Weekly Web Roundup (8/13/16)

Photo Credit: danzden

Here are some interesting stories from around the web that I've seen during this past week:

Don't Let Anyone Tell You Adoptive Parents Aren't Parents by Carrie Goldman

American gold medal gymnast Simon Biles is one of the breakout stars of the 2016 Rio Olympics. But NBC commentator Al Trautwig's initial refusal to refer to Biles' adoptive parents as her parents caused quite a stir. This article addresses the importance of language choice when referring to adoptive families.

Racial History of American Swimming Pools from The Bryant Park Project

Americans everywhere rejoiced when Simon Manuel became the first African American swimmer to earn an individual swimming gold medal in the Olympics. For African Americans, the feat was of particularly significance due to the complicated history that the black community has had with America's swimming pools. This feature explains why.

A Letter From Young Asian-Americans To Their Families About Black Lives Matter by Shereen Marisol Meraji and Kat Chow

NPR offers some quality commentary on how many younger Asian Americans find themselves at odds with their parents over their views and engagement with social justices issues, particularly the Black Lives Matter Movement.

The “Dreaded Glenn”: A Response to Ms. Gaye Clark by Bryan Loritts

A post on The Gospel Coalition website earlier this week ignited a controversy when writer Gaye Clark wrote a piece entitled, "When God Sends Your White Daughter a Black Husband." The post has since been removed but the response from Pastor Loritts is worth the read as he explains why he, along with so many others, were troubled by the article.

When Love Fills Your Heart by Dayle Rogers

A friend and co-worker, Michelle Beckman, went home to be with the Lord this week after a courageous several year battle with cancer. Michelle committed the best years of her life to serving middle school and high school students so that they could know the Savior that she loved so dearly. Dayle Rogers writes of her friendship with Michelle and offers a touching tribute highlighting the influence that Michelle's life had on so many.

Faith in the Midst of Suffering

Matt Chandler is a young pastor in Texas. I've never met him nor heard him preach. I don't know a lot about him other than the face that he is a year younger than myself and is currently battling brain cancer. About two months ago, Chandler had a seizure at home and, afterwards, learned that he has a brain tumor. He is married and has three young kids.

It is natural for us to ask why these types of things happen to those who live relatively good lives and even have committed themselves to serving God and others. I have wrestled with those types of questions myself after seeing a couple of close friends pass away this past year from cancer. But I have learned that the Christian is not immune from the same kinds of suffering that anyone else deals with. We get sick, we get into accidents and we get cancer.

Chandler's perspective is well outlined in a recent Associated Press article where he gets to tell some of his story. You can read it here. As I've learned in my own life, it is often in our trials that we learn more about God and experience Him in new ways. Look at what the AP article has to say:

"Chandler never thought such a trial would shake his faith. But until now, that was just hope in the abstract.

"This has not surprised God," Chandler says on the drive home. "He is not in a panic right now trying to figure out what to do with me or this disease. Those things have been warm blankets, man."

Chandler has, however, wrestled with the tension between belief in an all-powerful God and what he, as a mere mortal, can do about his situation. He believes he has responsibilities: to use his brain, to take advantage of technology, to walk in faith and hope, to pray for healing and then "see what God wants to do."

"Knowing that if God is outside time and I am inside time, that puts some severe limitations on my ability to crack all the codes," he says. "The more I've studied, the more I go, 'Yes, God is sovereign, and he does ask us to pray ... and he does change his mind.' How all that will work is in some aspects a mystery."

Since falling ill, Chandler has gotten letters from the governor and pastors in Sudan. He has tried to steer attention to others, including a 6-year-old Arizona girl with cancer.

At church, he has deflected sympathy with reassurances that this is a good thing, that he is not shrinking back. Chandler has preached the last two weekends and is planning trips to South Africa and England. He recently lost his hair to radiation but got a positive lab report last week and feels strong.

"The human experience commonly shared is suffering," said Mark Driscoll, pastor of Seattle's Mars Hill Church and a friend of Chandler's. "If he suffers well, that might be the most important sermon he's ever preached."

Having seen several close friends walk through the cancer journey, I know that sometimes God chooses to heal and sometimes he chooses not to. He knows the reasons behind that and we do not. Matt Chandler provides a telling example of how we can suffer and still trust God through it all.

Ernie Harwell Announces He Has Terminal Cancer

It has been a rough year for the city of Detroit and the announcement from beloved Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell that he has inoperable cancer doesn't make it any easier for Motown sports fans. In a year that has seen the deaths of Pistons owner Bill Davidson and Hall of Fame Coach Chuck Daly, former Tiger All-Stars Mark Fidrych & George Kell, and the wife of hockey legend Gordie Howie, Colleen, Harwell's announcement seems surreal.

Harwell, who has been a major league announcer for over half a century, has spent the better part of four decades with Tigers. For Tigers fans like myself, Ernie Harwell is the voice of the Tigers and always will be. The sound of his voice calling a Tigers game conjures up pleasant and peaceful memories of youth. It reminds me of playing baseball all day long in the summertime and a magical '84 Tigers squad.

Detroit fans are well familiar with his common phrases like "he stood there like the house by the side of the road", "the payoff pitch" and "two for the price of one." What some fans may not be familiar with is his strong Christian faith, which will sustain him through whatever time on earth that God allows. As he says,

"And also, I think that when I heard the news, that I had this cancer, that I had a feeling of security and serenity ... but I had a feeling of acceptance because of my belief in Jesus and the Lord."

And that, my friends, is one for the books. Thanks for all the memories, Ernie.

Life is Precious

It has been said that life is what happens while you're busy making plans. Unfortunately, our plans are often interrupted by sickness, disease and even death. Lori and I currently have at least five different friends that are battling or recovering from treatments for cancer. It is never fun to see those you love go through life-threatening illnesses.

To address the myth that somehow if you're right in your relationship with God that you'll be immune from any kind of sickness, these friends fighting for their lives are among the most godly and generous individuals we know.

One of those people is Vivian Mabuni. Viv just found out that she has breast cancer. She and her husband, Darrin, are friends of ours that we've had the privilege of working with in our ministry. She's created a site on CaringBridge where she posts regular updates on how their family is coping with this reality and how God is bringing them through this time. She's also a regular reader of this blog so I've gotta give her some love :)

She recently wrote a post entitled "The Preciousness of Life." With her permission, here it is:

"I have been mulling over these last few weeks the preciousness of life. It has been a humbling and powerful lesson for me to think about what great lengths that are, and can be taken, in order to preserve the temporary life we live this side of heaven. I have no idea how much all the doctors appointments, testing, surgery, chemo treatments, etc. will end up costing. Around the ball park of Jumbo-Big-Barrels-o-cash. Yet, the issue of not pursuing the very best medical care possible hasn't even crossed our minds. Darrin shared with me, "We could always sell the house and live in a box. Whatever it takes." I know that if the tables were turned and one of the kids or Darrin was battling cancer I wouldn't hesitate to do whatever I needed to preserve their lives. Whatever it takes.

Still, the idea that all of this time and money focused on preserving my little life--one little life--is humbling and overwhelming. Life is precious. And I'm learning that my life is precious. Worth saving. Naturally my thoughts move to how great God's love is. He gave His life to preserve mine. The lyrics in a song from Michael Card goes: "could it be that He would really rather die than live without us." He did that for me. Went to great lengths...died in my place to secure my life. Whatever it took. The truest part of me is not the body I walk around in everyday. The truest part of me is alive through His Spirit and will never die. Secure and safe. I'm learning in a new way about how valuable we are to God. Life is precious. You and I are precious."

What a great perspective! Please keep Vivian and our other friends Chris, Scott, Patty and Al and their families in your prayers as they trust God for healing. Thanks.