blessings

Posted on May 25, 2006 by Dana

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3

Read the first two chapters of Ephesians and see what all God has done for us. I’ve been getting bad reports again from the doctor, but I just don’t think I’m going to worry about it. Susan is making me get an MRI because of some back pain, but I’m going to try to keep my mind on other things. We’re winding up school this week and our family’s busiest time of the year has arrived as summer camp begins, but I’m hoping to enjoy my work and trust God to help me do a good job.

I have every reason to praise God for this past school year. It started with bad news of cancer’s return, but God rescued me time and again. There were moments of pain, but there were many more moments of great joy. I’m grateful for another year to be a husband, a father, and a teacher. I’ve been able to be with friends here in Atlanta and I’ve been able to visit friends in far places. I’ve met new brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ and I’ve seen God’s tenderness to the poor and hurting.

When I read these chapters in Ephesians, I marvel that God chose to love me before the creation of the world! I am reminded, once again, that Jesus is everything. Without Him we have absolutely no hope. But in Christ, we have life, purpose, forgiveness, wisdom, understanding, and the Holy Spirit. God lavishes His grace on us. I like the word, “lavish”. He does not withhold from His children. His salvation is an amazing gift. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” This gift makes me want to serve the Father all my days. I was once dead… now I’m alive. I once followed the ways of the world… now I see His Kingdom. I was once separate from Christ… now I am close to Him. He is the Good Shepherd who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death and whispers that we need not fear.

I want everyone to know this good King, the Prince of Peace, the Chosen One. He understands everything we will ever face on this earth and He delivers us from sin. We can’t even fathom what He did at the Cross to make the way for us to be part of His family. He gave everything out of love for us. And now He says, “You do the same.” I say, “But Lord, how can I love like You? How can I give myself away like You did?” “Have you given yourself to Me? Have you laid down your life at My feet? If you sincerely say, ‘Take my heart; take all of me,’ I will. I live in you! I will love through you. You will bear fruit through Me. And I will complete what I have started. Just keep trusting in Me.”

I usually don’t write these ‘journeys’ during the summer months, but if I receive news I need to pass along, I will. Thanks for your love and prayer. Keep your eyes on Jesus!

“… Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22

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provision

Posted on May 20, 2006 by Dana

Many of you have prayed for Terri and John these past two years. It is so neat to see God’s answers to prayer and His provision for His children. We love Terri so much, but God’s love goes beyond description. Terri now has a great job with a Christian employer and Christian co-workers. Some of you know that our work environment is one of the most important aspects of a job. This job came about when a good friend heard businessmen discussing the great need of helping men and women who have had some difficulties in life but really want to follow God. Our friend asked, “Are you ready to put your money where your mouth is?” Within a week or two, Terri had a job and her employer happily says she often does the work of two people in the office. Susan and I know Terri is a good worker. She is honest and smart. How grateful we are that someone gave her a chance.

For the past few months we have been praying for a place for Terri and John to live. It seems like this is the next step to take, but do you know how expensive it is to rent a house or apartment? We all searched to no avail. Friends kept their eyes open, but it really looked impossible. At one point, Terri had someone offer to help financially, but there were several complications which caused it not to work out. After this fell through, I heard Terri say, “Well, I’m going to quit worrying about it and just let God take care of things.” My faithless heart thought, “Well, I guess Terri and John will live with us a few more years…” But perhaps God was teaching His daughter to come to the important position of really trusting Him for everything. “If He has been with me this far, will He not stay with me? If He gave me a job, will He not give me a place to live? If He helps me conquer addiction, will He not help me live victoriously in every area of life?”

Within a week or two of Terri’s bold statement of faith, a brother brought a church bulletin advertising a house owned by the church that had just come available for rent. We immediately called and set up a visit. It was perfect! We all knew it was God’s answer. I don’t think we could have drawn better plans for a house, and the rent is exactly what Terri can afford. And to show He thinks of everything, there is a clause in the contract that says the church will take care of all yard work!

The final thing I’ll say about Terri is that in this journey she knows it is about more than her. She knows her responsibility to her family. She also knows there are many who struggle with addiction who need to experience God’s love and power. Just a week ago she helped a high school student come clean with his parents about what was going on in his life. A few weeks ago, I noticed a new face in our home watching a movie. When I met this young lady, I saw a beautiful child of God fighting the devil’s drug temptations. Terri had told her friend to call if she ever needed company in the fight. When her friend called, Terri was there… true to her word. Our family has an incredible friend.

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God… May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:5-7 & 13)

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measure

Posted on May 12, 2006 by Dana

About the only station I can pick up in the ’84 Maxima is talk radio. While many of the views expressed by conservative spokesmen are logical and right, I’ve noticed that good positions don’t always equate with a Christ-like heart. I talked to my students about this tendency toward arrogance, sarcasm, and mercilessness… and then at different times during the week I found myself being arrogant, sarcastic, and merciless.

So this week I’ve been reading Jesus’ familiar warnings about judgment and attitudes. While we are to speak the truth, love must rule our hearts. And we must do more that just “talk the talk”… In the first chapter of Romans, after Paul reveals all types of wickedness that will eventually bring God’s wrath, he gives this stunning warning: “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Rom 2:1-4)

One day I’m going to stand next in line to face God, the righteous Judge. As I watch Him execute perfect decisions for every person that has ever lived, this is what I’ll probably think: “He’s treating people like they treated others while they lived on earth! Oh no… Was I kind? Was I merciful? Did I forgive others?”

“Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners’, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:31-38

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The Call

Posted on May 4, 2006 by Dana

I’ll let a picture be a thousand words this week. We had several artists (adults and students) go to Africa to paint a mural for the Community Hope School in the city of Windhoek. Kathy Fincher named the painting “The Call.” I’ve never really thought much about the animals being called by God to get on the ark. I’ll bet none of them argued like we often do… they just did what their Maker said. I guess that’s what separates us from the animals… God gives man the option of saying ‘no’. Noah said ‘yes’ to God and in “holy fear” obeyed his Creator. “By faith, Noah, when warned about things not seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Hebrews 11:7

Though he lived in an evil world, Noah “walked with God” and he and his family were saved. How we must walk with God in this present evil world! Jesus reminds us of Noah as He warns us to watch for Him. “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:26-27

Jesus is our ark… the only safe place!

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called

Posted on April 28, 2006 by Dana

My youngest brother Brian has been a missionary in Africa for about ten years. First he lived in Benin, a country in West Africa, then he moved to Cape Town, South Africa, and now he, his wife, Sondra, and his two little boys, Noah and Bryson, live in Zambia, close to the border of Congo. Brian told me once that he knew God called him to Africa when he was in the fourth grade. He’s been faithful to his call.

On our last trip to Namibia, I met a few other Christians who have been called to do God’s work on this great continent. The day we left Atlanta, I gathered our group in the boarding gate area for a brief prayer. I didn’t think we drew attention to ourselves, but after I said “Amen”, someone got my attention. An African American man motioned me to where he was sitting and asked where we were going. He said at one time he had been a youth pastor and team trips held special memories. He told me his name was Brandon and that he was going to Zambia. “A missionary came to our church and invited a group to go with him to Zambia. I thought what he was doing was great, but I knew Africa was not for me. Something kept gnawing at me, though, and finally I decided God wanted me to make the trip. I went and I have never been the same. God has now called me to move there to help the native Christians build His Kingdom. I just quit a great job in Jacksonville, I’m going on a two month visit, then I’m coming back to watch my daughter graduate from college and my wife and I are moving to Zambia. Can you believe it?”

On the YWAM base in Windhoek, I met a guy from Texas who is about my age. Kevin worked as a plumber most of his life until he heard God’s call to missions. “God told me to give away everything I had and go spread His Good News. So that’s what I did. The last four years I’ve been living with some of the poorest people in the world.” Kevin labors in the war-torn land of Angola which borders the northern part of Namibia. Kevin lives in a mud hut, the same type of house as everyone else in the area. He has no electricity, no running water, and he is constantly fighting malaria which is rampant in much of Africa. Kevin receives $300 a month from his supporting church in Texas, but he says that is more than he needs. Recently, his church purchased a new four wheel drive Toyota truck that he uses for God’s glory. He told me 26 Angolans will ride in the back of the truck at one time. Despite this great vehicle, it took Kevin two twelve-hour days of driving to cover 170 miles. The road conditions of Angola are a little rough. Despite all the hardships Kevin encounters, I recognized a radical disciple of Jesus whose strength is the joy of the Lord.

One day in the city, I ate lunch with a native Namibian named Cas. Cas grew up in the northern part of the country, but God called him to pastor a church and start a Christian school in Windhoek, the nation’s capital. Cas is a muscular man who looks like a rugby player. Where I played basketball, baseball, and soccer with my kids, Cas teaches his three sons to hunt. My friend John says Cas is an excellent hunter. A local farmer just called him to track and shoot a leopard that was killing livestock on his property.

Cas impressed me as a strong but gentle shepherd who loves his flock and longs for the unity of God’s church in his city. Three years ago he started a weekly prayer meeting with different church leaders of Windhoek. At first he said these meetings were very awkward. “No one trusted each other. We all seemed to care more about our own little domains than about God’s desire for the world to know His love.” But as these leaders simply continued to meet and pray, the barriers started to fall and they started to really care about one another. Just recently, there was a flood in another part of the country. All the leaders went as one to the impacted area and served the hurting. “No one cared who got the credit. We were no longer in competition with one another. We were simply loving and serving as God calls us to do. It was beautiful.” My friend John tells me that Cas is probably the most respected Christian leader in the whole city. I see why… he reflects Jesus.

No matter where we are called on this earth or no matter what God calls us to do, we know we are all called to reflect Jesus.

“Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.” I Corinthians 7:17 ”

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Romans 8:28-29

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