Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

James 2:5 (ESV)

"Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?"

It is overcast here in our little town near the Windy City and things are still very quiet in our house. I am sitting here in my modest, comfortable home, warm, dry, fed and drinking my Irish Breakfast Tea. Before things get really busy, I wanted to take some time to ponder today, Thanksgiving. 

There are many in the world this morning who have found themselves without shelter, without anything to fill their stomachs and their babies crying with hunger pangs. Many of these have been recently displaced from their homes, looking for asylum, searching for anyone who will offer them solace from the remarkable evil of their homeland. I'm grateful for what I have (which by US standards is nothing) which is what today is all about however, I can't help but think of those who are much less fortunate. Those who are thankful today anyway, in spite of their poverty, in spite of the evil that has destroyed their homes.

I can't help but think of those who I have met in Zambia, those who live in a little one room shanty house who continually speak about how good our God is. Those who do not know where their next meal will come from but are thankful that God has helped them thus far. I'm thankful to have met these people, I'm thankful that God has given me the opportunity to see with my own eyes the things that break His heart. I'm thankful that He has called me and my family to minister to these people and spread the love that He so freely shares to anyone who will accept Him. 

Time is short and I'm thankful for today. I'm thankful for all of you, my friends, my family and most of all my God who is the provider of all that we have and all that we don't. So today, as you are gathering with family and friends, giving thanks for all that God has blessed you with, please remember those who aren't going to be feasting today and offer a prayer of hope, a prayer of compassion to those who literally have nothing. 

Happy Thanksgiving all!

An Autumn Death

       

It is truly a grand thing that happens in fall; the beauty that comes from dying, the splendor that is accompanied by surrender. What a glorious thing to die and be beautiful while doing so. God is good to give us a picture of what it looks like to die to self. It is a picture of grandeur and guts. 

This of course is not for the tree to choose, but for us, it is a decision. I have been contemplating this fall, this annual autumn that I find myself in, the very choice to die to self again and again. Given the needed visual, I continue to see God growing me, by “dying” me. He gives us the choice to follow Him “unto death.” This is by no means easy and it is a daily thing we must do. But I, like many of you, desire to become as nothing, I must decrease, so Christ may increase.

I am grateful for another autumn to see what God is killing in me, so that I might resemble more of my Lord. What an awesome sight to see how God can use dying to reveal the beauty of true life. A life not bent on money, things, experiences, connections, accolades, position, power, or prestige, but a life dead to self and alive in Christ. 

We have a reminder every fall to re-evaluate our life, or more appropriately our death. To observe what we missed the year before or what we were unwilling to let fall deliberately to the ground. Grateful for the time of reflection. 

Let us see the glorious beauty in dying. 

Calculating... 3, 2, 1

It is Sunday evening and we just had an amazing day with some friends who are heading to the Mission Field of Spain. They will be working in Santiago at the end of the Camino Trail and are ready to go as soon as their Visas are approved, hopefully within the next few weeks. It was great to see them and to see the anticipation on their faces. We also already had a call scheduled with our Area Director and also great friends who are serving in Jinja, Uganda. We attended orientation with both of these couples a little over two years ago. While our planned departure was much later than both of them due to our family dynamics at the time, we are at a place where we really...really want to be in Zambia and continue the work that God has asked us to do.

So I started thinking about where we are and what it is going to take to get us to Zambia by the end of the year. We have made great strides over the past couple of months in gathering partners for this ministry and would love to see this continue. Based on this, I did some calculating. How many more people do we need per week to join our team? The pictorial graph attached below shows that, once all of those (people) have been spoken for, we will be ready to leave. As you can see, we only need 47 more people to join our team. That's less than 1 person per day between now and the end of November. If you have been thinking about joining us would you consider pulling the trigger today? We would consider it such a blessing to have you as part of our team. As Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians in chapter 4 verse 17,

"Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit." ESV

We would love to have you share in the blessings that will come from this ministry.

To join our team, either click on the picture above or click the link below. Thank you in advance! Together, we can bring Jesus to the community of Chibolya in Chongwe, Zambia.

Continuing to Dance

The hand held out inviting us to dance produces feelings that are exhilarating, intimate and profound. It means I was chosen, picked, desired. It speaks of joining, of trust, of leading and following. For us to be a part of this we have to do one thing though, reach out and take the hand that invites us. It requires us to engage with the one leading, living in the fluidity of the dance. One to lead and one to follow.

A few years ago God asked me to dance in the midst of trials and hardship (I blogged about this I believe!). To join in the beautiful undoing of myself in the arms of Him who gives joy and peace despite circumstances. I have continued to learn how to keep in step with Him and enjoy the dance, enjoy hearing Him sweetly call my name as I take His hand. There is such beauty in the mystery of God as we lay down our lives and dance to the song He chooses for us. I have been overwhelmed by the reality of the unsearchableness of God and of His holy unknowing. Something I am learning to rest in.

I must dance following His lead. Not questioning what song is playing for me. If His wisdom, knowledge and mercy are all unknowable, unfathomable, then what divine knowing of me is completely laid bare before Him. Every turn, every step in this dance called life is known to Him. And what is more, He does not need to reveal any answer to me, only the next step. Taking it in obedience that all honor and glory go to Him. What an awesome God that we serve! That whatever song He asks us to dance to, we know this one thing, that He is dancing with us. Take His hand.

This song was found to me a year or so after God called me to dance...it is like my soul was waiting for this one to be written. Enjoy!

Training at International Teams....Check!

Graduation! Pic credit-Sandy Jo Thompson

There was a joyous and dramatic marking of the box next to "training" on my list of things to do! This has been a long time coming as we have spread out our training over the past couple of years but Ben and I just finished up our final two weeks at International Teams as we prepare to go to the field full-time!

We started our days with worship and moved on to spiritual training, soul care and inner healing work, team building, knowing yourself and personality work, community health, practical stuff like finance, taxes, insurance, and then security, spiritual warfare, spiritual gifts, bible study methods, leadership and MUCH more! Our days were packed, with homework on top of it. Though we were exhausted, it was so great to be with like minded people who are all working through their own doubts and worries as they get ready to go to their specific mission fields. We still have some other work to be done before we go; a couple more books to read and we both have to finish meeting with our mentors and a few more responses to some documents but our onsite training is complete!

We were blessed to spend time with people who have walked through suffering, personal tragedy, hardships and trials but chose to see God's hand in it all. People who have overcome and then surrendered their lives to a God who gives us purpose and a calling. A calling that does not include comfort or luxury, security or glamour but does include adventure and excitement (and some faith)!

What an honor to be included in this mix of people going to the "ends of the earth" to proclaim the Name above every name, Jesus. Working to heal, love, transform and bring change to communities where people are invisible. Where there are women waiting to share their story of abuse and how that led to a life of prostitution. Where men are bound to hopelessness because of the economic conditions  with no resources to move beyond it. Where children are left to fend for themselves because orphans are a drain and a curse to extended family members and the spiritual bondage to the evil one has blinded the eyes of the marginalized. Thus, we join this awesome group of people going out to make a difference.

Onward now we march! Working hard to get fully funded so we can buy plane tickets and go! God has done so much up to this point and we are grateful to be on this journey! To be a part of it all go to partner here!

Home Sweet Home?

I started reading again in 1 Peter today. The first few verses stopped me. Let me share them. 1 Peter 1:1-2 "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, STRANGERS IN THE WORLD, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood." For some reason, I stopped on, "strangers in the world." I needed to think about how much I am a stranger in this world. What does that mean for me? What does that look like? A timely reminder that this world is NOT my home! Where do I find solace, comfort, what am I clinging to? In John 14:23 Jesus says this, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." What a powerful statement! If I am saved, a child of God who has repented of my sins and accepted the free gift of Jesus' perfect sacrifice of blood on the cross, then I am home always and wherever with my Lord and Savior! If there is no place to lay my head, I need not worry, I am still home. What peace, what comfort, what love of my God to make His home inside of me.
Lest we forget and get comfortable in this world, which I have been and will always struggle with, we need only to remind ourselves that Jesus said, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." This in a section of verses about the cost of following Jesus.
Challenged to keep eternity on my mind, and God as my home, the place where He wraps my heart up in His love and where there is no sweeter a place to rest. May I appear to not be from this world...an alien, a foreigner, one on a mission. On mission in Zambia, here, or WHEREVER God may call us in the little time we have left. Oh, Lord, let me not be comfortable in this world, let me be marked as a stranger! Now, I know some of you who know me would say, well yes, you are strange. I will not deny that! Ha! Let's all be a little lost in this world remembering that we have been found!

No Extra Tunic

I am sitting at Starbucks soaking up my first real warm sunshine, pondering what God wants me to share. I hear the birds chirping and the bells on the tower of the Opera House, the classical music in the park and see the familiar faces of people I know passing by my little table. It is these things I am also trying to soak in, the sounds and comforts of Woodstock, Il. My little gazebo in the park, my favorite shops, the sound of the cars on the cobblestone and the Farmers Market. It is a slice of MidWest heaven. I know we are leaving this all behind. The comforts and "some of my favorite things".

After getting rid of almost everything we own over the past few weeks, and moving out of our house, I was taken back to a verse that God had challenged me with years ago when we first considered possibly moving to Zambia full-time. It is in Matthew 10:9-"Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep." It is in the context of Jesus sending out the disciples to evangelize the jewish people. The question is would I be willing to do this if I was one of the disciples standing before Jesus? IF this is what God asked of me? Will you go with nothing? No back up? No safety net? No plan B? Are you willing to see that your work is worth your keep, so to speak? My husband and I had a lot to overcome in regards to becoming long-term missionaries. It was one thing to raise money for trips, projects, and other Zambia needs mostly for other people. It was clearly another to raise money for us to go and live in Zambia full-time. Even though I grew up in a church that was mission minded and heard many missionaries over the years, it was still very hard to make that jump to now we are the ones asking for money so we can live in a Majority World country and reach people who do not know about Jesus. But the answer to that question was, "Yes."

Though we are leaving behind more than just "some of my favorite things", much more than material possessions and creature comforts. I know I am leaving behind family and friends, worship pals, prayer partners and those who are my, "iron that sharpens iron" (you know who you all are!). But God is calling. I entrust not only them to Him but myself and my family. We will go with "no extra tunic." No turning back, no turning back.

Help us get to 100% funded by the end of summer! We need monthly partners now. Be a part of what God is doing in Zambia. Go to www.iteams.us/give

Thank you for all the prayer and support over the years as we have continued to move toward this goal of living alongside those we are ministering to, soaking in their everyday lives, and caring enough to be in relationship with them, in the dust and the dirt. Kinda like Jesus.