Straight from the Heart

Trip to Ecuador

 

Well I'm just a few short weeks away from heading out once again on a 10 day trip with our home church in Sackville. Last year we traveled to Odessa, Ukraine and this year we will travel to Guayaquil, Ecuador.  I've never been to Ecuador so I'm excited to see a different part of the world but also excited by the team that has been assembled to go.  I have the awesome opportunity to co-lead this trip with our senior Pastor and I'm excited to be traveling with some of my favorite people to serve with including my "most" favorite my son Andrew.  I'm excited to see the opportunities that God presents us as a team and excited to anticipate the people that we will impact however also the people that will impact us.  I have a great opportunity to deliver one or two seminars while I'm there which I have never done with a translator before so it will be great experience for me.  We are partnering with a local church in the Guayaquil area. It is so important to work through indigenous churches when working in foreign places.  We are spending a couple of days at a children's camp and will be working alongside the local church.  As we prepare for our final week please pray for us as we are in our final weeks of preparation.  Pray for health for the team.  I for one have been sick since Sunday and today woke up with completely no voice. Mike isn't complaining.  Talk about "being still".  Over the next few weeks I will be blogging about Ecuador and of course blogging the whole time I'm there so stay tuned!

"...you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

West Bengal Update

Peace has been declared in West Bengal and the children and Kristen are safe and sound.  Thank you so much for your prayers - Praise God for a peaceful outcome in what was a pretty tense situation.

Important update on West Bengal

My sister emailed me this morning with an update on Kristin in West Bengal.  This email is from Kristin's Mom Joy:

Hi Everyone....

Just a quick update on Kristin.  Nicholas was in the town next to them (about 25 minutes away where they expect the fighting to start) and there is a strong military presence throughout it.  The town has been closed and the women and children evacuated.  They open the market for an hour each day.  He was told that they expect it to start on Saturday now (this would be Friday night for us as they are 8 and 1/2 hours ahead of us).  Please continue to pray for all involved and that the military presence will thwart the plans for trouble.  Even if they can't, we know that God can.  Thank you everyone for your prayers, it's very comforting and reassuring to know Kristin and everyone else there are well covered in prayer.
Thanks again and I'll keep you informed.

Joy

As I get more information I will forward it on to you however please continue to pray for this situation and as we know that when man deems anything impossible that is when our God does the best work to show that He is in control!

Urgent Prayer Request for West Bengal

I received an email about a young girl that I know who is ministering in West Bengal. I am copying an email that I received from Kristen's sister below which will explain the situation. 

"I just wanted you to be praying for this place, West Bengal. Since I have come here there have been battles arising between the tribal and terrorist people groups. The Tribal people have declared an Ethnic war which will will begin here on May in this village and the neighboring places. The children around a little farther away have already been removed where the war will begin. There is already been very much battling going on here in the townships and many are dying between the tribal people around west Bengal. This war will include the Bengalis the Boros, the Nepalis, two other tribes and the Muslims. Many Muslims have arrived for the battle this Friday, and they have many many people to battle with great power and weaponry. This war is expected to be very bad and many will die they say. So I ask for prayer for protection for us all, we have no place to take all of the children here with having over 100 and so we just need to trust the Lord will protect us from ALL harm a midst this fighting. Our God is mighty Amen!

"A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you."

We have our God who is mighty to save His people so especially remember to pray this week if you can just that the power will be weakened and the war will fall and we will trust our God!

Please pray for Kristin, for the children, for the people groups who are involved in this and for the people who live in this part of India.  Pray for protection, pray that "none will come near them".  I will update you as I know more.

Bent Hope

I went to the Nova Scotia Prayer Breakfast this morning.  This was the 29th year of Christians and business coming together to pray for our city and businesses and leaders.  The main speaker was Tim Huff.  Tim is an advocate for social justice.  He wrote a book called Bent Hope.  He works full time among the poor and marginalized youth and pioneered the Youth Unlimited Light Patrol street outreach in Toronto.  He said some things today that really resonated with me and I'll try to share them with you:

• The three biggest issues on the street are trust, hope and dignity.
• What is the difference between houselessness and homelessness.  People can be homeless way before they are houseless!
• Websters definition of justice is: Moral uprightness of the soul enlivened by grace. Sweet.
• In order to make a difference you need to have a HEART for it.  Amen it's all about HEART.
• Nine out of ten street kids feel that they are safer on the streets than at home.
• We need to have a plan of compassion in our lives. Not just compassion because we know someones story but a RADICAL compassion which means that you act even though you don't know their particular story.
• Working with marginalized children is difficult because it takes much work to build relationships when their trust has been so severely broken. Why would street kids go with other adults if adults they trusted abused them?
• He told the story of a suitcase that he walked by on the street.  It was open and in it were some things but lying beside it were a pair of pink flannel pj's with teddy bears on them. The girl who left home thought she was going somewhere where she would be safe enough to wear those pj's yet there they were left behind as she found out that what she hoped for and dreamed for wasn't going to be.  A suitcase emptied of it's contents like the life that was emptied of it's dreams.
• Finally celebrating small victories.  The marginalized have so far to go that if you don't celebrate the small victories then you will fail every day.  This needs to be applied to everyone not just the marginalized because he is absolutely correct...you will fail every day without small victories!

I am becoming more aware of the Bent hope that surrounds us here in our own city as well as other parts of the world.  One life at a time, one heart at a time.

'...I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Matthew 25:40

Step... Step... Stepping

Today I was thinking about growth.  How do we grow? Certainly not by staying where we are. If you want to change it won't happen by remaining stationary. Many folks that I talk to say that they are too scared to get out of their comfort zones that they don't want any radical change.  I have a tip for my readers - how do you make radical change?  You make radical change in minute steps.  I read once that earthquakes and hurricanes get all of the publicity but termites do more damage than both of them put together.  The termite takes bites that are so small that you can't see it with the naked eye.  Minute steps day after day...next right steps day after day gets incredible results. What do you think a little reading everyday would do?  What about a little kindness? How about a little thoughtfulness? I think that we tend to look at what or where we want to be and like this picture the road seems so long and we can't see what is over the horizon. However, if we simply take that first step, one foot in front of the other it is amazing how before long the horizon is in plain view.  Growth is about small steps, right steps, and before you know it you have accomplished that which you never thought you could.

"A simple man believes anything,
       but a prudent man gives thought to his step."

Proverbs 14:15

A Conversation with God

I was sitting and reading my bible when I had a "moment"- a God moment. I intended to write about it then bumped onto Brian Johnson's Clean Straight Lines blog and he apparently had a similar moment yesterday. Brian is part of our Granger coaching group and he captured it beautifully.  Here is how Brian's conversation went yesterday and mine too!

This was my conversation with God this morning (I know that sounds crazy to some of you, and some don’t think that God speaks, but this is the conversation that happened nonetheless).

God: Hey

b/: I know, I’ve got to focus more, I want to grow deeper.

God: The reason you’re not growing is because you don’t want to.

b/: What? I can’t believe You would say that. But I am growing, I feel it. I’m reading a book a week at least and I’m being shaped in great ways.

God: Sure you’re being shaped, but that doesn’t mean we are growing closer together or that you know any more about me than you did. Sure you’re growing a little, but you’re not growing in leaps and bounds and deeper like I want you to.

b/: What? I still can’t believe you are telling me I don’t want it. I do want it. I get up early, I read and spend time with you.

God: You are paying lip service to “wanting it.” You really think that is in depth time. You rush through a little bit of scripture and are more worried about getting a blog post written. If you really wanted to grow, you would spend time with me. I don’t care when you do it. But you’re not spending time with me. If you really want this, then you’ll grow, because you will be intentional about us. But until you really want it, you’re gonna stay right where you are.

b/: Dang it. I know.

For real, that just happened.

Changing Seasons

 

March 31st, 2009 looking out our front door - Springtime in Nova Scotia!

March 31st, 2009 Looking out our back door at the Lake...the robins should arrive any day now...NOT!

I am waiting for the change in the season.  With the fresh snowfall today I am ready for winter to end and spring to begin.  I am feeling the same in my walk with God.  I have just come through a winter season and I am ready for the spring. God is doing a work in me.  One of the things that I have started to become aware of is that He wants me to die to self.  He has asked that I die to self.

"Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that." Galatians 2:20 (Message) 

In order to allow God to work through me I have to give Him my life.  I have had to release so much to Him these past months.... My sons were the first to go.  They are of an age that I no longer control what they do and I must trust and I must believe that God is doing His own work through them.  I have to trust their very lives in the hand of the One that I trust my own life to.  I have had to release my finances. Not the least bit easy. I am working on releasing my ministries, my marriage just to name a few. As Christians we say these words - "I release them" and we say things as Christians that roll so slickly off of our tongues but do we actually believe them? How often have you said I trust God and have faith but do you trust God with certainty.  We had a speaker at StoneRidge this weekend that challenged do we have faith "with certainty" and it made me think and think hard about doubts I didn't even know I had. What does it mean to die to self.  I know that is what God is saying to me...now what does it mean?  How do we daily in our everyday lives with our children, with our housework, with our spouses, with our co-workers with our friends, with all those that cross our paths...do we truly walk dead to self and open to the Spirits leading? Dead isn't not caring or being apathetic I think it is the actual opposite of this. We have small victories but victories none the less and do we even recognize it.  I am at a point in my life that I must trust God. As surely as winter turns to spring so is God working in me right now. I've been wondering or asking God lately ..."ok are you sure that I am the vessel you want to use"?  This cracked and broken vessel that leaks... How incredible that God uses us as broken vessels.  One of my three words this year was Victory.  Victory comes sometimes through very serious battles.  I am going to see Victory over many things this year but not as easily as it rolled off of my tongue.  Had I known what Victory would entail I might not have put the word down. I prayed last year "Do something huge through me God".  Now as He pulls me through the refiners fire I am aware of what a daily walk something huge requires of me and I am a broken vessel that must rely on God. How does God want to use you this year?  How is God changing you?  I'd love to hear what is on your hearts concerning this dying to self? 

One Day At A Time

I've been going every which way and in one hundred different directions these days. You can probably tell by how sporadic my posts have been. My Mom is still very ill and everyone in our family is just going through the motions.  When my father died he had a massive heart attack and was here one second and gone the next.  With Mom it has been years of a slow deterioration and daily watching her condition get increasingly worse. She is in her end times and it has been terrible to watch. What I find interesting is that she won't give up.  I have heard stories of determination and my mother is an example of what attitude and pure determination can result in. Never wavering, never giving up and never conceding or giving in. Raw determination is an incredible thing.  I have read story after story of children and adults who have defied the odds and survived under horrendous circumstances all because they have a determination to live and a determination to survive.  It is a force. In our everyday lives we don't often face events of this nature however we need to remember that all over the world and in our own backyards there are people suffering and suffering mostly in silence.  Today please pray for the silent ones.  God knows who they are.  Pray that in their suffering or in their adversity that they would find God, trust God and have a peace if only for an hour given only as our Heavenly Father can give. As far as Mom goes please pray for the pain she is experiencing in her legs. It is causing her to not be able to sleep and to just be miserable at times with the aching.  That is my biggest prayer for her right now.  God has blessed me with a great support network and for that I am very very grateful. Until next time.

Little by Little I Understand More

  The day which we fear as our last is but the birthday of eternity. ~Seneca

You probably noticed that my posts have been sporadic. My mother became sick the end of November and she has been battling for her life ever since.  It hasn't left me with much writing time unfortunately. My Mom is 86 and is a great Mom.  She is now in palliative care in the final stages of congestive heart failure.  My Dad died suddenly, unexpected, shockingly one Monday morning in May of a massive heart attack.  I was in shock for months and grieved, I still grieve.  However, I also celebrate a life that was lived well. What has shocked me is how different this experience with Mom has been.  I have cried so many tears that really I'm not sure my heart can stand much more.  Why?  Why is this hitting me so much harder than my father?  I loved them both the same.  I didn't want to lose either one.  Why so different then? I think I have figured it out.  When my mother is gone I will no longer have a mother and a father on this earth.  The part of my make up that is called daughter will forever alter. A part of what makes me a woman - that I am someone's daughter- will cease to exist as I've known it.  I didn't realize how much this will impact me.  Now before you comment and tell me I have a heavenly Father..oh how I am blessed to know this.  I know that out of this I will have no choice but to deepen that relationship with God and truly become His daughter and act with Him as I acted with my earthly parents yet I still grieve.  Today I thought of those dear children in the world who are males and females, boys and girls but can not call themselves sons or daughters.  They are grieving for what they have never had or felt and I am grieving for what I am about to lose.