Twenty-five minutes late, dressed in jeans, and sucking air, we raced down city blocks and trekked up three sets of white, stone steps to the mezzanine level of the Brooklyn Tabernacle.
We arrived to find church members genuinely happy to see us and four thousand people belting out "Amazing Grace".
Perfection.
The pastor preached on Proverbs 5:14. I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.
And the gist of the sermon was this:
Utter ruin.
People walk the ledge, and we don't know.
People cry behind closed doors, and we don't know.
People grasp tightly to hidden pain, and we don't know.
And why don't we know? We don't pay attention.
Apparently, God thought I needed an illustration of this sermon seared into my brain, and so after church, he allowed me to walk passed the "Before I Die Project". This project creates constructive spaces out of neglected places. Think of a giant, city block-sized chalkboard that invites passersby to scrawl out dreams they wish to achieve.
Detailed sentences with perfect manuscript. Short misspelled words and phrases. Some dreams silly, some serious, but all the work of people hoping to be heard.
Other messages included: "Be saved. Find my dad. Love someone. Graduate from college."
Now, tucked back into my life at home, I think about the authors of the above chalk dreams, and I wonder if anyone is listening to them tonight.
Questions for you: Do you consider yourself a good listener? Who needs you to hear them today?
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Linking with Michelle and Jen.
40 comments:
Fantastic post! Thanks for posting those chalkboard dreams. Very special.
I LOVED your post, Amy! I loved the message, "Before I die, I want to make a difference for women." God has given me a new opportunity to make a difference for women in crisis, and I feel privileged beyond words.
Amy,
Love the chalk dreams! There is something SO empowering about putting your dreams down on paper. Can you imagine writing them on a huge city chalkboard?!?!?
As far as listening, your post opened my eyes to my own need to open the ears of my heart to those "shouting in silence" all around me.
GREAT POST! Thanks, lady~
LORD,help us to really see...to listen to their heart...to lift them up to The Throne of Grace.
Love this! First because I love NYC (my hometown) and all of it's creativity and culture. Second because I love the chalkboard idea! Third, because there are so many out there who do need us to listen! Thanks for sharing!!
Great post Amy! I love how God speaks to us!
I am not a good listener. Sometimes I feel so caught up in my own world the pain of others escape me and I don't like that. But honestly, the people that need me to hear them today are my children. Thank you for the reminder.
The chalk dreams are very inspiring yet sad in a way. Makes me wonder what I would write. Whether I would be more reality focused or eternity focused.... Praise God that He is the author and creator of my dreams! Great post!!!
Amy, love the question and your encounter with the chalkboard dreams. I wrote about a similar theme in my post. Taking the time to notice the marginalized. Hearing a sacred echo as I read your post. Enjoyed your thoughts!
"And why don't we know? We don't pay attention."
This message will be ringing in my ears today, Amy. I want to be a listener.
I love the chalkboard dreams. I would love to see that spread...
I'm trying to listen. I don't believe that I've heard everyone I needed to hear, but I am getting better.
The hardest thing is that most of us don't have the capacity to listen to *everyone*...because listening obligates you to intervene in some way...at least, that's what I believe. And those of us who have families have to begin by listening to them, and responding appropriately. And by the time you do that, it is sometimes so hard to do more outside your home. That sounds like an excuse...there have been moments of grace when something has really hit me inside my head, and gotten me to slow down, stop, and listen carefully. It's always a moment of grace, but yes, it's far too rare.
Kelli,
My dreams are the right now focused kinds of dreams. Hmmm, I didn't even think of eternity based dreams, and this is what I love about blogging, now I'm thinking of eternity based dreams.
Gaby,
As I wrote this, I thought of my kids. My oldest daughter is a talk-er (loads of emphasis on that one). I mean, the girl can go and go and go, and the details she gives? Wow, and so sometimes I tune her out. I hate that. One day soon, she won't want to ramble on about her day, and you know what? I'll be trying to pry details out of her. That's sad.
Oh, wow, Amy. This sounds like a true-blue adventure...a pilgrimage maybe. So very cool. I want to write a few things on that wall...
Great post! We all long to be heard and this was a great reminder to close the mouth and open the ears. Thank you!
This post, wow, as usual in all of your fun you bring out something so profound, because why? YOu listen. I don't want to ignore.
dang, amy. love this.
This is so very beautiful. And those dreams (and the whole idea...wow) And my hope is someone is listening to those dreamers...that they have someone in their life...family or friend...that listens and loves.
thoughts- first off i love that it's written in chalk.....dreams change, some come true, some are realized to be not so grand, God gives new ones.....i like the impermanence of the chalk. secondly, i do think i'm a good listener (does that sound arrogant??), but i often struggle with the next step on what to do w/people's pain and their dreams. i want to do so much and try, but find myself often running out of energy and time. think i try to do it too much on my own. been asking God to give me the time and energy to truly be there for those he wants me to be there for. all about him......gotta get rid of more of me. i think that's my dream right now. not much else matters in the end i guess.
so glad you had an awesome time in NY! you deserve the break :)
I love it all...getting off at the wrong place, sucking air in jeans running--all will certainly be more a part of my metro life:}
And the heart of the sermon...when I engage I am a good listener, I think, but the struggle is that I don't engage nearly enough people who are calling to be seen...if I had a dream it would be to live a life where I really see others and enter their lives to show them the depth of God's love for them--that I would do this more and more.
hugs:}
Amy,
What a powerful post! I long to pay attention to those stories and see those chalk dreams.
BTW Thank you SO much for your kind comment on my blog. You're so encouraging! Yes, my desire is to write stories, and I've just finished my first novel. As I wait for the Lord's timing, I continue to write my masterpiece--my children.
Have a great week!
Mel
growing in the scripture...slow to speak...quick to listen...my desire is for people to feel heard and to be seen.
Blessing
Wow, those chalkboard dreams -- that (and your words, too) will keep me thinking long and hard tonight!
I think I could do a much better job listening to my children. I can listen to my friends for hours, but my kids...
hmmm...something to work on.
I always thought I was a good listener until I needed someone to listen to me. Now I know better. And can do better, thanks to my listeners. Love this post.
Wow. I would have loved to have run up those stairs with you and walked into that assembly to hear the choir singing Amazing Grace. You had me at the sermon text. How many of my days do I live life assuming I wasn't at the brink of utter ruin, but for that amazing grace? That thought, in itself, ought to open my eyes and ears to others on the brink. Love, love, the chalkboard. Something about the invitation to share one's dreams in anonymity that just makes me smile. Maybe because the offer of anonymity frees us to tell the truth? Good stuff here, Amy.
Thought and heart-provoking post!
Thank you Amy for sharing your words, hearts and pictures!
Love the illustration. Love the message.
Interesting Chalkboard dreams. I love fostering dreams. But I have to wonder if I spend enough time listening. Somedays I get caught up in my own thoughts and now much else gets through. Much to think about/pray about here, as always.
I love this, Amy. Your posts are so unique and make me delight in thinking about them long after I read them:). Hope you have been doing well, Friend, and that your trip was great!
So amazing...the wall of dreams.
The first thing I thought of when reading about the sermon's message, is how I guard against letting others (beyond those inside my home) see when I am deeply upset or in pain. I think we all wear the masks because it feels safer to answer with socially acceptable niceties than let people in and risk rejection because our pain is too much for them in that moment.
Which makes listening that much harder. I think my challenge is to brave the mask and listen for what is behind it and then show them I do care.
So amazing...the wall of dreams.
The first thing I thought of when reading about the sermon's message, is how I guard against letting others (beyond those inside my home) see when I am deeply upset or in pain. I think we all wear the masks because it feels safer to answer with socially acceptable niceties than let people in and risk rejection because our pain is too much for them in that moment.
Which makes listening that much harder. I think my challenge is to brave the mask and listen for what is behind it and then show them I do care.
If I commented twice, you can delete one...This really excited me. What a creative idea! But it mostly excited me because in my Bible reading this morning I read Psalm 17 in the Message translation. It said,
Paint grace-graffiti on the fences;
What beautiful grace graffiti!!
Amy, thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I appreciate your visit and your comment. :-)
Love this post! I'd like to think I'm a good listener, but I know my mind is busy and so I often only listen with one ear and probably miss valuable details. I'm a work in progress...
Blessings,
Rosann
I am glad that your unplanned workout to the Brooklyn Tabernacle was rewarded with such a great experience.
Though I have room for improvement (especially with the Mrs.), I have always been an above average listener. I think being an introvert helps.
That is a great post Amy, I think God takes you places just to have good stories to write. I just had another friend die young and it struck me - I want to dig deeper into the relationships I have. Dig deeper into the lives of those in my orbit. I never know when my words might be a message from God that will turn a life around.
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