What if the nation of Israel is wiped out?

Would the end of the world, the return of Christ be imminent if the nation of Israel as we know it ceased to exist?

Would your faith in Christ be shaken or destroyed if Christ did not return immediately if Israel was destroyed by her enemies?

These are questions I have asked others lately and put them into a panic.  In all honesty I am asking not because I have any definitive answers but because they are so very sure that they do.  You see, as I read and study the scriptures more I see that each of us reads and studies from a very closed cultural context, and a very self-centered one at that.  Just a few days ago I heard several Christians state that if America were destroyed, it would of course mean that the end of the world was here.  Since I have had the privilege of international travel, and have a wonderful believing son-in-law from another country, I see things quite a bit differently.  The end of America as a democracy or country might coincide with Christ's return.  But how very self-centered (and incorrect!) we are to think that Christ's eternal Kingdom is dependent on America!  But what about Israel - "God's chosen nation"?  Isn't its very existence a fulfillment of prophecy of end times?

Firstly, we must remember that the nation of Israel as it exists is not the Israel of the Old Testament.  Are the descendants of Abraham special to God?  Certainly.  But who are the descendants of Abraham?  Romans 4 tells us "This is why the promise is by faith, so that it may be according to grace, to guarantee it to all the descendants - not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of Abraham's faith.  He is the father of us all in God's sight.  As it is written: I have made you the father of many nations.  He believed in God, who gives life to the dead and calls things into existence that do not exist.  He believed, hoping against hope, so that he became the father of many nations according to what had been spoken: So will your descendants be."

Who is Israel?  WE are Israel.  Romans 4 concludes: "Therefore, it was credited to him for righteousness. Now it was credited to him was not written for Abraham alone, but also for us. It will be credited to us who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification."

Secondly, many are trying to affix a date, a time, of the end.  Yes, we are to look for ripening of the ages with scripture in hand.  But this is so that each generation can be aware of the brevity of life, the need for being ready at any moment to step from this "shadowland" into the reality of eternity.  Too many people are looking to the nation of Israel as a "sign".  Beware of signs, especially those that satisfy our need to label others, to boost our already too-large ego, or to draw us away from growing in Christ as we use our time and energy to satisfy our curiosity.  “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows—neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son —except the Father only."  Matthew 24:36

Much of my life I have looked at things (and often still do) from a temporal, "this-is-my-little-world" view rather than the universal and eternal view that the Lord has.  Certainly my finite mind and soul cannot begin to comprehend the complexity and longevity that the Lord could show me, but at least over the years He has allowed me to see how very tiny and extremely self-centered my view usually is.  And for some reason He has allowed me to see that others are caught in the web of deceit concerning the nation of Israel.

** Please don't misunderstand - I stand strongly with Israel and will do whatever I can to support not only her existence but her strength.   Most of all her people are in my prayers as I long to see her multitudes see the hope of the true Messiah and not to place their hope of peace in a worldly nation.  But just as I do not think Christ is dependent on America's existence to carry out the plan for His eternal Kingdom, I do not think He is dependent on the existence of the state of Israel, the nation of Great Britain, the house churches in China or the Islamic state of Iran to carry out His will.  Will He use each of these nations and the individuals in them for His purposes?  Of course.  But He is Sovereign and Eternal and Omnipotent and the nations are in His hands.

"For the kingdom is the Lord’s,
And He rules over the nations."
Psalm 22:28

"How are you doing?"

"How are you doing?"
How many times I have asked this question of friends and acquaintances going through griefs, hardships and numerous trials and temptations. But do I mean it when I ask it?

It struck me this week when several different friends asked me this question. No, I am not going through a major loss or illness or even a fierce trial. They are asking because they, too, are mothers and their motherly hearts are torn in empathy when they hear us speak of our single daughter going halfway around the world for at least a year, to a city where she (and we) know not a single person, where she does not speak the language or understand the nuances of the culture, in a region where there is a lot of racial and economic tension. So these mothers ask me THE question. Funny thing, I can tell that some of them are asking out of courtesy, some out of curiosity and some out of deep compassion. Their motives are not "good" or "bad" but different mainly because they have different levels of emotional ties with my daughter and/or me. The one who asks almost flippantly is not any less caring than the one who asks the exact same question with tears in her eyes and a break in her voice. Every single person who has taken the time to ask has given me a special gift, simply because in this, the busiest of Holiday times, they took the time to ask.

The most amazing part of all of this journey to date, though, has been that there is One who does not need to ask. He knows the innermost thoughts and emotions of Derwin and me both. He knows the motives and heart of our daughter, her struggles to give up closely held dreams to take this step forward, and her triumphs in seeing His Hand in opening and closing the doors before her if she will only stay focused on Him. Yes, I ponder on the many "what-ifs" from minor (loss of luggage or passport, getting on the wrong train, saying something rude), to the maximum disaster level (war, famine, violence, etc.) but it is amazing how God DOES provide peace when we seek it. Tomorrow we might find out that something has glitched the paperwork, or world events may change all our plans, or..... or.... or....

So to answer THE question, I am not doing very well and cannot begin to imagine how we will miss her. BUT the Spirit of Christ floods my motherly emotions and desires and replaces fear with peace.

Years ago I sat with a sweet young daughter beside me on the worn couch as she studied for Bible Drill. Together we learned 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." How can I do anything but rejoice when that same daughter, now a beautiful young woman, chooses to follow the Spirit who makes that promise to her, to me and to all of us who believe?

Books (of course!)

Well, it has been some time since I posted about my third favorite topic - books. (Want to know the first and second favorites? Try to guess!). The summer generally means more reading for most folks, but since we spend so much time on the farm, in the yard, outside, etc. it actually means less reading for me, at least. Emma Kate did get quite a bit of reading, carrying a book with her when we went to the dentist, grocery, or pool. Every spare minute was a minute for her to read (wonder where she got that desire from ??!!). If you are interested, her books included The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, Perelandra, Out of the Silent Planet, Adventures of Northwoods (series), Viking Quest series (books 1-3),

Ethan has not jumped into individual reading very enthusiastically yet. He spent lots of hours reading/browsing nonfiction books, mostly about Motorcycles and Dirt Bikes, Star Wars, Legos and the history of guns and airplanes, but hopefully by next summer he will be into reading more on his own. He did read some Three Cousin Detective books, Frog and Toad series (for the umpteenth time), and some Matt Christopher fiction (that had motorcycles or dirt bikes in the action!).

For the beginning of school, Emma is reading Eagle of the Ninth, Ethan has read Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and this week we have read Beowulf together (abridged version of course!). Next week we will be reading Augustine Came to Kent together aloud at lunch, and Emma will begin Otto of the Silver Hand.

But the most exciting news for me personally is that I am reading several wonderful books. I have another copy of Bertha Smith's Our Lost World (from Amazon for 99c and it was signed by her - very precious to me!) which I am rereading along with the book Back to Jerusalem by Paul Hattaway. I will definitely be writing a blog soon about how these two books, written 30 years apart, show that God's plan and timing are so perfect and so beyond our limited understanding, and yet He allows us to glimpse His compassion and love for each and every person in every nation if we will just open our heart to His. For devotional thought I am reading Ruth Bell Graham's book about Prodigals. Very heartening! We are still reading together through the Bible using the McCheyne Reading Plan

May the Lord bless the words we read to open our minds to His amazing glory and wisdom!

Mfangano February 2011 (short)

For those who have known me a while, you know that Kenya holds a very special place in my heart. When I was living for the success of this world, I had a job where I met and trained several Kenyans, who taught me a little of their rich history and showed me the wonderful hearts that they had for their country and its people (and hooked me on Kenyan coffee :) !). After I turned my life over to the LORD, I was very sorrowful that I had missed a great opportunity to share Christ with these precious souls since I was living so selfishly at the time. What a joy and privilege it has been over the years to know that God has "restored the years of the locusts" by allowing me to be a prayer partner and donor for several trips others have taken to Kenya. Recently some people from a church where we used to live returned to Kenya and began the journey to establish a "New Life Camp - Kenya", another amazing step in God's work there. Praise the Lord for those willing to go and serve, for those ready to hear of the hope and love of His Word, and for the joy of being able to be a "team member" by praying for God's people. Thank you, Lord, for technology that helps us to see and hear of your work! Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to see how You can turn what we meant for selfish desire into your Kingdom work. God is so good!

What good is short-term missions?

Recently I had a great conversation with someone who has never been on an international missions trip and has only participated in one local mission trip during her wonderfully extensive life. She was being very open and honest when she asked me why she should consider supporting church members who went on short-term missions - was it really worthwhile? I really appreciate her deep consideration and her honesty. We need more of it in the church! We should never - I repeat never - assume that any church body, any church leadership, any church tradition is automatically Biblical because it is under the "roof" of the church. That assumption has led to so very many cultural mistakes, completely false teachings, and unnecessary divergence from God's absolute truth.
So yes, I DO appreciate her honesty and her questioning. In fact, at one point earlier in my life I had wondered the same thing but did not verbalize it! Why should we spend time, money and energy on short-term missions? Why not simply focus on evangelizing our neighborhoods and supporting missionaries in other cities and countries?
When Jesus wanted to teach people he used parables. There is nothing more permanently thought-provoking than a good parable. Why? With it we change lenses in our worldview glasses, swap out our prejudices for new ideas, and end up right back at home re-evaluating ourselves and our actions in a different way. Short-term missions is, in a way, a "reality parable". Yes, hopefully we will encourage career missionaries. Yes, we have the opportunity to reach people simply with the curiosity factor invoked who might not otherwise come to hear the one and only true life-changing Good News story. But more importantly, I think, is the fact that the trip is a parable that we bring back home with us. A new way of looking at familiar surroundings that might, and often does, bring us to the realization that we need only to open our eyes as far as the mirror before we see someone who needs a Savior. And then we can see our families, our next door neighbors, our coworkers and fellow church members as mission fields, too - fellow sinners in need of Christ. We often set out to be used by God for others in a new place and find out that He has used His own love to change our hearts. Then finally, maybe, we will see that the whole idea of missions is not about us, or missionaries, or even the lost of other places, but about Christ. And if we can see HIM at the center, it will not matter where we are, where we go or what we do. Anything and everything with Christ alone at the center is always worthwhile.

Ashamed, just ashamed!!!

I am really ashamed to have gone so long and not posted here. Between keeping up with "regular" stuff, posting on facebook on both my wall and the one for our trip to Asia, I have neglected blogging. OK, enough excuses!! Since a picture's worth a thousand words, here's my updates (mostly) pictorially:

October -

This is Joanna and me with four new sweet Chinese friends, as we entered Long Sha Park, a beautiful park across the road from the University. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful the trip was, how we saw God move in amazing ways and how our lives are changed forever because of this trip. Praise - while we were there Joanna realized she had never surrendered her life to the LORD fully and made that decision to trust Him for her salvation and her future! Thanks to all who helped make it possible!!

Also in October (after we returned) we continued our Friday afternoon "Fun Days" with our homeschool friends and one afternoon had a cookout afterward, followed by a small fire with roasted marshmallows. Fall Fun!

NOVEMBER:
Emma and Ethan worked on several art and history projects, and we did our annual "Thankful tree" from construction paper leaves where each day they write at least one thing for which they are thankful and then on Thanksgiving Day the leaves "fall down" (aka get taken off the door :)!) and are used to decorate each plate at Gran's for the big turkey meal!

DECEMBER:
We have had a busy month (like everyone else) but lots of fun! This past weekend we took most of the older children from our "Friday" homeschool group to visit the Nursing Home to hand out cards, after playing in the afternoon and then eating homemade pizza. Saturday we watched Katy dance in competition at NCSU (pics to folow from Russ) and then went to see the lights at Lake Myra . Yesterday we celebrated Joanna's BDay with family, and now you are up to date ! I'll try to do better keeping up with blogging...maybe it'll be one of my New Year's "Revolutions" !

Go Away and Tell - Lesson 2

Just a matter of a few days left, lots of laundry being folded at my house; pantry, fridge and freezer stocked with individual homemade meals that can be easily heated up; carry-on and backpack partially packed; visa, passport and etickets printed and ready; weighing my check-in bag as I go due to the number of books I'm taking; calendar is coded with exact directions to each child's destination; lots done and lots more to do, especially to leave the house in order. Today I noticed a few windows that needed washing, too, but wonder if time will allow that! All these preparations are for my family and I, but what am I doing to get my soul in order to serve those I will meet? What am I doing to clean and organize my heart, what preparations am I making to share the gospel through a cultural and language barrier? Which is the most important preparation? Yep, you know it as well as I do. And to prepare my heart, to be a cleansed vessel fully filled with the Holy Spirit, I have to stop all this "doing" and "Be still" and know the Lord God personally, as my best friend, my redeemer, my creator, my comforter, my strength, my wisdom, my everything. And to listen, really, really listen, to Him I have to clean out my own barriers, the "dirty windows" of my soul. It's not a cultural or language barrier but the sin barrier that I keep muddying back up onto my heart. Miss Bertha Smith used to ask "Have you got all your sins confessed up to date?" I can still hear those words in her powerful Southern accent, straight to your heart (at almost 90 she said she didn't have enough time left to tiptoe around things and nothing was as important as having your sins confessed and laid on the cross). She was right and I know it. She had a tremendous impact not only on the Chinese people she served, taught and loved for over 40 years but on the Americans she came home to teach. And the reason she did? She understood the importance of one thing - laying those sins on the promise of Christ's death so that He could use any of us at any time, anywhere for anything that He willed; dying to our own sinful self so that HE could live through us. May I prepare diligently this week in the one thing that matters. May the windows of my soul be clean, even if I don't have time for those in my house.

Go Away and Tell !

In less than two weeks, Lord willing, my oldest daughter and I will be on the continent of Asia, literally half-way around the world from home. I've traveled to lots of countries back in my "former life" but have never been so far away from my family and honestly it's a bit more disconcerting than I had expected. As much as my heart is aching to make sure every person in every country hears the glorious story of how very much they are loved and the hope that the story brings, it's still hard to travel that far away from loved ones, even only for a few days. There are several details about our travel arrangements that won't be able to be finalized until very close to our arrival time, but somehow that's not bothering me. I truly feel that if we have to take the 22 hour train ride instead of the 12 hour one, there will be a reason that the Lord in His wisdom and Providence knows, and He will give me the stamina to endure it after a 15 hour plane ride immediately preceding the train. If luggage is lost, planes are delayed, food is inedible, that's OK with me, too, knowing that these are the kind of "normal" things that happen in travel and again, the Lord orchestrates even the tiniest details. So you'd think I had it all under control, huh? wrong. It's funny, but what I find myself wondering/fretting over are things like what if I forget to stock a needed food item for my family, what if they forget on which field the baseball game is, or what if they forget how to heat the frozen casseroles I've left them, etc., like they are the ones that will be in a totally foreign country! Stupid, huh?? Especially when you consider that my dear hubby is not only adequate with such things as cooking but actually vastly exceeds my ability! So why do I fret over these things? I think it's because I like fretting over them. Somehow I have equated this with loving them, and I realized tonight that is so wrong! My love for them causes me to want to serve them, but my serving them is not the same as loving them. Maybe this is just lesson number one of more than a thousand lessons I will learn from this experience.
If you can pray, please do.
Pray for my holiness in Christ ( a desperate need if I am to be a usable vessel),
my willingness to be used in each and every situation for HIS glory no matter how tired or physically weak,
for openness to the gospel by those we meet,
for my family to be safe back here,
for me to know how to encourage Americans who live for years away from their loved ones,
for my eyes to be opened to the vast needs around us, and
my words to be HIS and not my own.
Thanks so very much and watch here and on our facebook site for updates as we travel whenever we have access to internet.
Thank you LORD for your great and mighty deeds, your loving mercy and provision, your hope of redemption for each and every precious soul.....

Asia, oh, Asia!!

For those who have known me a long time, you know I have had a heart for the millions, yes, millions, of lost in Asia. When I was 18 I had the privilege of attending a retreat of an amazing woman of God who had spent more than 40 years as a missionary to Asia during times of war, famine, and revival! On my first job, my best friend was from Vietnam and her grandparents had migrated from China to Vietnam to escape WWII only to be caught up in the Vietnam war. Later two of my dear friends spent a year in an orphanage in East Asia and I was able to "go" with them through prayer. Then my oldest daughter began to beg to learn Chinese, and through God's amazing "coincidences" we found a local Chinese language school that just "happened" to be starting classes for Americans at the time she began High School. That was topped off by our cousins leaving the Philippines after 30 years of service there and going into an East Asian country, allowing our daughter to go visit. Also during the past 10 years my hubby and I have prayed for a minority group in Southeast Asia, considered adoption (but were too old), sponsored a couple of people to go, been on two eloops for the minority group pray-ers, and had a couple in our church travel to Vietnam to work in orphanages and medical clinics. It has amazed me how God has allowed us to be part of HIS work there! And now, very unexpectedly, I too plan to go to Asia in October with my oldest daughter and several friends. We will stay on a University campus and work with students on their English skills. It will be a very short trip, but I know it will be both life-changing and rewarding beyond my imagination. God has been so very good to allow us this opportunity. Please pray for us, for the students that we will meet, for our health and travel safety, for Americans who are there teaching English. And take a few minutes to praise the Lord for technology that can be used for good as well as evil, can help us understand the vast need for the truth of the gospel message to be carried around the world and can tie us together in prayer in ways that weren't possible even a few years ago.

Missionary Monday

I'm ashamed that I have not been good at posting my "Missionary Mondays" for a while. And much more than that, I'm ashamed that I haven't prayed for these dear, precious people as much as I should have lately either. So here's a new resolution just in time for New Years (Chinese New Years ;) that is). Won't you join me in praying with Audrey for the lost in Japan? If you think they do not feel a spiritual void, just look at the outpouring of prayers here and know that each one is written by an anxious soul that yearns to know peace and comfort that only the Truth of Jesus Christ as Messiah can give them.

Pray that there will be workers for the harvest, and that hearts of the hearers will be open.

Then move your heart and mind half-way around the world to Africa where Jena has recently (and quite abruptly) been moved to another location. Pray for a smooth transition and that she would make friends and have doors opened to her quickly so that she can make the best use of her time there. And pray that each of us, each moment of each day, will have the eyes and heart of Jesus for the lost souls around us right here at home.
As Audrey recently reminded me through her blog ---
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14

Missionary Monday

Here again "coincidences" (aka "God's Sovereign and Perfect Plan") amaze me. This year somehow I was more acutely aware of my Mom's absence from this life on her birthday, and then two days later a friend mentioned how strongly he missed his Mom on her birthday (which was the day after my Mom's). And while I had a few weeks to deal with the news of my Mom's impending death from cancer, he had to deal with the shock of a violent and unexpected death of both parents. They were killed in 2004 in Iraq while going to help do what they had done many other places - help others in dire need. Pray today for Scott (their son), his wife Leia, their children who will barely remember their martyred grandparents, and all of the Elliott family. Thanks!! Here is a short tribute to them -

Missionary Monday

1 - Praise with Audrey about what is happening in her part of Japan!!
2 - Pray for safety for Jenna who will be traveling home in a few days to see her family and her marine brother who has been stationed overseas.
3 - Envy me because I got a good dose of baby hugs yesterday from the Mestas' "twinettes" (called that to distinguish them from their twin brothers!)
4 - Pray for two families who are moving this week who both have special needs children and will have many challenges as they seek to do God's work in new places.
5 - Pray for 3 Godly men in 3 different companies who are the only Christians and whose coworkers are watching them closely during layoffs and stressful times to see if they 'practice what they preach".
GOD is Good!!

Missionary Monday

This week I would like to ask you to pray for Montana. The picture here shows how we usually think of that wonderful state. But this week can you think and pray about another side of Montana, a side that exists in every town (and across our country)? It's the side where children are born poor, make poorer decisions and are treated poorest by everyone else. The "down and outers" some call them. They have a beaten down expression in their eyes and a worn out look even when they are very young. You know the look. There is a sweet family in one town near Yellowstone who have uprooted their lives to live many miles away from friends and family to help these people. They teach adults to read, help children with homework after school, provide hot meals for the homeless adults and poverty-stricken children, and try to help or find help of all kinds for those in need. Pray for this family's strength, health, wisdom in what and when to teach, growing love for the "down and outers" and opportunities to share the richness of God's forgiveness, grace and mercy with every one of every background as they go about being "His Hands and Feet". God bless you, Paul, Christine and children!

" And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matt. 25:40

Missionary Monday

I haven't been too good at doing a Missionary Monday focus in a while so I want to try to get back to it. Yesterday a family in our church was brought forward for the church to say an official "Good-Bye" to them. After a few weeks in Richmond at a training site, they will leave for the Pacific area where they will be based but will be traveling around Asia quite frequently. Sounds exotic, right? But when you are a family with elementary-aged daughters, there is a lot to consider. Yes, they will have wonderful times trying their hand at elephant rides and meeting people from all cultures and languages. But we will miss them sorely (they were my 9yo's SS teachers last year and their daughters and my youngest daughter have truly enjoyed Awanas together). Think of how much they will miss family and close friends. Conveniences like A/C, automobiles, telephones, etc. Necessities like clean water. It will be a hard adjustment but they are going gladly and cheerfully, eagerly and humbly to serve their King. What a joy to have friends like these!! If you can, pray for the Byrd family for the next few months as they move and adjust to all of their new surroundings.

"The St. Andrews Seven"

Somewhere? in all my browsing of Book catalogs (my favorite hobby!) I ran across a reference to the "St. Andrews Seven" who had a major impact not only on their native Scotland but upon many nations and the Missionary movement of the 1800s. Since my oldest 3 children were enrolled in a school by that famous name and we also attended a church for a short time overseas with the name, it caught my attention. I got the book on inter-library loan and am completely amazed at how much I have gleaned from this "accidental" treasure! Firstly, the main character of the book (and professor to the six students) was a man by the name of Thomas Chalmers (good name, huh, my Chalmers friends?!) and I am itching to find a good biography about him to read as soon as I finish the "Seven" book. He firmly believed that morals produce economic good, not the other way around (I think our current modern society has proven him correct!). He also believed that no one should ever be pushed or forced into religion but that if we truly believed in Christ's atonement, we would live in such a way as to draw others to Christ. Here is one of the quotes from the book that I have copied down already (I am only part way through the book and have copied 5 quotes!): "Our response to Christ's commands should be determined by what we can do in His strength, not by what we might fail to do in ours. "
(Ouch!! I needed that!!)

Missionary Monday

I would love to splash pictures all over this entry and give you lots of details but unfortunately I can't. You will just have to use your imagination and bear with my vague details but please, oh please, do bear with me without images and descriptive hooks to lure you. For my friends need you. They really, really need your prayers right now.

There is one precious group with two young children and another on the way that are facing immense odds of even being able to safely stop out of their doorway right now. Yet they stay in this foreign land. Why? Because they know that if they are abruptly ushered into the next life they will be better off and with their precious Savior forever. And they know that the multitudes around them will have absolutely no chance of joining them unless they stay to tell them of hope and salvation and redemption and forgiveness that only can be found in the Christ of whom that they have never heard. So pray. For their safety and for some miracle to happen to allow them to reach the hurting lost.

There is another couple who have long since passed the age of having their own children but are blessed almost daily with new babies to care for and tend to and to somehow find the means and energy to raise dozens of these orphans. Many of these are abandoned due to the poverty. Many have one or more physical deformities or illnesses. None of them would hear the good news of Christ without the isolated Christian orphanage in this region. Their neighbors did not want to hear the Good News yet they are beginning to open up because for several years now they have seen what Jesus' love can do for unwanted children. Pray for strength, an easing of persecution, and financial provision for this couple. They learned the truth of the gospel through an elderly lady in their village who had heard from a missionary during WWII. "His Word will not return void." May they find strength and love from their Savior and encouragement from fellow believers who although we are far apart in miles are close together in heart and Spirit.

Thank you for praying today.

Missionary Monday

A couple from our church (and also homeschool group) left last Wednesday on a sweet mission to Vietnam. The husband works for Touch the World Ministries and they are in Vietnam to try to begin a process to get a medical ship built and ready to go to the poor, the orphans and the needy in a country that so desperately needs not only medical attention but spiritual attention. Many true believers there are persecuted for preaching the light of the gospel in a land filled with the darkness of falsehoods. Please pray for my friends that they will be physically protected, spiritually guided and used in a mighty way by our mighty Savior to reach those whom He loves and desires to see accept His Word and His Salvation.

Missionary Monday

Kenya - I'm sure you've heard and seen on the news recently about the violence there. You may not understand about the tribal ties or history of a hard-won democracy or why one president would stay in office decade after decade but I do know something that each of us clearly understands. People are dying needlessly. Children are being separated from their parents, sent to refugee camps, and sometimes orphaned from this violence. Children and older adults and women with nursing babies are having their lives changed drastically for the worse. Mothers are losing sons, men are losing brothers and best friends and no one sees any end to this chaos. But there are glimpses of hope in strange places. Children in a church in the midst of one of the many slums in Nairobi getting on their knees and praying for peace. Not because someone told them to, or even asked them. They just came out of a sensitive heart, out of hope that the Giver of Hope has promised to always listen. And out of the idea that even senseless violence has some purpose and can be used to bring others to the One who loves them most.

Why does my heart ache so for Kenya? I wish it was because my heart was that sensitive. But in times past I have watched scenes like these from other countries and not been touched. This time it hit home. I know Kenyans living in Nairobi. I know American missionaries living there. I have faces to go with the violence, names to go with the despair, pictures of happier times to sit and ponder over. I have heart-strings attached to this place. Over 20 years ago I met and trained Kenyans to return home and do their jobs. Several years later when I turned my life over to Christ I ached at the knowledge that He had brought so many people from so many places across my path and never once had I shared the Gospel. Never once had I even thought about training them for what would matter in eternity. But the Lord is His Incomprehensible Mercy allowed my own child to go into the countryside in Kenya and preach and teach and baptize. Amazing. It still leaves me in awe of the Savior's love for me in my failures and shortcomings. Although it was over ten years ago and only a short-term trip, my mind has etched forever the vision from a picture taken of my son baptizing an old man in a muddy river in the same country that had brought such longing to my heart. And it reminds me that my heart should be attached to every place. I should be like those children in the slum. Racing excitedly to the throne of God, expecting miracles, pleading for grace and wisdom and safety for every child in every dangerous place. And then I can understand how very inadequate anything done by man is and how very much we should be turning to the only One who can stop us from harm. Pray today for Kenya. For peace to be returned if it is the Lord's will. For many to be brought to the truth of Christ in the midst of the turmoil. For the hearts of all of us to be sensitive to the many needs of the world around us, close by and far away.

Missionary Monday

Want a blessing and a challenge to be persistent in your witness to others? Watch this ! (Thanks Brian!)

Want to know about how to help orphans in Ethiopia? Watch my friend Eileen's slide show HERE and if you want to contribute to this orphanage, do so through Gladney and earmark the funds "Kolfe Orphanage".

Missionary Monday

What an unbelievable Creator we have! Sunday we got into a discussion from Genesis and our Ss teacher made a small comment about being made in God's image. How in context it is clear that our desire, no, our driving passion to create comes from the fact that we are made in God's image. THE Creator's image. So I've been thinking on that, how many people want to create a "perfect environment", some want to create a beautiful home, some want to create the biggest, best business or the most unique something. We all crave it. Creation of our own minds, our own hands. Yep, it made so much sense. Then the next step is to think about what will I spend my time and energy creating? And there are only two things that any human can create that will live into eternity. One, conceive and give birth to a child who has an eternal soul - what a wonderful, indescribable way to create, and then to nurture that creation to the best of your ability. Two, be used by the Lord to bring someone into the knowledge of Christ so that they will spend eternity with their Savior. That's it. Now, there's lots of good, even great, things you and I can or might create. But those are the only two things that will stand the test of eternity. Kinda puts it all into perspective for me.
And here's some great eternal creation going on - Audrey in Japan shares her praises of how new believers are being born in a country that some people said is "hopeless". Eileen and Jerry are holding and touching and loving the children God has seen fit to place in their family. Brian and Mandy are trying to help two believers who were literally "kicked out of the house" for reading their Bibles. All for eternity. No worry seems very big now. Tomorrow I will begin to ask as I go about each chore "What am I creating?"