Were they really hungry? What about Jesus’ command to feed the poor? What about compassion? Where will the money actually go? Much of the beggar’s money here goes to the mafia. Is this where the money will go? This is one of the many heartbreaking scenes of Kolkata.

“The horn is very important. More important than brake.” – this was some
driving advice for Kolkata given to me by our host Shaji as we
travelled to the slum through the crowded streets of the city. We were
chatting about some of the differences between our two countries as we
drove. I saw a sign that read “please obey the traffic laws” and I
thought to myself, the oly traffic laws are to honk as much as you can
and flash your high beams a lot and to get around any obstacle as fast
as possible. The bad driving is the first of many startling things you
notice here. Some of the other things are the smells, the poverty, and
the animals that roam about freely (cows, goats, pigs, dogs, chickens,
etc). The first night I was startled and haunted by the call to prayer
broadcasted by the many Muslim mosques nearby. I was kept awake by the
constant squaking of the hundreds of ravens outside the window
fighting over scraps of food. I was confused at how to turn on the
electric hot water heater to have a hot shower.
Apart from the sheer ‘foreign-ness’ of the place there have been
several people that we have met that are some of the most beautiful
souls one will ever meet. There’s Shaji, who has started up many pre-
school centers in a few of the slums (there are about 4000 of them in
Kolkata) for young children to stay during the day while their parents
are away where they begin their education and many begin a
relationship with Jesus Christ. There’s Doddy, who has organized this
great pastor’s conference where Kevin and Steve have tought that has
brought a much needed training to the pastors of western India (some
of whom travelled nine hours by train just to be here). There’s Suman,
who has a Children’s home for a few of the thousands of orphans in
Kolkata who have nowhere to live but the streets. It has been so
meaningful in my life to have gotten to meet these people here. It
reminds me to let the beauty of Christ flow through me to a hurting
world.
Todd

Peace!

Todd Anderson

Hey friends. This year’s Christmas program will remain as one of the highlight shows that we have done in all of the years that I have been here at NorthPointe. I knew I was going to like this year’s show even before we began. To be honest, sometimes I’m not sure if I’ll like them or not, but go on it good faith! There was something about the simplicity of the story that was very appealing to me.

The show by all accounts was quite successful. 84 people responded to the message by picking up a Good News Pack. 56 “Renewing My Faith” packs were handed out and we raised almost $4000 for Northpointe Global Missions projects. Our show from 2006 provided for a much needed medical shipment to India. (FYI!) I would estimate that somewhere near 3000 people came out to see the show. I want to commend all who helped out with the show. Your work will yield eternal benefits in somebody’s life both locally and globally!

Emmanuel

My wife Melanie and my two girls Eden and Emily got to take off to the coast for a few days after New Year’s. It was a good time together just hanging out. Nothing rushed. No demands. I think we never quite know what to do with ourselves after the Christmas madness! Life does get pretty chaotic that time of year. I have come to expect it, but it is still a shock when it’s all said and done and things go quiet!

One of the highlights for me of our trip was taking a drive up to my old home town up in Half Moon Bay. We drove by my old Jr. High, the 7-11 where I used to hang out and play video games, the park with the hill I used to ride my skateboard down and wore ruts in the grass, and my old house with the overgrown bushes that I used to have to trim on Saturdays in my old neighborhood. I even got to put on my wetsuit and take a paddle out at the beach I used to surf at as a kid.

That day the sky was dark and cloudy and yet the sun was trying to break through making the water a beautiful dark grey-silver color. It was just me and one other guy about 50 yards from me. Solitude. I had a sense that day that God was present in the beauty of that moment and it occurs to me now that he is present in all my moments. That is what Christmas is all about! No, not surfing… it’s about Emmanuel. God is with us. God sent himself to dwell with us in all of our moments big and small, significant or simple, painful and joyful.

Take time to recognize that God is with you in every moment at all times. God wants to dwell with you and you with him even in moments that don’t seem spiritual. He can break through in a moment waiting for the stop light to turn green or at SaveMart buying a half gallon of milk. Let’s look for God’s presence in the common. Let’s invite him into our average everyday lives and invite him to make our ordinary extraordinary.

Later in the afternoon I spotted it… right next to Blues Traveler and a Spanish language CD. There it was, a copy of my first CD project “You Rescue Me” in a broken and cracked jewel case marked $1.98 in orange grease pencil. At first I felt kind of gratified. My CD in Emerald Thrift right next to Blues Traveler! Then I felt a twinge of disappointment because someone had discarded my CD. Is it not worth anything to the former owner anymore? Was it tossed out with the other random junk they had piled up in garbage bags in their garage? Maybe it sat in someone’s car for two years. Maybe they enjoyed it for a while and then put it aside like I have done with most of the CD’s in my collection.

All this got me thinking about legacy. What is it that I will leave behind? What will I do that will reach someone? Touch someone? How will I let God get a hold of my feeble abilities despite my fears and brokenness and let him be glorified somehow through it? What will my hands do today that will give worship to my maker? What will my mouth speak? Where will my feet take me? Will my life count for something today?

As I checked out of the store and paid my $25 for 7 assorted Christmas wreaths, a twin sized headboard, a Todd Anderson CD, and a Blues Traveler CD, my niece Cassidy said, “Do you think that the lady at the register will recognize you from the CD cover?” Maybe I secretly wanted her to. She didn’t. And that’s OK. I don’t need fame or recognition. I walked out onto the sidewalk on Van Ness Avenue knowing that some songs that I wrote and recorded in 2001 reached someone, somewhere. Maybe they enjoyed the music, or maybe not. Maybe it brought them peace or inspired them or maybe they were annoyed by it. I don’t know.

I am glad that I am God’s and he gave us all something to glorify him with every day. What will we leave behind? What will we give? Will our lives amount to something more eternal than something discarded at a thrift store?

“We have this life we’ve been given. We have this life, so we can give it all away.”

Hope you are all doing well! I am enjoying the change in weather, but to me that only means one thing… Christmas is coming!!! Seeing the fall leaves actually leaves me with a twinge of anxiety instead of the feeling of peace that one would expect! Every year around August I begin to wrestle with the same question… What will we do for the Christmas Production this year? I have finally settled the question!

This year we will be doing a production from Willow Creek entitled Imagine Christmas. It is a retelling of the Christmas story from an interesting and very unusual perspective that contains some great music, drama, and imagery. I think it is going to be great and I am actually excited to get underway. We will keep you posted with upcoming auditions, rehearsals, etc. because are going to need a ton of help as usual! I would appreciate it if you would prayerfully consider being a part of it… if not on stage maybe behind the scenes?

New Release

Lincoln Brewster has come out with his latest release This Is The Day. I have to admit that I was a little skeptical after hearing the title track. I felt that the song seemed trite and overly poppy, but upon hearing the rest of the album I realized that the album is full of great songs that come across as vulnerable and gut level honest. I recognized a few of the other tracks that Lincoln and band performed last spring when they were here. I really like track three which is a soulful collaboration with Israel Houghton complete with a gospel choir… I think it’s called Give Him Praise. I’m sure you guys will enjoy. Today is the Day also contains the trademark guitar genius that one would expect from Lincoln Brewster. He is definitely one of the best on the planet. Also, for all you bass players out there, the bass player Norm Stockton will blow your mind.

Quoting…

Here is a quote that has been rolling around in the back of my brain for a couple days by Corrie Ten Boom:

“Look within and be depressed. Look without and be distressed. Look at Jesus and be at rest.” I hope we can all adjust our eyes to see the things that we really need to see.

I love you guys.

Todd