend--so there you go girls: truly appall some boy and he'll ask you on a date) I feel so drawn toward peace, like it's just sweltering inside of me, does that make sense?

I read Tony Campolo's Letters to a Young Evangelical (which I also recommend) and I came across the letter titled, "Blessed are the Peacemakers." It was amazing. He could articulate what my soul has been longing to say since being in Egypt. Nonviolence, as a whole seems not only the most biblical but the most humanitarian. As an assignment for a modern social problems class, I got to read Martin Luther King Jr's Letter from Birmingham Jail, and it was also amazing. It may have just become one of my favorite pieces of literature. Non-violence can achieve so much, why do we resolve to go to war so often?

I just wanted to let you all in on that little piece of my heart and my life recently. I'm missing Egypt so badlt this week; it was so hard and so easy at the same time. There's a lot going in my life, my brother(the twin) might go to jail, my parents might declare bankruptcy, my mom might lose her job, and I'm trying to settle into this new year and get into the groove, but I'm trying to cope. Actually a super cool thing that happened is my twin also told me he started reading the Bible and wanted me to find him a Bible he could better understand (he started with the KJV).

So if prayer means anything to any of you, pray for me, pray for my brother, for my family, and pray for peace.

3 comments:

Dena said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Dena said...

1. So... are you taking him up on the date?
2. Stephen (I'm assuming Dahmer) is a good person to talk to.
3. I'm thinking of you!

Tory said...

i love you and miss you bud. I have absolutely been praying for you and your family. AND i have a letter that I wrote you in the middle of the wilderness sitting somewhere in teh middle of my desk and I want ot let you know that I ALWAYS think about sending it...i am just extremely lazy. I REALLY want to see you this semester. would you be up for a calvin reunion? again, i love you.