How Are You Doing? 7-11-2002
So, how are you doing? This common question is often asked and more often answered, "OK." But the answer is not always an honest, "OK." If the truth were told, the answer would be more often, "fair to middling," or "not so good." I am probably in the "fair to middling" category today. I have been doing a lot of praying and a lot of contemplation about my beloved church body this past week.
I have been thinking back a number of years ago to when it was my privilege to go to Alaska on a mission trip. I went with my wife, Bunny, our daughter, Becky, our friends, Kurt and Kaye Hofmeister, and their son, Kerry. We traveled to Tanacross to conduct a Confirmation VBS for the village. We were to teach the kids during the day and the adults at night. We came prepared, but naïve. We came organized and learned to be flexible. We came with the urgency of today and learned the reality of tomorrow. We came to teach and we were taught.
One night we were having class for some of the adults and a member of the tribe entered the church. He was upset for a number of reasons, one of which was we were teaching his family members the Christian religion. He was angry and he threatened us with bodily harm unless we left the village.
We did leave -- only for the night. We returned the next day and resumed our classes. We were never threatened again. I believe it was a time when we experienced firsthand the power of the Spirit in our lives. It was not of ourselves that we were able to return to the village -- we were strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
I believe that all of us must be ready to give a witness to Jesus Christ as Savior -- at all times and in all places. I also believe in the power of prayer. When we returned home from Alaska, we found out that there were many people who were holding us up in prayer.
I ask for your prayers today. I request your prayers for me as I continue to publish the PMT Update. I ask for prayers for wisdom so that I can continue to provide tips, tools, and techniques to congregations and their members on how to reach out to a hurting world with the words of comfort that only the Gospel brings. I take very seriously the mission of LHM to "Bring Christ to the Nations...and the Nations to the Church" and count it a privilege to work with dedicated servants such as you who strive daily to bring the Nations to the Church.
I pray for you.
I have been thinking back a number of years ago to when it was my privilege to go to Alaska on a mission trip. I went with my wife, Bunny, our daughter, Becky, our friends, Kurt and Kaye Hofmeister, and their son, Kerry. We traveled to Tanacross to conduct a Confirmation VBS for the village. We were to teach the kids during the day and the adults at night. We came prepared, but naïve. We came organized and learned to be flexible. We came with the urgency of today and learned the reality of tomorrow. We came to teach and we were taught.
One night we were having class for some of the adults and a member of the tribe entered the church. He was upset for a number of reasons, one of which was we were teaching his family members the Christian religion. He was angry and he threatened us with bodily harm unless we left the village.
We did leave -- only for the night. We returned the next day and resumed our classes. We were never threatened again. I believe it was a time when we experienced firsthand the power of the Spirit in our lives. It was not of ourselves that we were able to return to the village -- we were strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
I believe that all of us must be ready to give a witness to Jesus Christ as Savior -- at all times and in all places. I also believe in the power of prayer. When we returned home from Alaska, we found out that there were many people who were holding us up in prayer.
I ask for your prayers today. I request your prayers for me as I continue to publish the PMT Update. I ask for prayers for wisdom so that I can continue to provide tips, tools, and techniques to congregations and their members on how to reach out to a hurting world with the words of comfort that only the Gospel brings. I take very seriously the mission of LHM to "Bring Christ to the Nations...and the Nations to the Church" and count it a privilege to work with dedicated servants such as you who strive daily to bring the Nations to the Church.
I pray for you.
Can It Get Any Better Than This? 7-18-2002
Tuesday evening Bunny and I sat out in the backyard and enjoyed the beauty of God’s creation. The birds were plentiful – finches, robins, sparrows, and lots of big black ones – the rabbits left the plants alone and fed at their feeder and the squirrels actually ran up the tree to eat the squirrel corn. There was a slight breeze, the temperature was moderate and we relaxed in the new swing. Bunny looked at me and asked, “Can it get any better than this?”
Now you would think that a sensitive guy like me would realize that she really didn’t want an answer, she was just making a statement about how content she was feeling. Yet, I felt compelled to answer, “Yes – the waterfall could be built, the weeds wouldn’t grow and the grass wouldn’t need water.” Talk about a mood breaker!
I guess it all depends on one’s perspective. We can look at our surroundings and be content or we can look at our surroundings and be upset. (My doctor would say it is better to be content in all circumstances.) She was seeing the surroundings and rejoicing in the peace and beauty. I was looking at the same things and concentrating on the negative. I overlooked the big picture.
“Can it get any better than this?” No, not really. No matter what the situation, we can always rejoice, always celebrate. If we sit on a swing in the night air, or in a hospital room with our loved one – we are content, for our loved one loves us and so does God. God loves us and is always with us. At times it seems as if we are all alone. At times the troubles, doubts and worries strangle us. We feel overcome, trapped, helpless. We are often tempted to think we are the only ones on this earth that knows trouble, pain, or suffering. It is then that I feel great comfort in the fact that Christ knows my trouble, my pain, my suffering. He is there for me – always.
“Can it get any better than this?” Yes, only in heaven.
Now you would think that a sensitive guy like me would realize that she really didn’t want an answer, she was just making a statement about how content she was feeling. Yet, I felt compelled to answer, “Yes – the waterfall could be built, the weeds wouldn’t grow and the grass wouldn’t need water.” Talk about a mood breaker!
I guess it all depends on one’s perspective. We can look at our surroundings and be content or we can look at our surroundings and be upset. (My doctor would say it is better to be content in all circumstances.) She was seeing the surroundings and rejoicing in the peace and beauty. I was looking at the same things and concentrating on the negative. I overlooked the big picture.
“Can it get any better than this?” No, not really. No matter what the situation, we can always rejoice, always celebrate. If we sit on a swing in the night air, or in a hospital room with our loved one – we are content, for our loved one loves us and so does God. God loves us and is always with us. At times it seems as if we are all alone. At times the troubles, doubts and worries strangle us. We feel overcome, trapped, helpless. We are often tempted to think we are the only ones on this earth that knows trouble, pain, or suffering. It is then that I feel great comfort in the fact that Christ knows my trouble, my pain, my suffering. He is there for me – always.
“Can it get any better than this?” Yes, only in heaven.