Dana's Christian Journey

I gave a great talk one summer morning to a group of campers as young as five and as old as twelve. My speech was centered on the quote: “Procrastination killed the cat” and I was quite surprised that no one knew this saying. The kids listened well as I shared the need to do things immediately without postponing intentions for a later time. Afterward, a counselor about my age named Shannon came to me and said, “Dana, I thought it was ‘curiosity’ that killed the cat.”

While no cat may have ever died from procrastination, we all know it kills. One of our important words in Ecuador last week was ‘ahora’ which means ‘now.’ We wanted to live in the moment; we wanted to seize the opportunities we were given each day; and we did not want to be distracted.

“Ahora’ is a word God wants us all to hear. The author of Hebrews repeated a Psalm three times in chapters three and four: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” How many souls will face Jesus at the Judgment with the haunting memory of hearing the Good News but failing to respond to it?

Or how many of us know of times God asked us to surrender an area of our lives to his Lordship? But instead of saying ‘yes’ in the ‘now,’ we postponed the decision for another day. So often that ‘tomorrow’ never comes.

I confessed to our team the ‘ahora’ challenge for me is to remember that Jesus is always present. I am in Christ and He is in me… now. As we drove up a high mountain on a narrow road in a large bus, I needed to remember: “Jesus is here… now.” No matter what the challenge or danger or opportunity, when Jesus promises: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” he means ‘ahora.’

“As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” II Corinthians 6:1-2

The prophet wrote, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news…” (Isaiah 52:7) But what about those in the valleys?

Jesus once took three of his apostles onto a high mountain and miracles took place. Elijah and Moses appeared, Jesus was transfigured, and the Father spoke clearly saying, “This is my Son whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” But then they came down from the mountain. Jesus was not shining any more; Moses and Elijah were no where to be found; and God’s voice seemed silent. There in the valley, life’s problems quickly appeared: a distressed father, a boy being tormented by a demon, and faithless disciples. It seemed more glorious on the mountain. (See Matthew 17:1-21)

In some ways a mission trip is like being on the mountain top. Here in Ecuador, we have met precious brothers and sisters in Christ, we have taught and played with children in poor villages, and we have tried to serve local churches. It has been a great week and we appreciate your prayers. But now we look forward to returning home… back to the valley where we all need grace and power and love and close fellowship with Jesus to live the good news.

Here is a picture taken from high in the Andes of Riobamba where we spent the nights. ‘Rio’ means ‘river’ in Spanish and ‘bamba’ means ‘valley’ in the Quechuan language.

These are Quechuan children we met in one of the mountain villages.

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you can find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.” Matthew 22:8-10

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” Isaiah 52:7

On the cover of their magazine, Joshua Expeditions used a picture of our students sitting on the mountain top at the end of a day’s work outside a village high in the Andes. Our youngest daughter Karlyn is the third from the left, wearing the red sweatshirt. Pastor Manuel is on the far left.

John and I posed last year after a meal with Pastor Manuel and his family. These followers of Jesus are heroes to us and we feel privileged each year to witness their humble service in God’s kingdom. Pastor Manuel is a Paul-like evangelist who spreads the gospel among the indigenous people of Ecuador. I am excited that Susan gets to join us as we visit this beautiful part of the world next week. We would really appreciate your prayers.

Far away, on a different continent, another group of indigenous people suffer greatly in some different mountains. In northern Sudan, a terrible tragedy is occurring that is similar to the Darfur genocide that began in 2003.

Make Way Partners is a ministry that has been devoted to feeding and protecting orphans in the Nuba Mountains as they are constantly raided and attacked by Islamist militants. Please read about Our Father’s Cleft and pray for God’s protection and deliverance.

“Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:5-7

During the last session of this year’s Passion Conference in Atlanta, Louis Giglio invited all who intended to follow God’s call to take the gospel to the nations to stand, so everyone could pray for them. As I watched a scattering of young people rise in the crowd of twenty thousand, my heart felt two nearly opposite emotions. The first feeling was the one of the pride that a Christian parent has when a son or daughter declares a willingness to follow Jesus to the ends of the earth.

The second emotion comes from the unknown dangers and challenges that face those who God calls. Many years ago my dad expressed this natural feeling as my youngest brother prepared to move permanently to Africa. “Why can’t he tell people about Jesus in our country?” I suggested that much of his decision probably resulted from our upbringing. But what parent is not troubled by distance and danger?

I took Kinsey and her husband to the airport Tuesday morning to catch an early flight. Jordan recently learned he will do his residency in Birmingham for the next four years. The University of Alabama at Birmingham was their first choice for ophthalmology school, and Susan and I are so happy for them. Here at the end of his fourth year of med school, Jordan and Kinsey decided to do his last two required rotations in Africa. They will spend one month in Uganda and one month in Ethiopia working with Christian doctors and nurses who are using their medical skills to serve the poor in the name of Christ.

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus taught us to pray this way; then He modeled how to live accordingly. So today, young people say, “Yes Lord, we will go where you send us.” And mothers and fathers say, “Yes Lord, we will trust You to fulfill Your purpose with our children.”

From Matthew 10:
“As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’” (verse 7)

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves.” (verse 16)

“Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.” (verses 32-33)

“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me… And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, he will certainly not lose his reward.” (verses 40 & 42)