We have great news! June 1 the book, Thin Places will be coming out, telling the story and postures of Nieucommunities. We pray this book inspires you to live faithfully in your own neighborhood.
Our very own Jon Huckins and Rob Yackley wrote the book. Pre order your copy and watch the DVD book trailer at:
www.jonhuckins.net.
Here’s a devotional we wrote for the CRM Lent Devotional series this season. To view it in your browser with images, please click:
http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=1b9db7cc806d7872a056ae190&id=c03166cbb4&e=81a9b9c6ac
MEDITATION
Lucia lives a block from our house. She and her family are originally from Mexico and have lived here in Golden Hill, San Diego for 23 years. They have withstood the waves of redevelopment that have impacted our neighborhood in significant ways, both for good and for harm.
We recently had a chance to hear Lucia’s story. When her children were young, Lucia began to care for other children of working poor Latino families in the neighborhood. In many of these families both parents needed to work, so their kids were left home alone to be watched over by older siblings. Lucia saw the need and began to care for these children for little to no pay. Several years later she officially opened her own home-based family day care, offering childcare 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Today Lucia continues to care for children in her home, charging only what families are able to afford.
The Kingdom of God is like a woman whose heart is so filled with compassion for children in her neighborhood that she opens her home to offer affordable childcare so that none of them are forgotten.
We met Darren at our neighborhood park. He and his family have become close friends and neighbors of our community and have begun to discover who Jesus is and follow in his ways. Darren recently asked Derek for coaching as he processed what it means to love and serve others the way Jesus did. After some intentional coaching, Darren was compelled to go through a five-week training to become a mentor for boys in the San Diego foster care system. His heart is being transformed as he now comes alongside orphans, showing them a father’s love in ways they’ve never known before.
The Kingdom of God is like a man who gives his heart and time to be a father to the fatherless.
Jesus’ parables of the Kingdom of God have inspired us to look for stories of Kingdom realities in our own neighborhood. We seek to submerge our lives into the story of God all around us and invite others to join us along the way. As we contend for God’s Kingdom realities here on earth, may we live with vision and imagination for God’s restoration, entrusting all things to the sovereignty of a God who passionately loves his world. May we all watch and listen in the contexts where God has sent us.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
1. What is God speaking to you about the reality of the Kingdom in these parables of Jesus?
2. Write a Kingdom parable from a story in your current context.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Derek and Christiana Rice live with their two daughters, Naomi (4) and Anika (2), in Golden Hill, San Diego. They serve withNieuCommunities, developing and sending missional leaders out of the context of a missional community.
After comforting Anika at 3am this morning and laying her back in her bed, I began to imagine the day that Jesus was born…. I wonder who was really there….. The Shepherds, the animals, maybe even the inn keeper but surely others were intrigued and had been invited to come along and check it out. What about the Shepherds’ friends or the inn keeper’s family?
I’d imagine there were others who came to say happy birthday to Jesus without knowing that he was their God.
We just hosted a Christmas Eve service in our home for NeiuCommunities, our families and our neighbors. It was an eclectic group of people all coming to honor Jesus on his Birthday. Some of us were devoted believers and followers of who Jesus is and what he does. Others were respecters of Jesus but not necessarily followers. Then there were those of us who are compelled by Jesus and are wrestling with who Jesus really was and is and are longing for more of him in our lives. Wherever we are in our spiritual journey, we all came together because of Jesus.
We came to see Jesus, we came to celebrate him, and we came to be together because him. I think that’s what Jesus wants. He came to us…..he keeps coming to us…. and he invites us to come to him.
28th Street Park
I had a few great conversations at the park while my girls played in the sand and climbed trees. There was one conversation, however, that stood out above the rest.
Matt and I started talking with Joe who was there with is 21mo old son, Jon. The conversation quickly led to asking each other what we do for work. Joe told us that he works for an engineering company. We proceeded to explain NieuCommunities and that we’re both a part of an intentional community that studies and follows the life and teachings of Jesus and that we help to run an apprenticeship that forms leaders in the way of Jesus.
Joe seemed interested and asked, “So are you guys a form of ‘church’?”….. his question led us deep quick.
We found out that Joe grew up in a Christian home, was a youth pastor at one point but for the past 6 years has stopped believing and walked away from God. His wife is still “faithful and devout,” as Joe described her, and goes to church every week. He joins her fairly regularly but does not consider himself a Christian. Apparently his journey away from God started as he dug into scripture and found countless discrepancies between what the bible says and his own Christian experience. So he asked God to give him a supernatural experience of himself.
He’s still waiting
Just before we stared talking with Joe, our neighborhood friend Darren and his boys met us at the park as well. Darren is Jewish by heritage and has begun to follow the ways of Jesus as he’s walked closely with our community or the past two years. At one point, Matt, myself, Joe and Darren were all talking about Jesus and faith and the longings of our soul. It was beautiful.
As I stared gathering my stuff to leave, the thought entered my mind, “This is a Thin Place moment.” Thin Place is a term developed by Celtic Christians to describe an experience or a moment when the space between heavenly realities and the realities on earth is very thin. When life as God intended it to be is experienced here on earth.
I turned and saw Matt giving Joe his number, letting him know that he’d love to meet up for coffee to keep talking. I looked around and began to remember the countless spiritual conversations I’ve had at this park. Its remarkable. In fact, I think the space between heaven and earth is thinner at that park than most any other public place I frequent.
I began to pray that Joe would experience a touch of heaven in this moment.
As I walked away, pushing my little munchkins in the stroller, Joe’s wife pulled up. I knew it was her because Joe’s son, Jon ran up to give her a hug. As we passed, I introduced myself as a follower of Jesus, told her briefly about our conversation with Joe and that we’d be praying for her. Her eyes filled with tears and she thanked me.
I’m praying for eyes to see more Thin Places around me as I follow Jesus in my neighborhood.
Our friend and neighbor’s father passed away yesterday morning.
After a heart attack and days of surviving in critical condition, our friend’s dad began to show signs of improvement. The Dr’s were shocked to find that a part of his heart that was severely damaged had healed, making it possible to move forward with bypass surgery.
Our community had been praying. We sent facebook messages and mailed a card with words of encouragement and prayers, showing our love and support for this family. It seemed that God was healing this man and showing his faithfulness and power!
I began to wonder if God might be drawing these friends into deeper relationship with him through this act of healing.
And then, less that 24 hours after the positive reports from the Dr’s, our friend’s daddy died at the age of 53.
I’m still confused. WHY would God allow this? I know the answers I’ve been told my whole life about God’s bigger plan and how sometimes God saves people from suffering by allowing them to die or how we live in a broken world and there are things that happen not by God’s doing but because of our human limitations etc…. but in my heart, I just don’t get it.
I don’t know that I’ll ever fully get it.
When we saw our friends yesterday morning we embraced and cried together. I don’t know why God allows suffering and sadness and loss but I do know that God is with us. I know that God weeps with us as we live in this broken world. I know God longs to restore all things.
Our friends thanked us for being there for them. All I can do is hope that they experience the tangible presence of God Emmanuel, God with us, through the body of Christ here expressed through NieuCommunities. And may we be faithful to love them as Jesus would.
Saturday night was our first Roller Derby experience. Anytime you go to a new sporting event you realize that you’re stepping into a sub-culture of people with its social dynamics, both fascinating and a little quirky. This was no exception. 
About half way through the evening I left my coat in the bathroom. When I went back to get it, the coat was gone. I asked a sweet Hispanic woman who was sweeping the floors if she had seen a jean jacket that was left in one of the stalls. Without using words the woman motioned for me to follow her to the trash can. Apparently she had hidden my coat at the bottom of the trash bin, underneath the plastic bag.
She seemed a little embarrassed when she handed me my coat, almost as if to apologize. I’m not sure what she intended to do with the coat but I was grateful to get it back. As I turned to walk back to my seat, putting the coat back on to stay warm, a “sense” or a “feeling” came over me that I can’t explain except to say that its familiar….and its something I’ve learned to listen to as a way that God communicates with me….
A couple of nights ago I pulled out a childhood book of mine to read to Naomi. The book is called, “The Boy Who Gave His Lunch Away,” and its an adaptation of the story in the Gospels of the boy who gave his bread and his fish to Jesus and Jesus miraculously multiplies it to feed thousands. The author of the book imagines what this boy’s family life might have been like to prompt him to give his lunch away like this. He describes the boy’s father as generous man of faith who teaches his son saying, “we eat what we need and we give the rest away…”
As I walked away from this sweet woman who cleaned the bathrooms and swept the floor I sensed that the coat I was wearing wasn’t mine to keep.
I turned back around, found the woman and handed her my coat saying, “I’d like to give you this coat.” She could have refused it…. and in that case, I probably would have kept it, but…. the woman looked me in the eyes and said in broken english, “for me?” I responded, “Yes. I’d like you to have it.” And she took it with a big smile on her face.
As NieuCommunities we’re studying 1 & 2 Peter, looking at what it means to be a Holy People, reflecting a Holy God. 1 Peter 4: 10 & 11 in The Message it says, “Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all can get in on it; if words, let it be God’s words, if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s Bright Presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and HE will get all the credit as the mighty one in everything…”
Our acts of generosity are an expression of God’s bright presence for the world!
I tell this story not to brag on how great I am that I gave my coat away (a coat that I actually liked, by the way ). There are plenty of opportunities for me to give my things away in my own neighborhood everyday. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I tell this because I think I tasted the holiness of Jesus in an encounter with one of God’s beloved children at a roller derby event. And her smile was beautiful.
Jesus lived a Holy life on earth. He loved and served in perfection. But he didn’t stop for everyone. He couldn’t! He was God but he was also human. Jesus heard the voice of his father and he obeyed, knowing who to love and serve when.
A central part of holiness is listening to the voice of the Father.
……..
So I listened…. this time. God spoke to me and I obeyed…and I got to reflect the generous heart of my Father in heaven. Perhaps the most notable posture of a holy people is simply to listen to the father, obey and receive the gift of God’s bright presence, both for us and for those around us. What an honor.
Today I found another reason to love thrift stores. Shopping at thrift stores is not only a great way to discover treasures, to recycle, reuse and to save money but thrift stores are also great places to run into unexpected people.
Anika and I made a quick run to the down town Goodwill this afternoon. As I was pulling away, I saw in my rear view mirror two people with their thrift store purchases laid out on the curb. The woman was in a long black coat with a big brimmed colorful hat. The man was in a vest and sweat pants. They looked familiar. As I turned my head to get a better look, sure enough it was Tammy and James, my new friends from the winter shelter!
Tammy and James were guests at a 6 week homeless winter shelter in January and February at 1st Pres. church down town. I had the privilege of volunteering there from 6-10pm every wednesday, welcoming in 9 individuals who, for one reason or another, have been living on the streets. It was an honor to get to know the guests and
hear their stories. A couple weeks ago I got to sing Gospel hits with Tammy and James around the piano!
Anika and I got out of our car and walked over to where Tammy and James were apparently switching out old duffle bags for new ones that would hopefully put a little less stress on their shoulders as they carry the bags around city streets and on public transportation. We gave each other big hugs and Anika and I sat with them on the curb to hear the latest with their job search, Tammy’s financial aid to continue taking college courses and any update on an affordable housing situation for them .
I gave them a ride toward their storage unit but we spotted another thrift store on the way so they decided to have me drop them off there instead. James played with Anika in the back seat while Tammy and I caught up about how the transition out of the winter shelter and back to the streets has been for them. Last saturday was their last night at the winter shelter. They’ve slept the past 6 nights, nestled up outside against the church building. I had given them a copy of Derek’s CD which Tammy said she’d been listening to at night as she falls asleep. She told me how the words to the songs were a comfort to her.
What sweet moments those were. I think moments like these are from God; where he draws people together in an unexpected way nso he can show all of us his relational love. I want to be present and aware throughout my day so I can know God’s love through moments like these. I want to know people who are different from me so I can hear God through them. I want to love well as God brings people my way. This is how Jesus was and how he is today. He crosses borders and barriers and societal structures and cultures to love people.
Jesus through Tammy and James was just what I needed this afternoon.
by Christiana
Last night was my second Wednesday evening at the First Pres Winter Shelter. Its a wonderful conglomeration of people coming together to love on some new friends who live on the streets and to enjoy a home cooked meal together. There are 9 homeless folks who stay at the shelter and a hand full of us who join them to get to know them and make sure they’re cared for that evening.
One of the ladies there has particularly caught my attention. She’s in her 50′s, has lived on the streets for a while now and has a sweet child-like spirit about her. As we spoke last week, I listened to the stories of what she’d ventured into that day and enjoyed her animated way of describing the places she goes and people she hangs out with. She didn’t give me eye contact until about 10 minutes into the conversation when she turned her face toward me, looked straight into my eyes and said, “What about you? I want to know you too.”
I was a bit taken off guard by her kindness and her sudden interest in me. When she turned and looked me in the eyes, it was as if I was looking into the eyes of Jesus. And Jesus himself was saying to me, “I want to know you.”
I know it sounds a bit wacky but in that moment, I experienced the closeness of God in the humanity of Jesus through this beautiful homeless woman.
So last night I got to be with my new friend again. After dinner we sat with another guest at the shelter and for an hour and a half we discussed good and evil and the way God (and demons!) interact with our world. It was an intense conversation.
I think those of us who live most of our lives in middle class America are dangerously ignorant to the spiritual battle that wages around us. And we become powerless because we can’t see very well past our physical environment.
Derek and I and a handfull of folks from NieuCommunities attended a 2 day seminar this week led by Chuck Kraft. The seminar was on inner healing and deliverance, making us aware of the spiritual realities around us and equipping us to live into the spiritual authority we’ve been given by God through Jesus. Kraft said, “if the enemy can’t keep you ignorant, he’ll show you just enough to keep you afraid so that you won’t face the darkness and you’ll continue to live powerless lives in fear.”
Jesus is the light of the world and in him there is no darkness. The darkness is powerless when faced with the light of Jesus.
There was a moment in our conversation last night where another guest started talking about some dark dreams and visions he’d been having. The lady I’d been getting to know said, “When I was a little girl, my mom told me that all you have to do is speak the name of Jesus. Its amazing what can happen. You should try that.”
My eyes filled with tears as I sensed the invisible but tangible presence of Jesus with us in that moment.
As we left, my friend said she’s been reading in her new book called “The New International Version” , some comforting words in a “chapter” called “Ephesians.” We’re going to talk about what she’s learning next week. I can’t wait.
First Presbyterian Church, San Diego
Our friends at First Pres down town are running a winter shelter in their church for 9 homeless men and women. Each guest applied and were accepted to be a part of a 6 week family style shelter.
Rebecca and I have committed to spend time with the guests and help run the shelter every wednesday night from 6-10pm.
Last night we shared a home cooked meal with our new friends, got to hear their stories, played some cards and had a great time.
I think wednesday nights might become my favorite night of the week.
We start moving on January 29! Its an incredible big 3 bedroom home that we’ll share with Chaz and Rebecca. Amazing location in our neighborhood, great space for hosting our community and our neighbors.
Still feels like a dream.