Baileys on Mission

Dead Man's Check

2008-01-10T11:26:00.001-05:00

Dead Man's Check This morning in the AJC there was a hilarious story about two free-wheeling retirees who tried to wheel their dead friend into a check-cashing story to cash his $355 Social Security check. The friend had to be present to cash his check and the clerk knew what he looked like since he always used this same establishment to cash his pension! Picture this: two stocking-headed men in their 60's rolling a rigid, pale-faced, stiff corpse down the streets of Manhattan in a red office chair. The corpse is wearing a faded T-shirt, pants only partially pulled up, and Velcro sneakers. When caught in their ruse by paramedics who proclaimed the stiff DOA, the "friends" faked astonishment: "Omg, he's gone?" As luck would have it, a detective spied the unusual antics from a restaurant window and apprehended the petty thieves on a busy Manhattan street, just as they attempted to wheel their cool, dead body into the check-cashing scheme. You gotta' know this made me laugh. Hope it brought some joy to your day. You also gotta' know I'm going to put my spin on it. Picture this: Two free-wheeling friends wheel a cold, lifeless shell into a bar, club, you fill in the blank. The dead man has no say in the matter. He's not even there...at least in spirit. When confronted, the thieves say, "Oh, what? You mean, he's gone?" Many times the enemy sneaks up like a thief in the night. We have died to our old way of life. Yet he tries to resurrect the dead. He wheels us into familiar haunts in full display of a watching world, trying to make us live our pasts. Not gonna' happen! We are dead to that way of life. We are gone from here. In Spirit we have life in Christ. We are dead to our sins and God puts them as far from us as the east is from the west, never the twain shall meet, as they say. Don't listen to the lies whispered in your ear in the dark. Don't be fooled when he tries to dig out your dirty clothes and prop you in the red rolling chair of death. You're outta' here...gone. Your past is stiff, lifeless and irrelevant. You've moved on. No use trying to cash a dead man's check. Check out the entire article: http://ww.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Feature-stories/Dead_Mans_Check.html

My Stronghold in Time of Trouble

2007-11-15T18:06:00.000-05:00

When I was a child, I used to quote a certain Bible verse when I had to go down a dark alley: "What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee." What time I am afraid......of failing....of being let down....of trusting....of trusting too much....of being angry....of being angry and sinning in it....of caring too much....of caring too much about the wrong things....of letting you down....of not lifting you up....of what You'll ask of me....of what You won't ask of me. What time I am afraid...I will trust in YOU......to lift me when I fall."The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm." Psalm 37:24...to lift me up when others let me down."Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes." Psalm 37:7...to place the right desires in my heart."Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4...to show me who is trustworthy; to provide discernment."The days of the blameless are known to the Lord, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster, they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty." Psalm 37:18-19...to calm my anger and appease my fretting with peace."Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil." Psalm 37:8...to focus my priorities on the main thing--YOU."Wait for the Lord and keep his way. He will exalt you to possess the land; when the wicked are cut off, you will see it." Psalm 37:34...to create a person of peace within me."Consider the blameless; observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace." Psalm 37:37...to be my refuge and strength."The salvation of the righteous comes from the Lord. He is their STRONGHOLD IN TIME OF TROUBLE. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him." Psalm 37:39-40"What time I am afraid I will trust in YOU," for you are my "Stronghold in time of trouble."Whenever I am afraid of what YOU might ask me to do, I can lean on You, my Stronghold, and ask YOU through me to be all that YOUR heart desires. You are my Stronghold, the hand to which I still cling in life's dark alleys.

Join Me in Hope-MORE!

2007-11-15T15:13:00.001-05:00

Grief happens when things seem hopeless. I think we should start a hope-MORE club.Observe with me some of the things that make us grieve:*lost time.*broken promises.*hurtful words.*dead ends.*heavy hearts.*stress fractures.*ungrateful reactions.It strikes me that God grieves over the same things that hurt us. His heart breaks over the same things that break ours. Yet He brings healing when we grieve. He resurrects our buried dreams. He reunites families and friends. He takes the dead things and brings new life to them. He gives new meaning by His presence and His TOUCH on our lives.God shares our hurts. His heart breaks over:*Lost time and opportunities but, not being bound by time, He restores those moments.*Broken promises when He offers His new covenant full of the promise of first love.*Unfaithful followers when He regains trust with His unfailing kindness and mercy.*Hurtful words or gaping wounds by healing us through His goodness.*Dead ends become detours to the faithful who persevere.*Heavy hearts who turn to Him see that "joy comes in the morning." Wait for the Light after the night.*Stress fractures in our hearts receive His peace and restoration.*Ungrateful reactions are wooed to gratitude by His Spirit.In Nain Jesus raised the son of a widow (Luke 7:11-17). Eugene Peterson refers to Nain as "a place of holy mystery." What is your "place of holy mystery," the time in your life when God flipped your grief from hope-less to hope-MORE?Romans 5:3b-5 tells us that suffering becomes perseverance which builds character which breeds hope. Maybe we got stuck at Hope-Less Junction in the suffering mode. Shift gears into Perseverance and watch Him develop the character in your life that is fertile soil for hope. Join me in the Land of Hope-More:"And we rejoice in the HOPE of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE, and HOPE does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Suffering -> Perseverance -> Character -> HOPE = Overflowing LOVE!

Weigh In!

2007-11-05T09:47:00.000-05:00

I'm struggling with what it means to "count the cost." In fact, "I don't think that word means what you think it means!" When I weigh in on what it means to follow Christ, it looks like I don't have what it takes. Surely He doesn't mean for me to take stock of what I bring to the Table, because it's not much. Check out the cost of following Christ in Luke 14:25-35. See if you can uncover where Christ describes His system of measuring. They don't even do physics like this at Purdue, do they, Darbs? Maybe He wants me to weigh in like this...? *Don't sign up if you're gonna' back down. Otherwise, the other team gets the points just as surely as if you stuffed the ball into the wrong basket. *Don't value your life when you're being asked to die. *Don't count your pennies if your pocket has a hole in it. Or, don't try to pay your buddy's way when He's got the golden token. *Don't lay down banana peels when you're starting a marathon. Or, don't plan an escape route when you can trace the road to success. *Don't sign a peace treaty with the enemy when you know your side's gonna win! *Don't store up when He says, "Put your hands up!" *Don't try to flavor someone else's life when your own life is tasteless. *Don't go with the flow when you can row to a Banquet upstream. *Don't give up everything you have unless you desire the bigger Prize.

I Stinketh, Therefore, I Am

2007-11-02T09:52:00.001-04:00

Lately, I have been so unproductive. I am just realizing what an achievement junkie I am. Getting things accomplished energizes me. Sure, I can stew and contemplate with the best of them. Admittedly, it is in the quiet that God reveals Himself to me. But if I got to choose, then I would pick the fast lane of God's activity. I just want Him to let me do something for Him. Like a new puppy whose tail is wagging so hard against his frail ribs that he falls over from the needless exertion, I am anxious and spinning my wheels. I want to run out into the streets and yell and scream and make His name known, and He wants me to sit with Him a while. Sometimes, I just need to sit. Other times, all I want to do is sit and stare and "veg" out. Those are not the times when He is with me. Those are the times when I am so into myself that the puppy in me has given way to the lap dog, the one whose owners have to purchase organic food because he's too overweight to see his paws. The lapdog and the exuberant puppy in me need the same thing. They both crave a dose of Jesus. Most of the time, my heart is not a place where He wants to set up camp and hold a meetin'. There's no place to sit due to the clutter from an unconfessing nature. That's when "I stinketh." There's just one cure. Not just a dose of Jesus but a total Blood Transfusion. The name of Jesus on my lips and the promises in the Word of God through Jesus in my heart will fight those distractions off--for the lapdog and the eager pup. Focusing UP rather than INWARD. Saying JESUS' name over and over in my head rather than ME, MY, MINE. Last night a great friend encouraged me--a lot. When we first began to converse, things were awkward between us, tense, strained. I realized there was hurt in the voice in my ear. We started to laugh and to share what was in our hearts. Before long, my friend was encouraging me through a difficult patch. Having already conquered the boulders on that trail, my friend knew where all the good views were, the places to sit a while. Being able to encourage someone like that when you yourself are hurting is something only the Spirit of God can do in us. I saw Jesus in my friend. It struck me. That's exactly how it is with Jesus and me. When we first start to converse, things can be a bit strained. Remember: "I stinketh?" There is a pain in His voice that seeps through His obvious affection. Soon, we are laughing about the ridiculous way I have of chasing my tail, and I begin to be honest with Him about what's been keeping us apart. Remember: "I stinketh?" He knows where all of the great boulders in my life are placed, and He perches on one and sits with me a while. The hard places in my life are places to perch and sit a while with Him. A novel idea! He whispers to me: "I know you stinketh...Therefore, I AM!" Did I mention that He encourages me--a lot? Sometimes it is hard to stay focused. Often it's hard to stay faithful. But look back at the spiritual markers in your life, the times when you stationed one of those roadside Civil-War signs to recall what happened between you and the Father. Usually, the trail to the marker was not so pleasant when you were walking it. That's because something in us has to die for something perfect in Christ to be born in us there. Once I give into death ("I stinketh") and let Christ live in me, then I AM comes to reside in me. The stench of death and sin becomes the aroma of Heaven. He produces, and I abide. Suddenly, I'm no longer so unproductive any more! "Noah built an altar to the Lord and...he sacrificed...on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma..." Genesis 8:20-21. The smell of a sacrifice is the odor of something burning, of death, but out of the ashes God blesses.

A Garment of Praise

2007-10-30T14:34:00.000-04:00

My friend is hurting. She is desperate for some relief from the pain she feels. It's so intense that she cannot sleep. When exhaustion finally drowns wakefulness, her dreams are restless and she wakes up disoriented and agonized. One day, the troubles of this life will be fleeting reality. In our ultimate reality, we will be fully loved, fully forgiven, fully free. The thing is: We are all of those things now as we abide in Christ. We just do not embrace the full love, forgiveness, and freedom of being IN Christ. You do know that it's all a lie that we are not completely forgiven, that no one could love us completely, that we will always be slaves to our sin. It's a thinly veiled disguise that the enemy is wearing. Look inside the sheep's head and see it for the dragon it is. Run from the lies! Isaiah 61 describes this favor of the Lord: "The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me." Yes, that's a good thing. The Spirit of the Lord is peace. We need that! The Spirit of the Lord is joy. We crave happiness! The Spirit of the Lord is on us to do good to each other; to tell each other that we are loved; to remind each other of the bond of love we share in Christ. I think one of the wonderful perks of being on mission for God--going out of our comfort zone--is the way we are forced to lean on Him for everything. When we were in Arizona on mission, I could feel the Body being a cooperating, supporting system as she should be. Back inside our cocoons, we often retreat into our own resources to find solutions. We have a mission. Each of us has one. We get to put bandaids on each other's hurting hearts. We get to tell everyone, "This way to the Escape! No more bars and bland food for you. Come to the Table He's prepared for us!" We get to trade our black attire of sadness over sin for some new threads of undeserved and unmerited favor and kindness. You see, what waits for us is a "garment of praise" instead of the hand-me-down, ashen wardrobe of despair and mourning. Take the blinders off. See the glory. Wear the praise. Let His light shine through the holes in your life. Do not be ashamed of your past. None of us deserves it, and that's okay. That was His plan all along! Let Him heal your hurts. Trust me when I tell you that I understand the agony of wallowing in a lie. Too much of my life has been spent feeling unworthy, rather than embracing my status as daughter of the King. Do not listen to the creepy voice in your head or envelope yourself in the limp, wet blanket of oppression. It's familiar and seems more comfortable. For a brief instant, come out of the dark and into the blinding Light and let His warmth cover you. He has a glowing crown of beauty to put on your head. No more ashes and rags for His child! Wear His praise. "He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and to provide for those who grieve...--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Isaiah 61:1b-5a.

Dignity Torn to Shreds

2007-10-29T15:09:00.001-04:00

Today I am reading about the widow woman who gave all she had "out of her poverty." And I am asking myself what it means to give all I have to live on. The woman in Jesus' story was a real person, not a parable told to make His point. In the Jewish culture of her day, this female without a husband was clinging to the bottom rung of society's ladder. In fact, she was so low that she was flying beneath her neighbors' radar. While it may be difficult to fathom performing some task out of my natural giftedness, this dear soul was not counting the cost. While I may be whining about the tension in my comfort zone or bragging about how it's growing, this woman was living with her eyes downcast to avoid creeping into someone else's imaginary comfort zone. When I balk at something God asks of me because it might inconvenience some beloved member of my family, this generous benefactor was subsisting without any guardian or patriarch. How am I guarding my precious dignity, when all around me, other people's dignity has been torn to shreds? How am I guarding my budget, when another has a desperate need that God can meet through me? How am I searching my ability to give, when the answer lies in my inability to give and His ability to provide? When do I measure my energy level to determine what I am willing to invest, when another person is caving under the burden of a load that I could help to shoulder? Do I limit what God can expect me to do for Him by bringing society's barriers to the Cross? When has my personal need to give been so desperate that I willingly let God take from me what was beyond my capacity to fathom giving under my own strength? Will I allow Him to tear my dignity to shreds in order to sew a garment of praise? "[All the others] gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on." Mark 12:44

Brand Marks

2007-10-27T11:48:00.000-04:00

Do you search for a certain brand when you are shopping? On what items does the label matter to you, and on what others do you just look for the bargains, the sale items, the discounted or freebies? It strikes me that we bear a brand mark on our lives. I wonder whose brand we are wearing. Are we looking for the quick fix, the discount, the quick way to a good deal in our lives? We live in a "take the easy way out" culture where the end cost seems to justify any means of reaching it. But is that the way of our Savior? The cool thing is that He has made this covenant, taken an oath with us as His children, and sealed those promises with His blood. He takes a heavenly blood-brother promise with us: "I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands"! (Isaiah 49:15-16). Jesus still bears those covenant marks today (John 20:24-27; Rev. 5:6), the Lamb that was slaughtered so that we could see glory. That Lamb is the lamp of heaven (Rev. 21:22-27). There are no substitutes there, no sale hawkers, no "get rich quick" schemers. There is no more night; nothing impure crosses the threshold; we will have no shame, nothing to hide. The glory of the Father is the light of heaven. He is no mere night light but a continuous beacon of blinding radiance. That's a little freaky to us. Check out these glory sightings:* The shepherds saw it before Jesus' birth while they tended their sheep outside of Bethlehem (Luke 2:9). They wore the glow of the brand of PROMISE.* That glory shines in us as we bear fruit for the Kingdom (John 15:8). Will you bear the brand of FRIEND (John 15:13)?* That same glory of heaven resides in our skin as the Spirit reveals Truth to us from God's Word (John 16:12-15). Will you wear the brand of TRUTH?* God ignites His glory when He shows us His plan. Check out Abraham's story in Genesis 12 and 15 and Exodus 3. When has the Father revealed His glory to you by asking you to join Him in His work? Abraham chose to wear the brand of GLORY.* God's glory is revealed when He exalts Himself (Acts 7:55-56). In New Testament days, slaves, soldiers, and servants in the temple received brand marks for their masters, much as Paul mentioned in Galatians 6:17. What marks are we willing to bear to bring the Glory? In Acts 7, Stephenpreached in front of man's high priest, and it did not go well. Then He saw Jesus, our High Priest, standing at the right hand of the Father. Stephen saw the glory of the Most High in the middle of being stoned by the anger of men. These men chose poorly and chose religion over a relationship; they took on the brand of Religion. Hey, there's no more night in heaven where Stephen preceded us to meet the Son; no more spite; no reason or possibility of hate. Stephen bore the mark of being CHOSEN. Christ still bears those wounds from the Cross, even as He radiates glory from the right hand of the Father, even as He prays for each of us to be vessels for that same glory. Because of Him, we are branded, "LOVED." Whose brand marks are you sporting today? Discount or death? "Just like every one else," or just like Redeemer? We have a great heritage in wearing the brand marks of the Cross. We have a great inheritance, too. Our hope is not in things that moths and rust can corrupt or that thieves can break in and steal. We have a treasure in heaven. Let's follow the Man whose Name is the Branch (Zechariah 6:12). Let's get branded by the Cross!

Underestimating God

2007-10-26T16:32:00.000-04:00

My friend, Allison, asked about when I have underestimated Jesus and when He has proven Himself to be more than I need. Perhaps I should tell you about God's financial provision for the mission trip this fall! As a background to this provision, I should tell you that my friend Jodie and her husband have been helping us every time Christa has gone on a trip. Christa has been to Avignon, France, and Montreal, Quebec, and other parts of Canada, and our friends and family have assisted us greatly by being God's provision for those trips. Whenever we nave sent out an SOS to friends and family for aid to make the plans happen, Jodie has always given--and very generously. This March Jodie and Aiden started sending checks to our Baileys on Mission account that the church keeps. At the time, we as a family just thought it would go for whatever Christa was doing in Montreal this past summer, but that never materialized. Then our church started promoting this disciplemaking trip to work with the Indians in Sells, AZ. But my mind was divided. My focus was on getting Christa ready for university in Montreal, and I could not give any emotional or spiritual energy to anything like a fall mission trip--to anything for ME at that point. Or so I thought. When we got home from taking Christa to university, an ordeal in and of itself, the promotions for the mission trip continued, and it looked like it was not too late to sign up after all. I was relieved that when I finally approached our adult minister, Jason he told me that only one other female had signed up to go and that he would be thrilled for me to join the team.Thank you, Rachel, for being obedient and timely, when I was not! The team had not started their training; Jason had postponed it to let more sign up and to avoid Labor Day. Whoo! Hoo! I just did not worry about the money. We did not have a red cent that was not spoken for but I just did not panic. For those of you who know how I like things to be decent and in order, this was not my usual reaction. But to be truthful, all of my emotional and spiritual energies were spent clinging to God because of Christa's being at school. I just had to trust or my family would be picking up pieces of me along GA400 due to shattering and splattering. In the meantime, my friend Jodie started sending checks again...randomly...OR NOT! Ultimately, she sent just what I needed to pay for the trip. I never told her how much the trip costs were. In fact, we did not know the exact cost until late in September because Jason was waiting for the best airline ticket rate! Jodie and I never talked during this process, except that I did let her know that I was going on the trip. She sent exactly what the trip cost with about $20 extra, I believe. Two days after we got home I wrote her a long email, explaining how God had used their family's generosity to help Christa to travel, to do Sojourners in Quebec, to experience God's call to missions, and so forth, and how their continued faithfulness had allowed me to go to Sells and what I had gotten from that experience--a TON, let me tell you. Anyway, last week I got an email from the church that two more checks had come to Baileys on Missions account, EACH for $500--both mailed the day Jodie got that email, likely one before and one after receiving it and realizing that more trips were likely in the future! After the checks arrived, I found out that Jodie and her family had put their home on the market the previous weekend...and it was already under contract, in a flat housing market! Yeah, I think we underestimate God. Hang onto your hat, and keep me in your prayers as I see where the Lord is leading! However He leads, whatever I expect Him to do, I am quite sure I will underestimate the outcome!! "He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than everything we ask or think"! Of course, He is! Tell me how God is providing for you and how you have discovered ways that you underestimate Him as well.

Crippled

2007-10-19T14:36:00.000-04:00

Ever think about what it's like to be crippled--physically unable to get around? This week I read the story of the crippled woman whom Jesus healed, and it struck me how much she and I have in common. Shocking? Perhaps. But there are things in my life that cripple me as desperately as her disfunctional legs hobbled her walk. Sometimes it's an unnamed fear that trips me up. This creeping unease and discomfort ravages the horizon of my peaceful thoughts. I have let the "what ifs" eat up the joy of the things that truly and inescapably are. For example, I am a child of God who draws on His strength and power to protect me. The unnamed fear is just a lie that steals my peace, and like the crippled woman I hobble through life when I could run. Sometimes what cripples me is the failure to notice unclaimed blessings. Do you ever get still and realize that you forgot to thank someone for this huge favor that person did, something that really got you out of a tight spot? After I got back from the mission trip to Arizona last week, I started taking stock of all that God had provided for me in the weeks prior to the encounter with Him there. My daughter somehow enrolled safely at a university in another country and has made friends and a new life there. A friend and her husband paid for my entire trip to Sells, Arizona, primarily before I had even signed up to go! How's that for an unclaimed blessing! There are tons more ways that God had been working, and I was crippled by my spiritual blindness and failed to be grateful. I was limping when I could have been laughing in the Spirit. Other times, I am not fearful or ungrateful, I am just living in the past, trapped in the mire of unresolved issues. Those ghosts from our past haunt us, even though we have "moved on." I wonder if we have completely moved to our new address in Christ. We are in Victory and we still left some stuff in Defeat. For me, it's like I forget where my new house it, who my new King is, how His children dress. You get the picture. I need to move into Restoration and stop renovating my old ways. Finally, there are times that I refuse to let unexpected joys interrupt my life. I can remember getting a blessing as a teen and saying to my mom, "But I didn't ask the Lord for that!" She would laugh and say, "Well, isn't that the definition of a gift? You didn't ask for it. He just gave it to you out of love." Sometimes the interruptions are the REAL life, rather than the agenda we make for ourselves. For me, I can look back and see missed opportunities and run right over the next blessing because I am focused on life's rearview mirror. No wonder I am not supposed to be in the drivers' seat. God has circular vision; circular love; circular rainful of blessings; and circular peace. He's not looking away, taking a break, or too busy to bring the joy. Let's name our fears and give them to Him; claim the blessings He is showering on us; resolve the past by focusing on the bright hope and future He is building in front of us; and expect the joys to overwhelm us, rather than tripping on them on the way to our own deadlines. No more hobbling along. Just mount up with eagles' wings, no rest required because we are no longer weary, soaring on the winds of Love that was so good He had to die.

Captivated

2007-08-01T12:01:00.000-04:00

What is it that has captivated your heart, seized your passion? Why did it captivate your heart? How did that happen? One of my favorite quotes in the Bible is from the visit with Christ on the road to Emmaus: "Weren't our hearts burning within us while he talked with us...?" What was Jesus doing that caught their hearts on fire? *Jesus talked with them. *He opened the Word to them. *He just walked alongside them. What captivated their passion? What were they doing? *Listening to Jesus. *Being open/receptive to what He had to say. *Inviting Him to STAY with them. How have you listened to Jesus recently? What was the last thing He said to which you felt open or ready to act? Do you ever just ask Him to sit with you a while--STAY? Remember as a child longing for a friend or favorite cousin to STAY longer, PLAY just another hour. Wonder why we rarely beg the Lord to SIT a while, PLAY longer? Ever noticed the state of mind of the travelers on the road to Emmaus, those two who got a special visit from the newly risen Christ? Actually, they were a bit like we are on most days: *blind to Who He was. *depressed about what was happening around them. *their hopes were destroyed; expectations ravaged. *unable to find Jesus anywhere they looked. The travelers finally recognized Him when He blessed the food. Ahh, we do see the blessings. We see the evidence of Him. What about this challenge? *Can you look OUT...even when you cannot see Him? 'Cause He's there! *Can you look UP...even when things look bleak? 'Cause He's in control! *Can you look IN...even when you've moved away from Him & lost your trust? 'Cause He's STILL with you. How did the travelers react once they recognized Jesus (once He blessed them)? *They reacted IMMEDIATELY. They returned to Jerusalem. *They reacted POSITIVELY: It is true! He is risen! He's alive!! *They reacted EMPHATICALLY. In summary, "Folks, our hearts burned; He spoke to us; He's alive." They went home to TESTIFY! How would such an intimate encounter with Christ captivate your heart? Do you need to SEE, TASTE, TOUCH, SMELL Him to believe? How might sharing such a personal experience of yours with Jesus compel another person to be captivated by Him? How will you stretch out your hands to offer the Bread to another searching beggar? At the end of Luke 24, Jesus blesses the people again...then He leaves...again. But He leaves an important instruction: Wait for the Power, then tell everyone. Friends, we don't have to wait for the Power of the Spirit any more. He came on us in all His power the moment we accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord. That same power that raised Christ from the dead, seated Him at the right hand of the Father, and submitted all things to His authority LIVES IN US. In fact,we don't have to wait on the Power--He's waiting on US now! How will you invite Him to captivate you-- *to walk with you... *to speak to you... *to stay with you?

Lord, Give Me Patience...Now!

2007-04-12T09:29:00.000-04:00

What defines "patience" for you: * tenacity *diligence *unflappability * focus * vitality *composure *persistence *endurance? Does your patience need a makeover? Could it use a bit more tenacity, focus, or vitality? 1-Patience is spiritual tenacity. *Patience is endurance and absolute certainty that what you anticipate is going to happen. If you are disappointed in the short term, then hang on; perhaps your hopes are being purified. Be watchful like those waiting for the Master to show up as Host for the wedding feast in Luke 12:35-38—dressed, ready for service, lamps burning, expecting His return. *Spiritual tenacity is not merely hanging on, which tends to harbor an element of fear of falling off, but working with a vengeance, believing that God will be victorious. In short, wait on the Lord. *Spiritual tenacity refuses to believe that one’s hero can be defeated. "Be still and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10. 2-Patience is…spiritual focus: "My eyes are ever on the Lord" Psalm 25:15. *Patience is possible because one’s eyes are on God rather than fixed on a cause, an issue, or a goal. "Though it tarry, wait for it" Habakkuk 2:3. Stay tuned for incorruptible rewards rather than seeking earthly treasures (Matthew 6:19-24). *Look beyond what one can grasp or experience (or feel); never let down spiritually. "Not as though I had already attained, either was already perfect….Press on…!" Philippians 3:12-14. The runner’s analogy in The Message puts it this way: I have my "eye on the goal, [I’m] off and running and not turning back." 3-Patience is…spiritual vitality. *Patience means disciplining one’s thought life. Be "rich toward God" rather than being like the rich man who "thought to himself," considered "I, me, and myself," and built bigger barns on the night before he died (Luke 12:15-21). *Action Plan for Spiritual Vitality: Rouse yourself to action. Restrict your won’ts for God and your wants for yourself. Rest in the new life God is creating within you rather than in the laurels of the progress you have made already. Nothing wilts faster than a laurel rested upon! "Let "patience do her perfect work" James 1:2-4. "By standing firm you will save yourselves" Luke 21:19. "Decide beforehand that you will not worry how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you the words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist" Luke 21:14-15. Let God bathe your life in His peace this week. Ask Him for the tenacity (the stick-to-it-iveness), the focus, and the vitality in your walk with Him to be unflappable in life!

Peace...

2007-03-27T14:45:00.000-04:00

Peace * calm * serenity * order * harmony *symmetry * balance * equilibrium * stability *constancy * tranquillity *composure * quiet *relief * satisfaction * relief * repose *restfulness *stillness *placidity * ~ Circle 1—3 words above that best describe what you need in your heart and life right now. ~ Where do you need peace? ~ Where do you seek to find it? ~ What disturbs me most is… John 14:27 – "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you…." "Peace comes from looking into His face—and realizing His undisturbedness—calm, pacified, untroubled, tranquil, unruffled…. The mirror of peace, or reflected peace, is the proof that you are right with God—because you are at liberty to turn your mind to Him…. Abide in Him. (2) Lay it all out before Him." [Chambers, 8/26] ~ For me, "the great life" would be… John 14:27 – Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you:…Let not your heart be troubled…" "Peace comes from "complete reliance on God… The seal of peace comes when you obey God. When you obey, the problems are not between you and God but as "probes" to keep you amazed at how God is going to unravel that problem. Keep obeying. (2) Watch in joyful delight as He deals with the problem. [Chambers, 12/14] ~ Why is it more precarious to live without God than to live in obedience? "Your life is hid with Christ in God" Colossians 3:3 Peace comes from living in right relationship to God and staying in the light. The plateau of peace provides plenty of room to live and grow: "You have enlarged my steps under me." Rather than a peak of a mountain, a life free of sin, full of the Spirit, bathed in His light is a plateau. (1) It is impossible to doubt when He is with you. (2) His words are real when you are in personal touch with Him. [Chambers, 12/24] How are you going to mirror His peace, model the seal of His peace, and live on the plateau of His calm today, this week, from now on?

Divine Contentment

2007-03-19T11:20:00.000-04:00

What is the definition of sheer bliss to you? To some it's a place, for others sheer bliss is a peaceful feeling of being just right with God. We are encouraged to be content whenever, wherever (Phil. 4:11-13; 3:7-10). What about these promises of seeking divine contentment? * I resolve to be content...because even when I don't feel His presence, He is with me. That is CONFIDENT contentment, because "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" Philippians 1:6. * I resolve to be content...because even when I [still] don't know where to go, He is guiding me. That is OBEDIENT contentment, following Christ's example--with His power to make it possible--by emptying myself of self. Here's what this obedient contentment looks like: 1-I am empty of my rights to self. 2-I am ready to serve--God and others. 3-I am humble (all of my human resources are harnessed and available to the Divine Driver's rein/reign). Check out Philippians 2:5-8 to get inside the mind of Jesus as He embraced the form of a servant, humbled Himself to be obedient to death, making Himself nothing in the process, all the while looking out for our best interests. * I resolve to be content...because even when a storm rages inside of me and all around me, He anchors my soul. That is COMPLIANT contentment. Philippians 2:14-17 describes the manifestation of this malleable peace: 1-No complaining, griping, or arguing. 2-Radiant. 3-"Spent" for the cause (holding back nothing). * I resolve to be content...because even when my enemies conquer me, my friends leave me or let me down, even when the light of my release from this torment is a mere pinpoint, He can see the rescue and lives on the other side of my defeat. That is RELIANT contentment. Philippians 3:17-21 captures the essence of this trusting peace: 1-My destiny and my citizenship are in heaven. 2-My God is Jehovah. 3-My glory is in Christ alone. 4-My mind is set on things above. Not bound by space or time, God is, at once, not only in the midst of the vortex of our angst--settling peace on us, but also He is already living in the peaceful victory that lies on the other side of the any disturbance to this earthly realm. He IS peace. His divine contentment resides in our confident, obedient, compliant, reliant rest in Him.

What's Up with You and God?

2007-03-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

It's amazing to me how many of my friends are struggling with what God is saying to them. Many days I struggle with it, too. It is the hardest, most grueling thing because He is relentless in His pursuit. Sometimes there is no sleep, your appetite may go away, and nothing seems to satisfy the longing. Maybe what would be helpful is if we focused on what He IS saying, on what He says to us ALL THE TIME. Perhaps it will encourage you--and focus my thoughts--to recount a few of His all-of-the-time feelings for us: *I love you. I gave my Son for you. You are worthy of my Ultimate Sacrifice. (Who wouldn't adore Someone like that?) 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; John 3:16 *I have a plan for your life. It's a purpose that includes prospering you, not hurting you or taking advantage of you or looking for your weak points to capitalize on them. By the way, I have got your future sewn up--no raveling, no slip showing, no pants-dropping in public settings. I have got your back--and your front. Get to know me and the details will fall into place. Jeremiah 19:11; Psalm 142:3b *I will answer any time you call me--no call screening, no leaving a message, no "Hey, this is a bad time. Call again." Jeremiah 33:3 *Nothing is too hard for me. I created you, didn't I? Did I mention that there is this warranty for all of my children? There is absolutely NO CHANCE of your life not meaning anything. I gave it meaning and purpose--guaranteed. Jeremiah 32:27 *I surround you with a circle of my love. Psalm 139:5; Isaiah 52:12 *I will meet your needs, even though you are surrounded by rebellion. Isaiah 58:11 *My relationship with you is like a secret garden. Nothing can get in and desecrate what we share. Blossoms are evident 24/7, every day of every year, in season and out of season. Even when the thorns and weeds tempt suffocation, I am there to prune the suckers (John 15:1). Fresh fruit is guaranteed out of your life as long as you cling to me (John 15:5). *As a faithful child of mine, whatever you do in my name will prosper. Psalm 1:3 *You are a garden of delight to me. Only an unpruned life is a desolate wasteland and useless to my purposes, but you are seeking me and begging me to reach down and clean you up. Let my rain fall on you and return the sparkle to the leaves of your heart. Isaiah 5:4-7a *I will watch over you day and night so that no one can hurt you. I will nourish your spirit continually. I want to be your safe haven, your refuge, your den of peace. I want to bear fruit in you so that the world may know my peace. Isaiah 27:2-6 *I will guide you along a path that constantly feeds your soul. You will never thirst for me. Just bend and drink. Isaiah 49:10 *Do you feel like you are a desert inside? Well, I have compassion for you. I can make those wastelands into oases. No more crying but gratitude and singing for joy will flow from your lips. I have promised it, and I cannot lie because I am your Way, Truth, and Life. Isaiah 51:3; John 14:6 What is God saying to you? Would you share it with me?

Keeping the Faith

2007-03-06T18:42:00.000-05:00

Did you realize that visible faith costs comfort? Hard times create perseverance in us… which leads to character… which leads to hope (Romans 5:3). It's like strength is a butterfly borne from the cocoon of hardship (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). Ultimately, our perseverance is Christ’s product, or outgrowth, in us when we are faithful. We hang on; He produces (2 Thessalonians 3:2-5)! As far as our perspective on life goes, perseverance involves looking beyond the obstacle to see the possibility (James 1:3-4). When it comes to dealing with mounting pressure, perseverance is basking in God’s compassion no matter destruction rages around me (James 5:10-11). We cling to hope when we keep facing obstacles, because perseverance leads to effective, productive lives (2 Peter 1:5-8). When we keep the faith, our stick-to-it-iveness upholds Christ’s light in a dark society (Revelation 2:2-5). In matters of trust, perseverance is remembering what Christ has done in the past and trusting in what He will accomplish in my present and future. It is a deliberate commitment when I see no way (Hebrews 10:32—11:1), like a marriage that chooses to honor its vow before God even when the love dims to barely a flicker of its previous blaze. Faith is really perseverance looking ahead to the end result, to the promised and expected reward (Hebrews 11:24-27). Oswald Chambers puts it this way: "Patience is more than endurance. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and then the saint says—‘I cannot stand any more.’ God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God’s hands." (Chambers, May 8) How trusting was Job when he uttered, "Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him" Job 13:15. Ultimately, perseverance is letting God keep me, even when my faith is slipping and I'm not sure I can keep holding on.

Carried Away by Love

2007-02-10T11:13:00.000-05:00

If you're not carried away by it, then it's not love at all. Certainly that does not mean that obsession is a good thing. In loving and relating to our Creator, we want to respond out of devotion, not obligation, not just by attempting great things for Him. Strangely, He does not define love the same way that we do. Our Father desires an attractive adoration, not necessarily a warm-fuzzy, calculated, "smart" response to His gift to us. He craves annointed acts--beautiful, memorable, unchecked service. And He seeks abandoned attitudes. Oswald Chambers says that abandoning ourselves to God is of greater value than being holy. Wow! And I thought the pursuit of holiness was the pinnacle. But then, that's all about me as a personal vessel, isn't it? Abandonment to God is all about Him--and what' s IN the vessel. Rather than focusing on whether or not I am of any use, being carried away by His love makes me wonder how I can be of value to God Himself? Yet when I am sold out in abandoned love to Him, then He works through me all of the time. Carried away by love means being a carrier of His love.

Prayer Needs

2006-08-21T10:28:00.000-04:00

Prayer Needs in Eastern Canada:

Gary/Sue Smith--Church starter coordinators for Eastern Canada. Children: Caleb, Joshua, Andrew, & Sarah.
Raymond/Hanaa Alraei--Church starters in Maniwaki, Quebec. Children: Ruthie, David, & Naomi.
Jacques/Barb Cote--Shanliwood BC/Conference Center, Spencerville, Ontario--Partners for construction. Supplies for training/equipping pastors. Prayer for the vision to become reality.
Alex/Gino Antinozzi/lay leaders--Renaissance Church--Kirkland, Quebec.
Peter/Anna Cadoret--pastor/lawyer par excellence for ministers' legal needs/Saturday daycamps for children--Pt. St. Charles Church--Montreal, Quebec.
Yves/Claudine Bellemarre--both French-Canadian; new church starters in Eastern Quebec (St-Georges).
Francois/Family--1st church starter in Quebec/support satellite churches in multiple church start approach. Marriage. Safety.
Gaetan Rochon--Danford Lake, Quebec--new church start
David/Sanaan Brazzeal--Bible studies for artists and musicians--downtown Montreal.
PowerPlant church-planting strategies for students and adults in Eastern Canada.
Joann's ministry/website for former lesbians/article in Ottawa Herald.
Arabian/Moslem work--confidentiality of workers.
Dave/Dawn Berry/2 children/--partner for their indigenous work (at least $300/mth->$15K/yr. for 1/2 time pay).
Work in Labrador--led by members of Air Force Academy, trained to travel in unreachable areas. No previous SBC work there.
Version in Eastern Canada of what was formerly called Crossover Collegiate mission work in Western Canada--30% of US students who participate return to Canada for at least short-term work.

Team Bonding

2006-08-21T10:20:00.000-04:00

The girls and I learned a crucial element to a successful ministry venture--team building before the work begins. Take time to share your personal stories. Tell how you met Christ and what you have learned along your walk with Him. Point out strategic signposts in your faith walk. Those stories will forge a bond that will help you to work as one during the project. Prayerwalk the facility. Give the place and the people back to God. Relinquish your personal control and input back to the One who is going to create a successful, long-lasting experience for you and the people to whom you are going to minister. Ask Him to send the right ones and to begin working in them that very moment. Thank Him, in advance, for the mighty, inexplicable work He is going to accomplish. Establish and inform prayer support back home. Attach a "lead line" to what you are attempting for God. Establish a strategy or plan and roles for each team member. Be certain that each person knows his responsibility and has the equipment necessary to complete her role. Present team members with meaningful ministry opportunities, suitable to each one's gifts and abilities. Be careful not to overlook or look down on the younger team members or the wisdom of the elders among you. Avoid "mother hen" treatment. Set up each person for spiritual success and power. Team bonding presents a united front to the people to whom you are ministering and models our oneness in Christ that will defeat the Enemy and glorify our King.

My Pet or My Child?

2006-08-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

Once I heard a man speak sweet nothings to his pet cat, promising that Daddy was going to bring her treats from a foreign country and love and affection like that of a favored friend. To a mere casual observer the pet was much spoiled, doted on, and treasured. Truthfully, the black-and-white beauty spent her entire existence in a darkened basement, except for daily feedings administered by a volunteer caretaker rather than her "devoted" Papa. Is this a picture of how we parent our teens? We speak in loving words when we are pleased with our relationship. Then we send them out to live separate lives until we have the promise of pleasures or rewards from a distant land to offer as enticements to their continued devotion. Attachments are short-lived if motivated by reward or punishment. Not being pets, teens realize the inequity of such relationships. How can we get teens to internalize the idea of our affection, rather than merely identify with us? Teens crave consistent afffection, predictable but negotiable boundaries, and heartfelt devotion modeled by quality time spent with the focus on them as individuals. The world conveys a model for parent-teen or leader-teen relationships that is not God's ideal or paradigm. Contrary to public opinion, it is possible to remain close and to communicate calmly during adolescence and beyond! Keep talking right through the years (Acts 2:38-39). Build on common interests, hobbies, or pursuits, or look for new ones! Find time each week to be together (Deut. 11:18-19). Assist your teen in managing emotions of hormones, the stresses of life, the emotional rollercoaster of teen relationships, and organizational traumas. Talk. Talk. Talk. Better yet, listen. Listen. Listen. It's not only possible to stay close in the teen years, it's crucial to your on-going healthy relationship with your burgeoning adult child.

Back Lighting -- Psalm 27:1

2006-08-21T09:51:00.000-04:00

Late one night, trying to find the bathroom in an unfamiliar setting, I discovered the dangers of trying to maneuver with the path lit only from the rear. It made me consider the dangers of attempting to walk down the path of life with the Light at my back, rather than in front of me. Every step is treacherous. Every step is unfamiliar. Every step is a blind choice. Dark alleys or false turns lure us into deeper darkness. Fear threatens to strangle our confidence. And insecurity slows our movements. Yet when Light is in front of us, rather than at our rear, God is with us, before us, and He is our rear guard (Ps. 139:5). Each step is ordered. Each step is familiar to God's ways. Every step is sighted and charted by God. The steps on a lit path are true turns (Ps. 89:14-18), each leading toward brighter Light. Indescribable peace protects our confidence in the Lord (Ps. 27). God's power pervades our movements in relation to Him (Psalm 104:2, 27-30). If I just do not try to get ahead of the protection, it is clear that my all-encompassing Guide and Light, the Spirit of the Living God, is all around me.

Not Losing It

2006-08-21T09:31:00.000-04:00

On our last Sunday in Montreal, there were lots of tears. We chose to say, "So long," rather than "Goodbye" to our new family there, longing to return to Eastern Canada as soon as God provides the green light. Gary Smith said there were lots of tears at the end of church at Renaissance that morning because of how the Spirit moved, but I did not see any of them. I was too overcome by emotion myself. The screaming cry of my heart? "I don't want to be the way I was when I came to Canada!" As if it is possible to even find the box that I used to use to corral God! "I want to stay outside of the box where God is, to see others through His eyes, to be a servant and have a humble heart, to take leaps of faith as He leads me, to direct o others into a deeper/clearer faith walk where 'no sight' is necessary to trust his hand/heart." These are the words that I wrote and passed to my daughters across the aisle of the tiny cropduster plane we rode back to Atlanta from Montreal. The girls both nodded. No words were necessary. We had seen things we could not explain any other way than that we had seen God move. Of course, it is in Him that "we live and move and have our being." He's everywhere, not just where we were in Canada. Now that we are back in the States, our desire is to "walk and not grow faint." We want to "find God in the everyday experiences" of our lives. Ultimately, our desire is not to "need the moutaintops to see God's work." As John told me the first week that the girls and I were back from Canada--and he was one week away from his incredible experiences with International World Changers in Salvador, Brazil--"Falling off the mountain is going to be painful but not losing the passion is important." On that same plane-ride, I felt like God was saying to me that the real question is "WHOM shall I serve?" I had been asking a lot of other questions first--such as, "When?" "Where?" "TO whom will I serve?" The question for me is not "Why?" or "Why me?" or even "WHAT will I do?" God asked Isaiah, "WHOM shall I send? WHO will go for us?" He's asking us, "WHOM shall you serve?" And He's waiting for us to respond, "Here am I, Lord. Send me!"

What We Saw

2006-08-21T09:21:00.000-04:00

What did we see in Canada? We saw children with a bleak future in the physical realm accept a bright eternal hope in Christ. We heard women given away by their birth mothers convey how they celebrate the blessings of their adopted Christian parents and receive a new outlook on life in that process. We felt selfish and spoiled when we observed how children who had next to nothing would decorate and personalize a Ziplock(R) bag as a container for their homemade crafts. We noted how the smell of Montreal after a rabid summer storm modeled the extreme cleansing and peace that follows a relinquishment of control to the One who calms life's tempests. The taste of the Lord's goodness and mercy is sweeter in a culture where bitterness and skepticism over faith have reigned for decades, due to the historical neglect of all things related to God the Father, not to mention His Son, Jesus Christ. We witnessed how the touch of His love revived the spirit of a woman who needed to forgive herself for placing her infant daughter up for adoption over three decades ago. We observed His grace as it restored the smile of a child who barely knew consistent attention. Ultimately, we were refreshed by Him ourselves--three Americans on the journey toward the heart of God as it burns for Eastern Canada and specifically for the Quebecois, the largest unreached people group in North America.

Loving Maniwaki

2006-07-04T19:00:00.000-04:00

Last week in Maniwaki a group came up from Tennesee to run a sports camp. I got to know several of the youth there and be inspired by their boldness. It was like being on a mission trip with someone else's youth group. My favorite part of the time was the morning quiet times. God revealed to me through last week and those times my purpose in Canada. One: To reach the people. I had several conversations with some of the youth of Maniwaki through the sports camp. Just relating to them and trying to convey how Christ can bring them hope. This trip I think is teaching me how to love others--despite what they look like or how different they are from me. All I have to do is be willing to listen. God always comes through to provide the sympathy in me. Two: Learning to rely on Christ for all my strength. 2 Peter 1:3-11 has become my theme passage for this summer. By relying on Him for "everything we need for life and godliness," our lives will always be in touch with His will. When He calls us to do something, He provides the strength we just have to go. So this past week God has revealed to me personally how to obey His first two commandments: loving God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and loving my neighbor as myself. It all has to do with the sanctification process in my heart. As grow closer to God in godliness eventually love comes out as a byproduct.

What a View!

2006-06-28T10:47:00.000-04:00

Truth is hitting me on the head a lot lately. Ouf family of over-achievers is learning that God cares about the relationship not the service. Here's a few of the tidbits that comfort us: The most vital part of prayer is letting God love us (B. Manning): "Be still and know that I am God" Ps. 46:10. Manning says that prayer is like sunbathing, in that when we spend a lot of time in the sun people comment that we've been to the beach. If we bathe in God's love, then we look different from the inside out! Time with God may affect us like it did Isaiah: "Woe to me!...I am a man of unclean lips and I live among a people of unclean lips ,and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!" Following quickly upon his confession of unworthiness, Isaiah responded to the Lord's request for a willing servant: "Here am I. Send me!" As Chambers comments, God is everything--"the whole earth is full of His glory"--there must be something corresponding to God in my character. At Jesus' transfiguration, Peter wanted to build shelters for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah so that they all could stay on the mountain with God . Perhaps you struggle, as I do, with the temptation to turn every life experience into a teaching tool. According to Chambers, experiences on the mountaintop with God are not to "teach us anything, ...[but] to make us something." God has a purpose for each one of our encounters with Him, but we are created to live in the valley, to lift others up toward Him. Chambers further states that the final goal of sacrificing ourselves is to lay down our lives for our Friend. In John 15:15, Jesus says, "I have called you friends"! He bought us with His blood from the auction block where our sins sent us. One day we will be seated with that great throng of witnesses of Hebrews 12, looking at people "purchased... for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.... A kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth" (Rev. 9b-10). What a view!

Grace and Second Chances

2006-06-26T10:37:00.000-04:00

On Sunday Christa moved to a new home home for her second week in Maniwaki. Raymond and Hanaa live several minutes away from their church field, and Christa needs to be available 8-5 for community service projects and sports camp, as well as for evening Bible studies and meetings. Her new hostess is Eleanor, who lives across the street from the church facility. Lots of drama went into getting her placed in this home. Ultimately, Christa is learning that no one is going to look out for her best interests. She must safeguard herself with the wisdom and self-preservation instincts God has given to her. After the bus-station drama last Saturday, both of us should have realized that. The adults were waiting for Christa to speak up and say that she did not feel safe with another home that was offered to her. Of course, she is laying it all on the line this summer and is trying to be flexible. Ultimately, the first home alternative was more like "missionary dating," hoping to reach teenaged boys while staying in their home. Chambers says we are to apply grace to every situation, praying immediately not waiting to get alone with God. His "unmerited favor" allows us to be "humiliated without manifesting the slightest trace of anything but His grace." However, His grace also protects us when we are too naive and innocent to regard danger and flee from it. As parents John and I often walk a tightrope in parenting a blossoming young-adult long-distance. In this case, we knew Christa would never speak up and ask to be moved to a safer environment. Now she has a firm base from which to do her ministry and a sense of peace that grace prevailed over personal sacrifice.

Jumping Off Rocks

2006-06-22T22:41:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I went to a lake with some friends and I learned an important lesson about trusting Christ's strength. We all climbed up some rocks over the lake and decided to jump off. One of my friends named Eve was having some second thoughts. She kept saying, "Why do I always do this to myself? I've been dreaming about doing this for a whole year. Why can't I make myself jump?" Watching her bend her legs trying to jump was like watching a movie of myself. It was shocking and terrifying. How many times do I stand on the edge of doing God's will and back away out of fear? So I stepped up and volunteered, "I'll go first." When I got up to the edge, I froze just like Eve. All those familiar doubts swarmed around me like bees. "You can't do this. You can barely swim let alone jump off a diving board in a safe pool. How do you think you can do this?!" But I didn't want to step back to safety and the feeling of failure and embarrassment that awaited me on the rock so I jumped into the dark unknown for me--and for Eve. And you know what? All my fears seemed pretty stupid. I survived without a scratch and to my surprise, Eve jumped in right after me. Overcoming your fears is easy once you realize that the King of the Universe believes in you. He's waiting in the water to lead you to the other side of the lake. You're the only one stopping you. Will you lean on His power to catch you or will you climb back down the rocks to His disappointment? If you choose His power, He'll stay true to His promise and He might even use you as a leader to pave the way for others. So what will it be--a ground-shaker or a loser? There's no middle ground. Jesus is waiting at the bottom for you. Just JUMP!

What Did You Do Today?

2006-06-22T07:21:00.000-04:00

In many ways this summer is like kindergarten for our family. The question at the end of the day is often, What did you learn today? On Monday Christa stayed with David (5) and Ruthie (8) for their parents to take their baby sister to the doctor. A doctor's visit in Canada can provide enough material for a novel. It's free but the patients pay dearly in time, inconvenience, and exposure to infectious diseases. Apparently, an excursion to treat a baby's ear infection can take over six hours. Christa learned that you get what you pay for; nothing is free. On Tuesday she experienced the rich fellowship of the Body of Christ. She experienced an entire summer's worth of fun--making new friends, cooking out, playing croquet, eating humuus and Turkish delight, loving on children. Wednesday she spent the day with Eve and Blair, a young couple in Canada for a summer of work. They played basketball, dove into the icey river off rocks, handed out flyers for next week's sports camp, encountered God's Word together. The answer to "What did you learn today?" was "I can." Christa said, "Why should I doubt my abilities? The King of the Universe thinks I can do it! Otherwise, why would He sent me to another country all by myself?" Whatever rocks He wants her to jump off tomorrow, whatever stranger to whom He leads her to talk, He is bigger than those doubts. "You are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you--from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted!" (1 Peter 2:9-10, TM)

Why Are We Surprised?

2006-06-20T08:46:00.000-04:00

Christa arrived safely in Bouchette, a suburb of Maniwaki, where she will spend the week with the Alraei family. At dark a.m. Monday, Barb drove her from Shanliwood to the bus station in Ottawa, Ontario. You may remember this bus terminal as the infamous spot where Christa stayed long enough on Saturday afternoon that she may begin to receive mail there. Now Christa is saying that she is glad that the whole bus-capade happened. She had an enjoyable weekend with Jacques and Barb Cote:"They feel like my family to me now." Christa met some of the teenaged girls with whom she will spend time in late July. The Cotes filled her love tank--and watched yet more Stanley Cup hockey with her. Other than her learning to cheer for the Edmonton Oilers, what could be wrong with this picture of God's provision? Why are we surprised when God takes care of us? Is it that we expect Him to do anything less than provide for all of our needs--even our safety or peace? Perhaps it is because we think a perfect plan would have no seams, no glitches, no pain. Perhaps we assume that if things did not go "smoothly," then something was out of line, out of place, strangely in dischord. If we look at the example of Jesus' life, then we see that He had no home--yet He did not seem to go hungry unless He fasted by choice; He had disloyal friends; His people rejected Him which led to His death like a criminal; He even wondered aloud why God had seemingly "forsaken" Him. All of that was Plan A--from the beginning of time. The ultimate goal of that stream-lined lifestyle and public humiliation was our salvation, our eternal safety, if you will. Why does it surprise us when our definition of smooth sailing does not align with God's version? Ultimately, it's still all about saving the world.

Best Laid Plans

2006-06-19T09:26:00.000-04:00

There may have been a reason that Christa and I had been dreading her trip to Maniwaki on Saturday. The bus trek did not go as planned--to say the least. Christa found herself alone in an Ottawa bus terminal with no connecting transport to Maniwaki that afternoon. [Enter your favorite theme music for rescuing innocent girls.] In rode Jacques Cote on his trusty stead--to the rescue of our fair maiden in distress. He drove her home to his wife, dear Barb, where Christa shared father's day dinner with Barb's dad. Then on Sunday Christa got a preview of Shanliwood Baptist's wonderful people, with whom she will spend a week in late July. I suspect she would have gladly suffered four hours alone in an Ottawa bus station to spend Saturday night and Sunday with the Cotes. We just do not know the trade-off that awaits when we sit obediently. The palm of God's hand in the center of His will is always, without exception, the safest place to be. Sometimes there are sharks (or nameless homeless men) swarming around us. We are still safe. Sometimes our parents cannot bear the cracks in our brave facade, yet the Father is still sovereign and has the situation in His complete and utter control. Even when it looks like our best laid plans are a nightmare of confusion, He has provided a way of escape and a green pasture on which we can rest. The lights we can see are His safe passageway rather than an in-coming train (or bus)!

Don't Look Back!

2006-06-17T10:54:00.000-04:00

Today is the day that Christa boards a bus bound for Maniwaki, via Ottawa, to work with a ministry to the French-speaking residents there. The four of us Baileys can relate to Peter as he relinquished the safety of the boat for the dark, swirling, stormy waters of a walk to Jesus. Will we relate more readily to the first part of Peter's story when he got out of the boat--"Don't look down"? Or, will our attitudes model that of the more popular, sermon-fodder segment of his late-night boat ride--when he squealed and flailed and balked at the swirling, unfamiliar territory around him and the abyss below him? My parental advice to Christa was to recall the peace that she felt earlier this week in the park and to rest in the assurance that Christ will keep her safe and be her comfort. I hope I can stay true to my own admonition! In fact, I assured her that she was much safer on a bus "traveling alone in a foreign country" than she would be riding solo on MARTA in Atlanta. Perspective is a warm blanket rather than the soggy, clammy embrace if we heed the call of the crooked, boney finger of fear clawing at our pale faces. Apparently, the danger creeps in when we start to think about ourselves. Our eyes need to focus on Christ rather than the surrounding situation. Chambers wisely advises: "If you are recognizing your Lord, you have no business with where He engineers your circumstances.... keep recognizing Jesus, maintain complete reliance on Him." His Voice is heard most clearly in the throes of "recklessness." Our task is to avoid looking down but to keep our eyes on Him. The task is secondary. The danger is irrelevant. The fear is our enemy's last hope. Our Hope prevails if we just don't look down.

True Friendship

2006-06-14T09:45:00.000-04:00

In church we sing this chorus, "I Am a Friend of God...He calls me 'friend.'" I sometimes wonder why He is willing to do that. A true friend is someone who is constant and reliable. Do I really qualify? A loyal friend is dependable, and I know I let Him down. An allegiant follower would lay down his life for the Cause. Yet I look for times when I can get away with picking up the trail of the old lifestyle. He wants me to stick out--in a good way, and I try to conform--in a bad way. To be a friend of God, He needs to "be love" through me, and there are people and situations that I balk at allowing Him to love through me. For years, as parents we have nurtured our daughters to trust the Lord and develop a private, personal walk with Him. Now Christa has gone off on an adventure with this Great Love of her life. How do I really react to this? Will I trust my Friend to be constant and reliable to her? Do I believe that she will be dependable to Him? Do I worry that He will let her down? Of course not! We all know that's absurd. But what if He wants her to lay down her life for the Cause? Now that's a very real possibility. In fact, that's what a summer of mission work is--laying down what you could be doing for what you ought to be doing. In many ways, it's practice for the real life, daily relationship of trusting. The stakes could not be any higher when we put God's honor on the line wherever we are today. That true friendship comes when we lay down our life for our Friend (John 15:13, 15).

Quebec

2006-06-13T14:27:00.000-04:00

Hey from Quebec! Thanks to everyone for all your prayers. I just wanted to share with you a little about what society is like here for the church. As you probably already know, Quebec and the rest of Canada started as a Catholic nation. The Catholics controlled all aspects of society including the number of kids a family could have, the place of women in society, and even the workings of the government. One day, people started to think that it was stupid to just sit there and let the Church rule their lives, so they walked out. As a result, Quebec will have nothing to do with the Church, whether Protestant or Catholic. For example, the worst swear word in Quebec French is tabernac or tabernacle from the world of the Church. People just don't care about God. When something bad goes wrong, they see no need to turn to God because they have family or they can still put food on the table. Thus, morals are out the window for convenience. For example, couples, even young ones, have sex and move into the same house, almost never sealing their affection with marriage. In fact, even new Christians have to be taught the sancitity of marriage because it is not a part of society. I say all this to make you aware that right next door to America there is a great mission field. This society has turned its back on God and the new churches here need encouragement because Satan can easily suck them back into the vortex around them. Quebec is a lonely place for a Christian. We all need your prayers.

Follow Me

2006-06-13T10:43:00.000-04:00

What happens after the glamour of obeying the call fades? What happens when "follow Me" leads down a dark alley or a weed-strewn path? Perhaps you can relate to me when I admit that I tend to forget that if I am following then He is preceding me. He walks in front He gets there first! Once I "take [my] everyday, ordinary life...and place it before God as an offering," the next step is to "[embrace] what God does for [me]" (Romans 12:1-2, MS). He goes before me, stays with me, and monitors my future path--dark, dreary, or absolutely euphoric as it may be. An older friend of mine once put it this way: It's as if He surrounds us with a circle of His love. [You both precede and follow me. Psalm 139, GNB.]This she said from her devoted life in the throes of widowhood, leukemia, and a dying daughter. Thankfully, God works from the inside out, because many times the view from the outside of me is entirely stinky. If I could just recognize what He wants from me and do it, rather than taking on the "Make me!" attitude of the culture around me! If only I would allow Him to grow me into the person He sees in my future, rather than dragging my feet like a petulant child at the door of a toystore whose parents have already purchased her birthday gifts! The better way to get at God is to grasp Who God is and what He does, yet I keep on trying to get at God from who I am and what I can do for Him (Romans 12:3). I am just not a good follower. I keep getting out in front and saying, "Come on, God." He's waiting to hear me say, "After You..."

Christa's First Weekend

2006-06-12T17:08:00.000-04:00

This weekend, as the Smiths prepared to leave to tour the West, Christa visited the Jones family, home to many daughters. She went to see "A Prairie Home Companion" on Friday with Lydia, 14, the youngest of the 6, and an International Baccalaureate student in Montreal, as Christa is in Sandy Springs. On Saturday she returned to spend the day with the Smiths and to view the movie "Cars" for Andrew's birthday. Then she spent the evening with the Joneses, seeing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and watching a chick flick before bedtime. The families converged at Renaissance church which meets in a cineplex. Then Christa went to the Joneses to rest for the afternoon, on to Impact--a college worship service, and to experience one of Montreal's many summer street festivals, where they encountered the music of Mali (where 2 of the Jones' girls did missions) and ate Lebanese food. Christa learned about some of the Canadian universities--Concordia where Nadia attends, as does Amy [who is a former summer missionary who returned to Montreal to marry a French Canadian]; McGill, Amanda's alumnus, which is said to be the Harvard of Canada; and the universities of the French-cultural-immersion experience within Quebec's capital, Quebec City. Today Christa was immersed in daycamp prep with Alex, her hostess for the next couple of days, then to dinner with Sue's good friend, Julie, a local doctor. On Wednesday night, she returns to the Jones' girls until her 11:00 bus to Maniwaki through Ottawa on Saturday. Since she will travel alone, we ask your prayers for her safety and peace on the trek to her French-speaking host family, the Alraies, and their 3 children, 8, 5, 9 months.

John's Alaska Adventure--Part 1

2006-06-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

On Sunday John flew to Anchorage, Alaska, still a 5-hour flight from Salt Lake City, UT. It's hard to believe that it's still part of the USA with the 4-hour time difference and the 24/7 twilight-dusky skies. John had dinner with his Uncle Marvin and SueAnn--salmon, broccoli, "dirty rice," and cake. The two had not been together in over 25 years. Marvin is still trim at age 70, playing handball 3x a week and doing a bit of Nautilus with minimal weight and a few reps. John was reminded that his uncle had hiked the entire 3,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail, chronicling his journey for Memphis' Commercial Appeal and his Sierra Club chronies. He told a few funny stories of the old days, including an account of Uncle Stoy's denial that his Marine Corps buddies had put a bucket over his head, as is tradition for new recruits. To which, Marvin suggested that perhaps the reason was that they could not find a large enough bucket. Stoy brooded for hours over this verbal assertion! He recalled being baptized at the old Calvary Baptist in Memphis, along with his brothers; Hilton and Mary Gene's wedding when Marvin was 21 and Hilton was 31; and that Grandmother Bailey attended Furman University, being from Upper SC, which is one of the top universities in Christa's hunt. Marvin keeps up with Uncle Milton's Knoxville brood and is not fazed by cousin Pat's people skills which greatly outweigh her love of mental gymnastics, which is clearly Marvin's passion. The two discussed Jimmy Carter and James Wallace, mixing religion and politics in a sometimes lethal combination, especially when one is a "denominational serpent" and the other, a Democrat and an environmentalist. It must have been an informative evening for both uncle and nephew!

On the Road Again

2006-06-09T08:22:00.000-04:00

This weekend Christa will be on the move again. As the Smith family begins a much needed excursion to the Western US, and Christa will meet two new host families--the Joneses and their three daughters and the Antinozzis who are expecting their first child this fall. During the week she will help to prepare for day camps at Renaissance Church in Montreal, which meets in a cineplex. Next Saturday she boards a Greyhound bus through Ottawa to her next stop of Maniwaki. Sunday John leaves for a week of World Changers near Anchorage, Alaska. The 67 World Changers and PowerPlant staffers are realizing that prayers for safety are like air to their teams, as two of their SUV's have experienced flat tires and one team joined a four-car pileup. All are safe and sound. But the launching of the first projects of summer '06 is looming on Saturday with the themes "At Work" for the construction missions and "Reflect" for the church planters. The 16 teams expect to encounter 20,000 students/adults plus untold numbers of residents, neighbors, and city officials. Let's join Rob Mullins in the challenge he isued at the Commissioning and lift them up to take advantage of their brief time to make an impact: "We always thank God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you" (Col. 1:3). Pray for a positive outlook when stuff happens, since God has an answer before/during/after the storm (James 1). Then breathe the Spirit's power of overcoming, inspirational love over all they do (1 Cor. 13:4-7). Finally, pray that the staffers will ask, What could God do with my life if I were 100% committed? As they dream BIG, prevail on our AWESOME God to reveal Himself doing a new thing in/around them.

Afraid to Beg?

2006-06-08T09:32:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how small your child's voice can sound across an international phone line! To us there may not be a sweeter sound than hearing Christa's soft laughter as she conveys the latest antics of 3 1/2-year-old Sarah in Montreal. Picturing Sarah's cherubic face peering up from the level of John's kneecaps on Tuesday, tugging on his jeans as he and Christa hugged and prayed one last time before he left her for nine weeks: "Whatcha' doin'?" Sarah mused. What Sarah witnessed was a father unafraid to ask for directions. A rare sight, indeed! John was shamelessly begging God for the strength to walk out the door. Sounds a bit melodramatic! I admit it. But, think about it, when was the last time you needed God's help so badly that you (manly or sisterly) threw yourself on God's mercy? Safest place to be, yet we avoid it like the plague. Not one of us relishes (at least, not in the flesh) being broken bread or poured out wine. However, what does Christ promise to the poor in Spirit? "I live in a high and lofty place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit" For what purpose, Lord? "To revive the spirit of the lowly and...the heart of the contrite." As God told Gideon in Judges 6: "Go in the strength you have and save [your people] Israel out of [your enemy] Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?...I will be with you, and you will strike down [the enemy] the Midianites as if they were but one man." Let's not be ashamed to beg as children of God for power over the enemy He defeated on the Cross. While we are ashamed of our weakness, He is pouring His strength into every fissure like a Holy, impenetrable concrete. Let's not be ashamed to weep on His strong lap. His eternal Hands have wiped away tears before and they will do it again (Rev. 7:17; 21:4)!

What We Used to Be

2006-06-06T08:45:00.000-04:00

Good morning from Montreal and Alpharetta! John and Christa started Tuesday with the Smiths, then John was off to the airport for World Changers/PowerPlant staff meeting and Christa leaped into her summer life. Reading Oswald Chambers, I was struck between the eyes (exactly where his writings often strike) with the beauty of change in a believer's life. Chambers wrote: "Beware of harking back to what you once were when God wants you to be something you have never been." What if the thing God desires for us--that we've never been--is so far removed from our comfort zones that we cannot imagine drawing a deep breath? What if the center of His will is the spiritual parallel to sitting in a treehouse on a precipice of a cliff surrounded by mountains during gale-force winds? For someone like me who does not like viewing tall things or being out of control, that would be terrifying, just as with all things that require only trust--like when your young friend encounters another country with new friends to encounter amazing things. What if what we used to be involves trying to manage God and what we should do is rest in His management. Just a thought... Yesterday John and Christa met 3 couples and 4 active children with vital roles in Christa's summer. John talked PowerPlant with Gary Smith, and international law and the thrilling ride of work in inner-city Montreal with the Cadorets, with multilinguals in a dilapidated building. They learned that French in Maniwaki, Christa's late June home, blends the Cree Indian dialect with Quebecois French. What we used to be was a family driving Christa about 15 weekly hours to an international studies school. Now she has enrolled in God's School of International Missions. What is it you KNOW that God wants us to do; when you "do it, immediately, you know more"--about God, about yourself, about His work. In Christ, it's a short drive of obedience from what we used to be to what we can be.

Letting Go--Part 2

2006-06-05T09:32:00.000-04:00

Sunday John and Christa left for Montreal. Last year when Christa went to France for a study abroad, she told John and me to "let it go," meaning all of the details. Yesterday, while she is in Canada for 9 weeks, began Phase Two of that lengthy process of continuously placing her in God's hands. Sounds simple and obvious--from a distance. Anyone who has ever clutched tightly to a precious treasure, at any age of life, recalls the pain of prying clinched fingers from an object or dearly loved person. And so, we let go--a little more each hour, each day, each year--until we are completely on our faces before God, empty handed and in complete submission to His indescribably elaborate feast of riches. Then we wonder why we did not offer our delicate prize to Him in the first place. We observe how He polishes imperfections we never witnessed and molds giftedness we never employed. On His table our undeniable treasure becomes a pure vessel, an overflowing fountain, a screaming witness to His majesty, wisdom, and love-scheme. Within His stable a crippled stallion heals in a harness of undeserved favor to gallop faster and farther and to leap hurdles higher than any trained beast has ever flown. We let go, feeling helpless and lonely and uninvolved, only to look into the face of the One who IS our help, our comfort, our power. Why do we clutch our treasures when we can cling to His treats? Simultaneously, why don't we "let go" of things dearly loved and fall at the feet of the One who treasures us enough to "let go" of His Treasure in Heaven to fall completely on His face before God and a watching world, empty handed and in complete submission, so that we could sidle up to a Feast of Elaborate Riches, prepared for us from the foundation of the world.

Friendships

2006-06-03T09:02:00.000-04:00

Friday was a beautiful day of friendships, both old and new. Christa and I had a wonderful phone conversation with our Montreal contact, Sue. She seems to anticipate Christa's needs and to address them before the tiny molehills become insurmountable. Christa will be "serving the servers," making possible the work of visiting American teams rather than running the daycamps. It seems to me to be a bit like being a water boy for a sports team--behind the scenes, essential in all ways, lots of guts but little glamour. Along the way, our world traveler will be forging great friendships with the Quebecois missionaries, many of whom will host her for a night or several. Ultimately, Christa will bring home friendships and a connection with the French-speaking nationals and emigree in Montreal, Maniwaki, and beyond. Last evening, Christa finally celebrated her April 25th birthday with her long-time best friends, Kristen and Angela, and sister, Cara. We ate Italian food at Ippolito's, including the peerless garlic rolls with Parmesan topping; red velvet cake; and watched "Pride & Prejudice" before exchanging gifts for Kristen's graduation and Angela and Christa's birthdays. Each of us practically needed seatbelts to hold us in our seats--we were so thrilled to be together in a stress-free, loving environment. The love of longtime friends is such a balm for preventing loneliness, defeat, and weakness. That tender comfort is a sampling of the smorgasbord of grace-gifts that God pours into us--as we interact, as we work, as we create, as we express devotion to each other, even as we rest at night. What a storehouse of riches we experience in the company of the One who is our Oldest and Dearest Friend of Friends!

Reality Checks

2006-06-01T08:56:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a day of reality checks. Essentially, I discovered that I needed to "have a little work done" in the spiritual face of things. It is amazing how out of line we can become--how selfish and spoiled--within a comfortable, safe zone. Life is a totally different matter when God asks for a blank check, signed by us in agreement to serve in His name--whenever, however. Let me spare you the gorey details of what I encountered and my reaction to it. That way you can fill in the blanks with whatever thing God is hounding you to do and whichever manifestation of unwillingness you are modeling--gritting your teeth or digging in your heels. The beautiful reality is that we are saying "yes" to God, not to the details. Stay with me now. Of course, in the end, we must complete the minutiae. But the point is that God is our altar, not the toilet we are scrubbing, so to speak. When we are tempted to say, whether directly to God or to His emissary, "I'm not your slave," we close our ears to Jesus' words to James and John--and to us: "whoever wants to be first must be your slave." Even further, we step out of the tracks which Jesus asked us to follow, because as the Son of Man He "came to serve, not be served" to the point of giving away His own life "in exchange for the many who are held hostage" (Matthew 20:27-28). Of course, when offered a chance to sacrifice ourselves for spiritual hostages, we might agree without hesitation or reservation. What a noble cause! Yet we prefer those hostages to be high profile and preferrably people to whom we can easily relate. Again, we are serving God not the people; yet in serving God we must serve the individual, no matter how unlovely the other person or the task. And God calls us to toe the line by being faithful to whatever task comes our way once we have said "Yes!" to His call. We combat the urge to think, "I could be doing..." or to compare the opportunity at hand with some other, more pleasant activity. Because we are God's slaves, giving our lives away for the sake of the spiritual hostages, we serve God and we won't look back (Luke 9:62)--especially during times of reality checks!

Welcome to Baileys on Mission

2006-05-31T11:34:00.000-04:00

This last day of May finds John at summer staff training for World Changers/PowerPlant summer staffers in the north Georgia mountains, Cara typing her lastest story (she's on page 60), and Christa studying for her SAT exams on Saturday. This Sunday, June 6, after the summer staff commissioning service at the mission board, John and Christa head to Hartsfield-Jackson airport for their trek to Montreal, Quebec to start Christa's Sojourner experience in Canada. She will be primarily in Quebec with French-speaking nationals until August 6. Cara and I plan to join her for her final two weeks of ministry--with Shanliwood in Ontario and Point St. Charles in Montreal, as well as a possible one-day event to launch a ministry at Danford Lake. We are already deeply indebted to and invested in the lives and work of Gary/Sue Smith, especially since Sue is Christa's summer lifeline and an amazing new friend, and of their co-workers throughout Quebec and into Ontario. We appreciate every prayer, each thoughful email, the checks for financial support, supplies and materials and funds for the missionaries, and all of your love and support. You are a treasured friend and support to the work of the Kingdom. We are thrilled to have our eyes opened to the new work God is doing within Quebec with the French-speaking nationals and emigrees. We love you very much and cherish your friendship--eternally protected in heaven, where moth and rust cannot corrupt and thieves cannot break in and steal, to the glory of Christ the Son for God the Father through the Holy Spirit. Thank you--John, Carol, Christa, Cara