Underestimating God

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

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

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!

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...

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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?

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)