Complacency

We've all experienced it. We all become quite comfortable with it. Things are going okay. Life is "working." We're "getting by." But is there danger in becoming too comfortable? With being so okay with where we are and what we know that we cease to strive for something greater? What if we're hanging onto what is good - or even what isn't so good but it's what we know - because of the fear of what we will have to endure in order to reach what's better?

I've been reading "A Passion for the Impossible," a fantastic biography on Lilias Trotter, a single missionary to Algeria in the late 1800s/early 1900s. The following is an excerpt from her journal:

The martens have been reading me a faith lesson... one slept in my room last night and another darted in at the open window before I was up, swept round and out again.

Their faith lesson is this - that their wings need the sense of "an empty void" below to give them a start - their leg muscles have no spring in them and when they perch by accident on a level place they are stuck fast - poor things we did not know that natural history fact in the past and when we have found them on our flat Alger roof with its parapet protection, we have thought they had got hurt somehow, and more than once we have tried to feed them till they died, instead of doing the one thing that they needed - tossing them off into emptiness.

So we need not wonder if we are not allowed to stay longer in level sheltered places - our faith wings are like the martens and mostly need the gulf of some emergency to give them their start on a new flight. We will not fear when we feel empty air under them.

Because God knows we are fearful and weak, He sometimes provides whatever is necessary to take us out of our comfortable complacency, put us on our knees, in His arms, and fully dependent on Him. Only then is He able to accomplish through us that which we could never do on our own.

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." - (Ephesians 2:10)

It may be frightening to step out of that comfort zone now, to adjust our lives to grow closer to God or to make an all out "leap of faith," but just as the marten has a confident hope in the ability to take flight after a leap into an unknown void, "we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Sprit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5)

Mary, Did You Know?

I don't know about you, but one of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know?" If you're not familiar with it, here is the first verse:

"Mary did you know, that your baby boy, will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know, that your baby boy, will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know, that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you delivered, will soon deliver you."

The song goes on to tell of more of the amazing things that Jesus did, ending with the line, "this sleeping child you're holding, is the great, I AM."

What the song does not ask, is "Mary, did you know, your baby boy would have to suffer death on a cross in order to save the sons and daughters?" It doesn't tell of the pain and persecution he endured - it doesn't ask if she knew of the lashings He would receive or the nails in His hands. How would she have acted if she had known? Would she have begged Him to reconsider following God's plan for His life so she wouldn't have to lose her baby boy for the salvation of the world?

We don't know the conversations Jesus had with His earthly parents regarding God's purspose for Him. Did they plead with him, suggesting He spend His life as a carpenter or perhaps a priest? When Joseph and Mary took 12-year-old Jesus to Jerusalem and Jesus lingered behind, their parental concern was evident:

"His Mother said to Him, 'Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.'" His response: "'Why were you searching for me?' He asked. 'Didn't you know that I had to be in My Father's house?' But they did not understand what He was saying to them." (Luke 2:48-50)

How did they react, when 21 years later their precious Son was being led to Calvary? Had they come to terms with Jesus' purpose on the earth? Did they even understand it? Looking back after His resurrection, did they regret the times they pleaded with Him to change His course? Did they see God's ultimate plan for the salvation of the world? Were they proud of His humility and sacrificial love -- or ashamed by the thorns and nail-pierced hands?

It's not easy setting aside our wishes for those we love in order to make room for God's plan for their lives. We find ourselves wishing they remain close to us and fulfill our plans for their lives. It isn't necessarily selfish -- but rather a lack of eternal perspective. Mary may not have known that her baby boy would "one day rule the nations," and she may especially not have approved the means for Him getting there, but He went. He fulfilled God's plan for His life and even though it may have been hard on Mary and Joseph, think of the consequences for all of us had Jesus decided not to follow His Heavenly Father's will because His loved ones here on earth wished to keep Him safely with them.

Though letting someone go so they may follow God's will may be hard, "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

Praise the Lord that Jesus stayed the course and followed God's ultimate will for Him in order to give us salvation from our sinfulness, even if it is only in hindsight that His beloved friends and family could understand the necessity of His brutal death on the cross.

Powerful Prayers

I've been reading 2 Kings in my daily devotions, and I recently read about Hezekiah, one of the last kings of Judah.  Unlike many of the kings that came before him, and all of the kings of the northern kingdom of Israel, Hezekiah was regarded as a good king.  Actually, he was not just a good king.  Second Kings 18 says that he was righteous as David was righteous.  And, by Bible standards, that is quite the compliment.


As I read through this chapter, I was particularly struck by verses 5 and 6, quoted here from The Message:


Hezekiah put his whole trust in the God of Israel. There was no king quite like him, either before or after. He held fast to God—never loosened his grip—and obeyed to the letter everything God had commanded Moses. And God, for his part, held fast to him through all his adventures.


The New American Standard version says that Hezekiah "clung to the Lord".  He clung to God, never loosening his grip.  His faith guided him, even when the Assyrian army came knocking on his door, threatening to destroy the kingdom.


Perhaps the part of the story that impresses me most comes two chapters later.  In 2 Kings 20, Hezekiah is said to be lying on his death bed.  When Isaiah (yes, the same one after whom the book is named) tells the king that his life is almost over, Hezekiah does what he knows to do... he turns to God in prayer.


When faced with death, he prayed.


And God answered.


Before Isaiah had even left the grounds of the palace, God told him to turn around and tell the king that God would restore him to health and give him another 15 years.


The Bible says that God hears the prayers of those who trust in Him (see, for example, James 5:16).  Prayers are indeed a powerful gift from God.  By speaking with God, battles are won, souls are saved, and lives are changed.  By the power of prayer, the impossible can be accomplished.


As the end of the year quickly approaches, we are praying that God will work in a mighty way.  We have recently plateaued in raising our support, but we are praying that God will bring us to 25% of our monthly pledges.  That would be approximately another 5 individuals pledging to give $50 per month each.  We believe that, though this amount may seem big to us, it is not outside of God's ability (really, He could raise it all!).

Will you join us in this?  Will you pray with us that this goal may be reached, and even surpassed, by the beginning of the new year?  We hope you will!

Are We Only Talking to Ourselves?

As I told a co-worker about mid-week Bible studies at our church, she asked, "what do you do there?" So I began to explain that the church members come and we all eat and then the pastor or someone leads us in Bible study.

"But what is a Bible study? I hear people talk about it, but what do you do in Bible study?"

Wow. How ignorant and exclusive are we as Christians? How often do we assume that someone knows what "Bible study" or "praise music" or "mission work" or even .... "FAITH" means? How many times have we let opportunities to share the simple message of God's goodness slip away because we boast and speak in these terms that may mean nothing to someone who wasn't brought up in a protestant church-going family?

I mean seriously, for someone who has never heard that Jesus died on the cross to pay for all the bad things we've done and thought, how terribly boring would "Bible study" sound? "Sorry, can't hang out tonight, I have Bible study." Just the word "study" has such a dry and obligatory connotation. Why not instead say something more like, "a group of us are getting together to discover the treasures God has in store for us in Heaven;" or, "We're going to get to know an awesome God who has forgiven us for all the wretched things we've done;" or, "Some friends are getting together to celebrate eternal life and plan ways to show our gratitude to the Giver of such an awesome gift."

Basically, as someone put it in church recently, we need to go beyond "talking to ourselves." Invite your friend to church and tell her what to expect. Don't decline certain activities because you're a "Christian" or it goes against what you believe. Explain that you want to bring glory to a Great and Wonderful God and Why in the world you would want to do that. Tell people what "small group" or "Bible study" or "Sunday School" or "mission work" means. Who is going to want a relationship with an awesome loving God if they never know who He is and why He is so awesome? Let's stop talking just to each other when it pertains to our faith and start talking to everyone else. Let's get out of our "Christian world" and open oursleves up to the world around us.

Jesus' Superpower

Ever had someone ask, "if you could have any superpower what would it be?" Well, as much as I want to fly or be able to go invisible go back in time, I think the ultimate superpower would be that of Jesus.

No, I'm not talking about "being God," as cool as that would be. I'm talking about his ability to be fully human and yet completely sinless - and completely able to follow the will of the Father. Seriously, who does that? Our sermon this morning (thank you Isaac!) was about humility, looking at Philippians 2: 1-11 about Jesus humbling himself to death on a cross and how we should humble ourselves and put others first because we have shared in the joy and love of God. Yep. Heard it. Read it. But then he goes on to talk about how Jesus left all the prestige and power he had in Heaven - by choice - to come save our sorry selves from eternity in Hell.

Jesus didn't have to leave Heaven. He could have rebelled against the Father and said, "Nope, they don't deserve it. I'm going to stay on my comfy throne and let 'em suffer." But instead, he came here and suffered the excrutiating* pain of death on the cross, for us. Again, who does that? Seriously. And once he got here and was surrounded by prideful, terrible sinners who were all out for their own good (as we all are), he still didn't sin.

(*sidenote: apparently "excrutiating" is actually "of the cross" - as in - the word came to describe the worst pain ever suffered! )

So here's my theory: Jesus came here from Heaven, which means he was with God (being God of course), in God's presence, which means he got to fully experience how incredible God must truly be and therefore want to do nothing more than live in complete obedience to God's will - even if that meant death on a cross. In other words, God is way bigger, way cooler, and way more worthy of glory, honor and praise than any of us could ever fathom - because that's the only way Jesus could have lived so perfectly in His Father's will.

Which begs the question... how would we live if we had truly experienced God's awesome wonder and been with Him face-to face? Jesus didn't have a superpower (except the whole "being God" thing, but here on Earth, he was just a human like the rest of us) - he just knew God's amazingness. We can only begin to grasp that amazingness... and I don't know about you, but knowing how Jesus experienced God and thus had the will to obey Him, it makes me want to experience and know God more through His Word... and dream of truly being in His presence in His kingdom.

The Fox and the White House

I apologize beforehand for this political nature of this post... it is not typical of what I write here, but I was really disturbed by what I was reading online.

I was about to turn off my computer when I looked at my Yahoo! headlines and was struck by one in particular.  Apparently White House officials - indeed, the whole Obama administration - seem to be rather upset with Fox News.

Actually, "upset" is an understatement.  According to the White House, Fox News shouldn't even be considered a news station at all.  The reason?  It seems that Fox News is the only station that is consistently critical of this administration, questioning many of its policies and attempts at change.  And the President and his people don't like that.  So what do they do?  They go on the other networks that bow to their every whim and blast Fox News for not being unbiased (i.e., for not also bowing before them).

So what does this mean?  I guess it means that those who question the President and this administration should be censored.  After all, that's what freedom of speech and freedom of the press is really all about, isn't it?  Being under the control of those in power?  I guess questioning the President is equivalent to blasphemy...

Granted, children in New Jersey were recently seen singing praises to Obama to the tune of "Jesus Loves the Little Children" (you can find the video if you look for it... I decided against posting it here), but does this make him divine?  I say no.  And I hope you do, too.  I reserve divinity for the One Who made Obama, and all of us for that matter.  Only He deserves our praise.

And I think now I'm going to go pray for our country...

October Prayer Letter

Methinks we need to update more, since our August prayer letter was the last post on the front page of our blog, and here I am posting our October prayer letter.  Sorry for the lack of updates.

Anyway, here is our latest prayer letter.  Enjoy.  And if you did not receive it either in the mail or in your email, please let us know and we will add your information to our list to make sure you receive our future letters.

The Website - Update!

After many hours of figuring out what I am doing, I think that the website is finally at a point where people can begin to look at it and give suggestions.  Just a reminder, we're not out here to impress everybody with our amazing abilities to make an awesome looking website.  Rather, we are hoping to make a somewhat appealing site that lets everybody know who we are, what we are up to, and how they can join with us.

So, please work your way to http://www.wesslersinzambia.com, take a look around, and then email or facebook me to let me know what you think and what we can work on (aside from the obvious addition of content).

Thanks y'all!

Car Craziness!

Living in Dallas for just over three years, one learns to ignore car alarms. Most of the nights that we lived there, somebody's car alarm would go off outside our window, and for the first year or two I would actually drag myself out of bed to determine if it was mine...and it never was. Ever.

So I got over it. I would hear a car alarm, and I could guarantee you that it was not mine. And in Dallas, I would be right.

Now we live in Peoria, and though car alarms are still heard, they are not nearly as common as before. Add to that the fact that we have nobody living next to us, above us (we live in a duplex), across the street from us, or next door to across the street from us, and it would be pretty obvious to anybody else that if you hear a car alarm while in our apartment, it IS mine. It has to be...there aren't any other cars out there.

But I was tired, so I ignored it. And eventually it stopped.

So I thought nothing of it until I woke up to go to work and decided I would drive (I usually walk the block and a half to Central, but it was raining). I get out to my car, and everything seems normal. I unlock, and the dome light doesn't turn on. I open the doors, and the dome light doesn't turn on. I get in the driver's seat, and finally the dome light kicks on. And stays on.

Now, I don't know what's going on here, but I'm beginning to wonder (hope?) if my car, a 2004 Saturn Ion, has a mind of its own. I mean, I feel like I'm driving BumbleBee, from Transformers, only it's not quite so sweet and it doesn't become a huge robot of awesome to fight aliens or anything. But seriously, I can't get the alarm to turn on, I have a dickens of a hard time locking it, the dome lights won't turn off, and I'm convinced that pretty soon it's going to start picking the radio station for me.

It's been a good day.

Stress Tolerance

According to people around me, I have every right to be stressed out, overwhelmed, and unbelievable anxious - all of which give me every right to devour ice cream in mass quantities. I typically have a hard time believing it- perhaps because I tend to bury that stress in said ice cream around 2 a.m....

After all, we serve an amazing God who has taken care of our every want and need. We don't deserve His goodness and grace and yet he lavishes uncountable blessings on us every day.

But, considering that since December, Luke finished and graduated seminary, we spent 2 1/2 weeks in Zambia, I lost my job, we moved halfway across the country, started new jobs (several of them), have to balance the hours between multiple bosses and jobs, found out our leasing mananger in Dallas got fired so they're not honoring her decision to let us out of our lease early and coming after us for the money, spent a week back in Dallas for a conference followed by a few days in Chicago followed by three weeks in Charlotte and now we're settling into a new church, making new friends, and raising support to move to Zambia. Oh, and all of this while trying to establish healthy boundaries in an important relationship in my life and seeking my true identity outside this relationship. ... Breath ... I guess we have reason to be a bit overwhelmed.

Oy. So when we were at SIMCO (our missions orientation), they had us take a stress inventory. We were given a list of possible stressors in life all with a number value and asked to think about what we would experience our first three months on the field. The idea was to show us that when we totaled the list of the items we checked, we would be far above normal or even manageable levels of stress - getting us to think about healthy ways to handle that stress before we go. That said, Luke and I then filled out the inventory for the last three months of our life - and the total was way higher. This was two days after I was having the discussion with Luke about how good God is to us and how easy life seems to be. Apparently we have a pretty high stress tolerance.

That said, this morning was definitely a "bury your thoughts in ice cream" morning (not the healthiest coping mechanism, but hey, sometimes I don't realize all that's going on until after I have made those choices). Frustrated with myself and feeling like I wasted all sorts of time, I was kindly reminded on the phone by a good friend and mentor: "Tiffany, you've been through a lot. Don't beat yourself up."

So after a great de-stressing, de-programming bike ride, all I really want to do is curl up with a good book in comfy pjs (healthy coping!). But, off to work. And then work all day tomorrow. And then, we're escaping life for a few days to go way far north and enjoy God's good creation. Just wish we didn't have to drive 8 hours to get there.

Website Coming Soon...

We just wanted to let everybody know that we are in the process of putting together a whole new website. We will continue to use this blog, as it has served us well and we know that a fair number of people read it. The new website, when it is up and running, should be much more interactive and informative about what we will be doing in Zambia. We'll let you know when it's operational. Until then, feel free to keep asking, as it keeps me focused on working on it...

Latest Prayer Letter

Tiffany never ceases to amaze me. We've been back in Peoria for just over two days now, and she has already cranked out this month's prayer letter. The only down-side...this month's color scheme is pink.

Anyway, here it is...and if you haven't received it in your email inbox, it means we don't have your email address (or we do, but we've typed it in wrong).

Go ahead and click on the letter and it will open up a full-size version...a really, really big full-size version...that you can print off or read or whatever.

Before the Board...

It's been a long time coming.

After two weeks at SIMCO, SIM USA's missionary candidate orientation program, we finally reached the final Monday. For long-term candidates, this day sat at the forefront of our minds from the moment we arrived on campus, at moments, dreading it; at other moments, eagerly anticipating its arrival.

Why?

The final Monday brings the time for the interview before the few, the powerful, the intimidating...

US Board.

That's right. Today was the day that the long-term candidates sat in turn before the board, and it is the board that gets to decide our future with the organization. They follow Scripture, as their "yes" is definitely a "yes", and their "no" sends us packing and reevaluating God's plans for our lives.

So we spent the whole day nervously anticipating our short but determinative half-hour before this dreaded body of pastors, professors, business owners, and other missionaries. We didn't know what to expect, but we knew that God had brought us here for a reason. So we waited.

When our time finally came, we walked into the room and saw a bunch of faces that we recognized.

You see, Tiffany and I went out to Black Mountain, NC, this past weekend to get away. We stayed in a nice bed and breakfast called the Red Rocker Inn, Tiffany showed me around Montreat, the place where she first trusted Christ, and we ate dinner at a nice little pizza place called My Father's Pizza. And it was as we walked onto the patio at this restaurant that we saw a few faces from SIM that we knew, and a few that we didn't. These few were board members, most of whom ended up doing our interview. And as awkward as it was meeting them by chance at a small pizza place 2 hours from Charlotte, it turned into a great blessing as it provided a sense of peace.

Seeing people you recognize can sometimes do that for ya.

So we were set at ease. And we talked. And talked. And talked. Not that that should surprise anybody...

And after we finished talking, we left the room and stood outside the door, waiting for what seemed like forever. Finally we were brought back in to the applause of the board, and we were informed that we have been accepted as missionaries with SIM.

So now we prepare. We prepare to go out and build relationships. We prepare to go out and build a support team. We prepare to go out and build people's awareness of missions.

We prepare to go out and bring the love of Christ to the nations.

And all because God has chosen to love us and use us for His purposes.

It's so exciting.

Life's Not Fair

Man is sinful. No matter how often we try to deny it, to prove that we are inherently good, the truth is we're not. We are born sinful. Simple as that.

I was reminded of this today as we played in the "SIMCO vs. the world" volleyball game. Being ultra crazy competitive, I couldn't help but get frustrated when the other team ("the world") wouldn't play by the rules, or when some of my teammates would flub. Of course, it was never my fault. And I just got progressively more and more frustrated.

And then I got convicted. We were there to have fun, and there was no reason for me to be getting angry.

And that's just one example. Every minute feels as though I have a new story I could use as an example of how I am sinful.

As a sinner, I am fully deserving of death. Scripture says that the consequences of our sin is death. And not just death in reference to the end of this life, though that is included. It is an eternal death, an eternal separation from God.

But God, in His grace, has given us an escape from this death.

Grace. What a great word.

When I was growing up, one of the best lessons I ever learned was the meaning of "grace" and "mercy". Two words commonly included together, they really have quite different meanings. "Grace" is getting something that we don't deserve, whereas "mercy" is not getting something that we do deserve. Taken at face value, they almost seem contradictory. When considering the condemnation of sinners to death, both play a beautiful part in providing salvation. Mercy is not receiving the death that we so rightly deserve, while grace is the life that we receive when we deserve death.

I love that way Reliant K puts it in their song "Be My Escape". They say

"The beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair."

For those who have trusted Christ as their salvation, life's not fair. We don't deserve the eternal life that we've been given. I rightly deserve the death that we've earned. Yet God has given life with Him to all who have trusted His Son. And honestly, sometimes it's hard to accept this grace. It's hard to realize how bad we truly are and to accept that God has freely given us this life. We have earned death, but He has given life.

And sometimes, just sometimes, I'm okay with realizing that life isn't fair. I just pray that it would be not fair for a whole lot more people. And that's why we share God's word with those who haven't heard.

Runaway Wienermobile!

Um, I realize this goes against yesterday's post, as this was the headline I saw on my Yahoo! page this morning...but seriously, how often does the Wienermobile crash into somebody's house?

If you want to read the whole story, go here.

And just for gigges, here's the pic that drew my attention:

(AP Photo/Journal Times, Tom McCauley)

I'm not even going to begin with the off-color jokes that pop into my head when I think of possible headlines...

Featured stories...and what should be

I still have a Yahoo! email address, though I rarely use it. Every now and then I get something important in it (like information regarding Tim and Danielle's wedding), but usually it's junk mail. Nevertheless, part of my Internet routine is to check my Yahoo! page (after quickly scanning facebook for anything really interesting and before scanning over my dad's blog). Today was no exception, so I navigate to yahoo.com, and up pops the page I've come to know so well. I quickly scan the four featured stories that pop up, and the first one...the one that is the feature of features...the one with the picture up first that you will be sure to see as soon as you get to Yahoo!...is about Michael Jackson. Again. This one in particular was about a song of his that is previously unreleased but apparently sounds very similar to another song. Shocking.

I happened to glance a little further down the page and saw a much more interesting headline. Apparently there were a couple of bombings at some hotels in Jakarta (a Ritz and a Marriott, I believe), killing 8 and injuring about 50. This was just above something about Sotomayor's impending appointment, and a few above a video of a man proposing to his girlfriend on a big screen...while in his underwear.

Not gonna lie, judging by the way this was all laid out, I'm reminded again of how messed up our priorities really are...

The Downside of Being an Extrovert

So, we've been in Charlotte just about a week now, and I've slept about half as much here as I normally do. It's weird. Being in Peoria, we get home from work, eat dinner, and then go basically straight to bed. Here at our Candidate Orientation, there are 21 people staying on our floor, meaning I am around people basically all the time.

Now, keep in mind that when I take personality inventories I score almost off the charts in the extroversion category.

And when I met with the staff psychologist in January, he told me that he has never seen an introversion score so low (i.e., he's never seen a score indicating such extreme extroversion).

With that in mind, put me around people and I go crazy. I can't stand being in another room if I hear somebody's voice out in the kitchen or in the great room. I'd rather be sitting there talking to them. It kills me to think of going to bed when other people are up having fun. Or even if they're just up. So I stay up.

Which means I don't sleep.

And then I'm still on waking up early to go open the pool mode, so I get up crazy early after going to bed much later than I am used to, ultimately meaning that I'm sleeping basically not at all. So as the weekend approaches, I find myself almost unable to function. I have a hard time focusing in the sessions during the day because my eyelids are getting heavy. I don't really see a break in the near future, as we are planning a big group outing to a state park on Saturday, and Tiffany and Bruce Johnson (the incoming US Director) are trying to convince me to bike there. And I'm like "What!?!"

So, basically, as much as I like being an extrovert, sometimes it gets in the way of sleeping.

And sleeping is a good thing.

it's really real

In just four days Luke and I will pack up the car and drive to Charlotte for three weeks of missions training with SIM. We'll get our official placement, figure out the finances and logistics, and prepare our materials to start our RDM (resource development ministry - i.e. support raising).

Oh my goodness - it's really happening. The past four years have pointed this direction, and now it's no longer a distant horizon but the next exit! So exciting, yet so unbelievable. And right now - so overwhelming. Just 3 1/2 months ago we were returning to Dallas from our trip to Zambia, and within two days I lost my job and our world was kind of turned upside down. Two months later, we had a loaded moving truck, a lot of sad good-byes with friends and our brothers and sisters at church, and a new apartment in Peoria. Our summer has consisted of lifeguarding, lifeguarding, lifeguarding and sleep when possible (plus a few shifts on the beverage cart for me). Not to mention, I just spent a week in Dallas for Kappa Phi followed by two days in Chicago for a wedding. And now, in just a few days, we're once again driving across the country for a new adventure.

Please pray for us in this time. Pray for clear direction and vision. Pray for good health and energy. Pray that we will not rush through the process but truly do what we need to do to prepare for long-term service. Pray for safe travels. Pray that we remember to breathe. :)

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Walking Safari Video

So, we brought our video camera with us to Zambia, but we rarely got it out so we don't have much video from our trip.  However, since that's the only camera we came back with (woops!) all I can share from the trip picture-wise are these few videos.  I already posted the first one - the flight over Victoria Falls.  This is the other one - clips from our walking safari while we were staying in Livingstone.  Not the greatest camera work, and I got lazy with the editing so the transitions are pretty non-existent and don't really line up with the song, but the animals were pretty sweet...except for that nasty spider you'll see at the end (which, by the way, is bigger than the palm of my hand).  Enjoy!  

Victoria Falls Video

So, it's been quite a while since our last post, and I have been playing on his new computer trying to get acquainted with all of my new toys.  I decided to try my hand at editing what little video we have from our Zambia trip, and so I've put together a little clip of our flight over Victoria Falls.  It's not great, and the music doesn't really fit except that it's pretty much the song that I sing whenever I watch the video, so I found it appropriate... Anyway, enjoy.  And I apologize for the poor camera work.  I was trying to not throw up while filming.

Where has the time gone?

God is indeed good.  And He provides for His own.  Sometimes it's hard to believe all this.

But lately, it's been really easy.

With all that has gone on in our lives in the past two months (basically since our trip to Zambia), we cannot possibly deny the goodness of God, nor could we deny His provision.  Doors have flown open for us in Peoria, and now we are just days away from traveling half way across the country to a new (old) hometown.  But more than that, God has provided discounts on our rent here in Dallas, a new computer for Luke (woohoo!) and provision in more ways than we can imagine.  We have seen His love expressed in very real, very tangible ways, through people we have come to know during our time in Dallas.  Some of these people we have come to know quite well, and others we only barely know, but so many have stepped up and shared with us a love that can only come from the Lord.

I realize that this isn't necessarily the most interesting post, but it's been over a month since our last post, and so much has happened.  Too much to even mention.  And all of it has come from the Lord, who blesses those who pursue Him.  Now, I'm not saying that everything has been nice and easy.  It's been stressful, and it is incredibly hard to be leaving all those here in Dallas who we have come to love.  But we know that God is guiding us in these next steps, and everything we do are growing us and preparing us for what He has planned.

It's just....weird.  I feel like we just got back from Zambia, and that Tiffany just lost her job, and that we were just beginning to talk about moving to St. Louis in June.  And now here we are in May, preparing to Move to Peoria in just a few days.  So much has gone on.  So much has changed.  I don't even know what's going on anymore, and all I can do is trust in Him.  Trust that His plans are good and perfect.  Trust that He will always be there.  Trust that He will continue to guide us.  Trust that, even when the times are hard, He is blessing us.

After all, God is good.  Really, really good.

Bright and Beautiful, Great and Small

How amazing is our God? Let me share just a portion of a journal entry I wrote the day we went to Victoria Falls. Though this was the "debriefing" at the end of our trip to Zambia and not a portion of the actual ministry experience, this display of God's majesty just really sums up so much of the entire trip.


"Our God is so good, so strong, so powerful. To see the mighty waters pouring over what would have been an amazing ravine that in itself would have been an awesome show of God's glory even without the billions of gallons of water... the 'mist' poured over the area like a perpetual monsoon -- creating small waterfalls in every crevice -- some going sideways and some even upwards because of the awesome force. And only in Africa could we see so much without 'safety barriers' and rails and mobs of tourists and commercialization. There were times when a single misplaced step could send you barrelling down into a gorge of swirling masses of water -- but so much of that was the very thrill of being there.....


... a semi-path led straight down to the 'boiling pot' -- down the gorge. When the path ended, there was nothing preventing further passage, so we waded through pools of water and climbed up and down over sharp rocks to get to the very bottom -- where the currents swirled in a tornado-like fashion from the immense power of the falls. At the very top of the waterfall, you could stand on rocks just feet from the edge -- almost unfathomable considering the immense height of the falls. Wow. Wow. Wow."


Now as many of you know, we lost our camera on the trip, and are just starting to get pictures from team members. Take a look at the picture below for the most awesome display of God's power (though this hardly does a justice to the real thing)...

but notice something else... As Dick snapped this picture, a tiny butterfly flew just feet from the camera -- landing smack dab at the top of this photo. The same God that sends billions of water barrelling over a giant gorge created this tiny yellow butterfly -- perfectly woven, completely delicate and graceful -- unthreatened by the powerful force behind it -- protected by its Creator.

"How great is God -- beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams; the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavillion?" Job 26:26-29

All things bright and beautiful -- all creatures great and small. Our God is mighty and no problem or hurdle is too big for him... but He is also gentle and full of grace -- and will comfort the inner places of our hearts. Such a comfort after all the need and injustice we saw, but all of the glorious ways God was at work among His people. Such a comfort coming back on such a high, yet losing my job, dealing with a flooded apartment and not really sure what His plan is for us right now as we look to go back to Zambia long term.

He is mighty. But those huge, powerful arms are also there to protect us, comfort us, and remind us of the beauty in the small things. Like the butterfly.

Trip Reports Coming, but until then...

We would like to apologize for being back in the States for more than a week and not making any effort to really talk about our trip on here. In our defense, this inactivity on our part is largely due to a couple of factors:

1) We left our camera in Livingstone and therefore have no pictures at the moment. We figure that talking about our trip needs to be accompanied by pictures, so we're waiting until we get pictures from our teammates.

2) Our lives have gone crazy in the week we've been back. Tiffany is back on the job market, Luke is buried in papers to grade, and now we're looking at moving, possibly as early as June. So much going on...


On a completely unrelated note, we realized that there is increased readership of our blog now and many people have been asking about the origin of the name. To hold y'all over until we get our acts together and start writing about our time in Zambia, go here to read the first post on our blog. It explains the name.

Numb

Numbness. This is what I've been feeling since we got back on Sunday, but could never really describe it because I was... well... numb.

But today I started to feel a slight twinge of feeling in my life, and I'm not sure I liked it much. I began to wake up to a world of gray - robbed of joy. I went out on my bike, but felt completely disconnected, but as I went I realized that things really are colorless here. Where are the individuals riding their bikes miles to the market with two live goats strapped to the back? Where are the colorful yet dirty chitinges (spelling?) securing young babies to a mother's back while she balances a basket of greens on her head? Where are the honking vehicles letting you know they're coming up behind you as you walk along the road (on the left side, by the way) and meandering around various potholes and large speed bumps? Where are the stands with fresh tomatoes and cabbage - that in the coming days will be selling papaya and pumpkin leaves with the changing season? Where is the red dirt that inevitably attaches to your shoes, feet everything, yet no one seems to notice because everyone is walking in it?

And what about the people? Where are the welcoming vernacular calls for "white girl" as I run in the morning? Where are the people who reach up to the bus window hoping you'll buy a few ground nuts (peanuts) off of them so they can take something home to their familes for dinner? Where are the orphans who welcomed us with joyful songs proclaiming God's goodness, despite their very sense of rejection and lack of certainty that they will have a meal tomorrow? Where are the eyes that light up as you hand them a small bowl of porridge and joyful giggles as they receive their first toy - a bug made out of an egg carton and pipe cleaners? Where are the children who run down the hill and jump into your arms for a hug before they even meet you - just because they know you're there to see them? Where are the fresh guava trees and mosquito nets?

Where is the tireless grandma who walks up to five miles a day to take a word of encouragement to a woman dying of AIDS, whose children have been taken from her, whose home has collapsed, and who now lays on a mat outside her sister's hut with no energy to eat - not that she has any food to eat anyway...

Where are the people? Here - they're sitting in offices staring at computers looking for ways to make more money while avoiding the necessity of forming more relationships. After all, it's hard to fire people or take advantage of them if you have no relationship with them.

Numb. That's how I've been feeling. Or I guess, not feeling. That is why I was able to keep a straight face when I was told I no longer had a job on Wednesday - I was numb. That is why I haven't been able to really put in words what we saw and experienced in Zambia - I've been numb.

But now I'm gaining feeling. And that feeling tells me I want to go back to where there is color. Where people have joy. Where children sing praises simply because they know God is good. Where people would rather stop and chat then get to a meeting or something else. Where red dirt is a comforting site and much more appealing than gray concrete. Back to Zambia. Where I left a big piece of my heart.

Pray With Us

Okay, time to freak out. In less than 40 hours, our flight will depart from DFW (on to D.C. to Johannesburg to Lusaka, arriving in Lusaka at 9 p.m. their time Saturday night - 1 p.m. Central time). I'm going to Africa! and soon! It's happening!! EEEEK!

Breathing... breathing...

and in the meantime, I need to get some sleep and relax a bit, but thought I'd share a few prayer requests as we prepare for the journey:

• Travel: Luke hates to fly, and anyone who knows me knows I can't sit still for long, much less a 15-plus hour flight... Additionally, in country we will be taking an 8-hour bus ride one day and several flights on small planes. Please pray for safety and sanity through it all.
• Packing: We're transporting a lot of gifts for missionaries, orphans and nationals - please pray that it all fits and that we stay within all weight and size requirements. One pound overweight could cost another $250!
• Customs: Apparently they're really cracking down over there - even Benadryl could get confiscated - it's considered a narcotic. Please pray that we all get through, with all our stuff, without any problems.
• Health: Pray that the anti-malarial meds do their job and no other issues arise.
• Relationships: Please pray that our team of eight will form and maintain strong relationships and will be able to be honest with each other and lift each other up. Especially for Luke and I - this is the most consecutive time we will have been able to spend together since we got married! Also, pray that we may be a blessing to those whom we serve and those with whom we will serve. The missionaries in Zambia have done a lot of work preparing for our visit, and we definitely want them to feel as though it was all worth it!
• General Direction and Grace: Please pray that the Lord will be glorified by this trip, that He will work both in and through us, and that He will open our eyes to where and how He would potentially have us serve long-term in Zambia (or if He has other plans altogether). Please pray that our focus will be first and foremost on the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and that we will be "blessed to be a blessing."

We won't likely be able to communicate again until we return - so have a great few weeks and be looking forward to great stories, beautiful pictures (we end the trip at Victoria Falls), and testimonies of the Lord's goodness.

May He keep you and Bless You.

Random Encounters

I have to admit, I have this quirk. I love going to grocery stores like Central Market and Whole Foods just for all the yummy samples they have out. I don't usually buy anything - I just browse. So today, during my lunch break, I made my way over to Central Market.

As I finished up my rounds sampling a variety of fruits and other goodies, I heard someone say my name. I turn and look up - way up (this person was 6'5"-ish)- to see a face from years back. It was a guy who used to hang out at the country club where I was a lifeguard summer after summer in high school in Missouri. And not just any guy, but one on whom I had a huge crush summer after summer. He had gone to one of the neighboring high schools. Obviously, nothing came out of all of that... but I digress. He had only been in Dallas two days, and was staying for two weeks as part of an internship he is doing with the School of Metaphysics. Apparently, he's been going to one of the Missouri branches of this school or working at it for quite a while now - long enough that he lived on their "farm" for about 20 months.

What is this school, you ask? Well, I looked it up, and this is part of the description on the website:

"The School of Metaphysics has been teaching people how to use their minds more effectively for three decades. Through research, application and by passing on what is learned, we teach how to harmonize your Mind with Universal Principles for greater insight, happiness, security, prosperity, health, and peace. School of Metaphysics lessons teach individuals to master the whole Self, freeing them to live their full potential as an intuitive, spiritual being."

And he provided me with a brochure for their upcoming seminar and one on a course called "experiential course in the study of the mind and mastery of consciousness" - suggesting that Luke might be interested. Some of the class objectives include: learn to cause permanent healing; learn that Thought is Cause; Learn to interpret dreams in the Universal Language of Mind... You can "become eligible to attend the weekly healing class" and "participate in Peace Dome activities." The "farm" my friend lived on is really more of a commune than anything else.

Now I'm not one to judge, and I honestly think that "mastering my mind" wouldn't be such a bad thing if it helped me make good choices - like not going back for more ice cream and chocolate - but it is in attempting to master my own mind and master myself that I lose the very control I'm seeking to grasp. On the other hand, the only true freedom that allows us to live to anything near our potential, is to:

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6).

I could say so much more. It was definitely interesting to run into an old friend in a strange place and to realize how we each have gone completely different directions than either of us would have suspected of the other when we were 16. More than anything, I am grateful that the Lord has opened my eyes to the true path to freedom - through the atoning sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, who died on the cross in my place, to cover my wretched sinfulness... and yours. I pray my friend will experience that same freedom some day. We don't have to attend a school to "discover the purpose for our existence" or work toward "self mastery," but only have to accept the freely given Grace of an Awesome God.

For He says: "I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity." (Jeremiah 29:4)

Have you experienced freedom from the capitivity of sin?

Destroying our Brains, Losing our Morals

I'm not gonna lie, I watch a lot more television than I should. I don't go to school anymore, and I only work from 3-8, Monday through Thursday, so I usually plop myself in front of the tube and watch whatever is on. Granted, we don't have cable, so I can choose from about 10 channels (and another 5 if I spoke Spanish), not 100+ like many others, but these few stations are enough to realize that our entertainment is destroying us.

This morning on "Meet the Press" we found yet another politician not answering the questions asked of him. But, what more should we expect. I mean, we shouldn't expect straight answers anymore anyway, especially since we probably wouldn't like what we hear.

And that's not even what bothers me the most.

After watching Mighty Joe Young on the CW this afternoon, on came a commercial for the new 90210 where one lady tells the other that she slept with some guy. And that was supposed to entice us to watch the show. We've become accustomed to soap operas having characters who sleep around, but the amorality has become a mainstay in regular shows as well. As I write this blog, I have "Brothers & Sisters" on, a show that does a great job portraying the interaction between adult siblings in a large family (something I have a little experience with). Though I am mildly addicted to this show, I am disgusted by the fact that all of the characters encourage each other to sleep with people early on in their relationships. Even the mother, a widow whose husband had several mistresses, recently slept with a man who was in an open marriage. And she was portrayed as being too old-fashioned and conservative because she was upset about being the "other woman" when the man was in a modern "open marriage". What!?!

Could it be that we as a society would rather pursue the desires of the flesh than the God of the universe? Is our current situation yet another example of Scripture lived out?

I would say "yes and yes". If we have any doubts, just consider Romans 1:18ff. God has revealed Himself in more ways than we could imagine, yet we have chosen to pursue other, lesser gods. Gods of sex; gods of pleasure; gods of money; gods of status. We have so rejected the very God who loves us that we are now seeing our depravity lived out in front of us. Not only that, but we are encouraging others to be just as depraved as ourselves.

So, let us join together and pray for our country. Pray that hearts may be turned to God, that workers may arise to share the Gospel, and that our leaders may be open to be used by the One who put them in office to begin with. Maybe then our country will actually have hope.

RELEASE THE SKEETERS!

I woke up to an email from my beautiful wife with a link to an article about Bill Gates. Basically, he was speaking to a bunch of people with a ton of money about malaria, and, to make his point, he opened a jar of mosquitoes, releasing the biting little buggers into the auditorium. I guess the people laughed, but you can bet that most were pretty uneasy with the whole thing. Sure, these were "malaria-free" mosquitoes, but the point was definitely made.

While in America malaria is seen as nothing more than a tropical disease found only in areas where people run around naked and sleep in huts, it is a reality for millions of people worldwide. As Tiffany and I prepare for our upcoming trip to Zambia, we are looking at our options for malaria medication to prevent getting the disease, but as we do so we are struck by the situation. Here in the States we have a variety of possible drugs to choose from, but many in the parts of the world affected by malaria cannot afford these drugs, nor do they even have access to them.

I find it interesting that this article was brought to my attention a day after my comments on Salma Hayek increasing awareness for mothers and infants suffering around the world. Here we have another celebrity (with a whole lot more money) increasing awareness in the States of the suffering of others in the world and donating huge sums of money to help meet their needs. He's even helping develop a malaria vaccine.

But, as good as all this is, the needs of the suffering will never be fully met unless their spiritual needs are attended to as well. The Bible tells us that all have sinned (Rom 3:23), and therefore all are subject to eternal death (Rom 6:23), an eternity of torment and despair separated from the love of God. But, in His love God has provided the way to spend eternity in His presence. He sent His son, Jesus, to become sin on our behalf that those who trust in His sacrificial death may be declared righteous before God. Providing the medicine for the disease that causes physical death is only part of the goal; providing the message of the remedy to eternal death should be the aim of those desiring to truly help the world.

So, thank you, Bill, for releasing the skeeters, but let's not forget that more work is still to be done.

Four Weeks and Counting!!!

We leave for Zambia four weeks from tomorrow -- CRAZY!!! I feel like there is so much to do - yet I'm not sure what to do.... (well, other than getting our malaria meds... the rest is going to be the last minute packing stuff).

Our team meets Saturday to talk details on where we're staying and when (Looks like Luke and I get a tent outside at least one night) and how we're getting where and when (lots of small planes - Luke is not a fan) and what to bring (toilet paper anyone?) and our support status (about 2/3 there!) and everything else we can possibly think of. It's also another opportunity for us to get to know the family with whom we'll be spending more than two very intensive weeks.

All that said, I figure I should share with you, our readers, a few factoids about Zambia:

• Zambia is slightly larger than Texas and borders Angola, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, Democratic Rebulic of the Congo and Tanzania
• Natural Resources: copper, cobalt, zinc, lead, coal, emeralds, gold, silver, uranium, hydropower
• Population (July 2008 estimate): 11,669,534
• Median Age: 16.9 years
• Life Expectancy: 38.59 years
• Infant Mortality Rate: 100.96 deaths/1,000 live births
• Number of People Living with HIV/AIDS (2003 data): 920,000
• Government: Republic; Capital City: Lusaka
• GDP: $17.83 billion
• Unemployment Rate: 50%
• Airports with paved runways: 9; Airports with unpaved runways: 98

There's just a taste of the facts. We can't wait to share with you all about the people, the needs, the hearts, the Hope of Christ, and how God chooses to work in and through us on our trip. Please continue to pray for us as we prepare and as we go. Satan is real and spiritual warfare is likely to occur. Please pray that our remaining support comes in to financially support this Vision trip. Also, please pray that the Lord will open our eyes and make it clear as to whether or not He would have us to serve long term in Zambia, and if so, in what capacity.

If you would like to partner with us financially as we enter the mission field, you may do so online at www.simusa.org/SIMGift.php. When you have entered your billing information, you will be able to put in our team name (Ackley Zambia PACE Team 2009) and number (31622).

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. To learn more about SIM's work in Zambia, visit: http://www.sim.org/index.php/country/ZM

Salma Hayek on Today

Just so we're all aware, the last hour of the Today Show is by far the most obnoxious, but I'm sick and don't work until the afternoon, so I have nothing else to do. Normally this is when I go to the gym...instead I'm stuck watching Hoda and Kathie Lee. Woohoo....

Anyway, they had Salma Hayek on just moments ago. Apparently she's doing something with Unicef where she is traveling around the world (it looked like "around the world" meant "Africa") talking with women and encouraging them as they raise sick babies in developing countries. Is this bad? No. Absolutely not. It's a good thing.

The frustrating part is that it takes a celebrity to open up the eyes of the people here to the great need of the people overseas. Though I cannot deny the benefit that we are seeing by these celebrities exposing the needs of the suffering people of the world, I cannot count the number of times I have had to explain to people that we are not going to Africa to start an orphanage or school in the same sense that Oprah and Anjelina have gone to Africa to start an orphanage or school. Whereas they monetarily support these facilities, they are not overly involved in the day-to-day operations, but that's not even the biggest difference.

The greatest difference is that we bring a message of hope. There is no greater hope than the message of a God who loves us and longs for people everywhere to worship Him. Though we all live in sin, Christ died on our behalf that we may be cleansed and those who trust Him can dwell before Him forever.

So, yes, we are going to Africa much like Salma, Oprah, and Anjelina, but we are bringing the message of salvation through Christ alone...a message of love, a message of deliverance...a message of hope.

Trash Collection

We Americans are blessed. We are more blessed than we can even begin to realize. We have more than we could ever want or need readily available to us at any moment. Most of us have access to clean drinking water, a warm place to sleep, and thousands of foods we can't even pronounce. Many of us could not even tell you where our trash goes after the garbage truck comes and picks it up.

Last week on the news they spoke of a city just north of Dallas trying to save money, cutting back on residential trash collection. Instead of coming twice per week, the garbage trucks would only come around once. The reaction? A young woman, not much older than Tiffany and me, was complaining that this cutback will result in disgusting living situations. Apparently her small family in suburban Dallas produces so much trash in one week that it needs to be picked up at least twice per week. In Peoria our trash was collected every Friday, and our family of 7 (6 of whom are male) definitely contributed our share of trash, but our living situation was not "disgusting".

Isn't it interesting that we take our blessings for granted, only realizing them when they are taken away? But even once-weekly trash collection is better than the majority of people in the world. Just ask those living in the squatter camps or shanty towns of the world. Not only do they lack any sort of trash pick up, they often are located where the trash is taken.

Indeed, we are blessed. And once-weekly trash collection is a great example of this blessing.

reAL-ationship

I could have a million titles for this blog, because as I rode my bike around the lake this beautiful Sunday afternoon, my thoughts were going in a million directions... but to start...

When Luke and I went to North Carolina for SIMStart, a weekend where you get to know more about SIM and meet missionaries who have served all over the world, I realized that much of my focus for missions had been misplaced. Rather than focusing on God's Greatest Glory and the joy of building relationships with His people so they in turn build relationships with Him, I looked at it as a task to accomplish - one more thing to add to a list of accolades - one more way to prove myself to other people, particularly those doubting that we could do it. Therefore, I was also looking at the preparatory stages as simple steps to get through in order to reach the ultimate goal, or "accomplishment." Without going to much into it all, I left realizing that I want nothing more than to serve God and love His people - but wait on His perfect timing. There's no need to rush into the field and miss what He has for us here... In fact, I don't have to be afraid that He will get mad at us if it takes a little longer to get there - because He's the one who will get us there!

So as far as looking at our lives here as steps in the process rather than opportunities to serve God in our daily lives, it even extended to our church. I had looked at it as "training for the field" and ignored the potential for powerful relationships here in the present. Now I am slowly learning how to be more intentional about my relationships, rather than just focusing on the tasks at hand.

Whew, okay that was a big introduction, but what does being "intentional about relationship" look like? Well, take this afternoon for example. I headed out on my bike, and anyone who knows me well, knows that when I get going exercising, that is when I'm least likely to be relational. I typically just want to be fast. First step at being relational (which I wish every cyclist would do), was the simple acknowledgement of others on the road or trail. i.e. the simple phrase "on your left" as I passed other riders. Don't know how many times I've about had a heart attack because someone sneaks up behind me and sprints past with hardly a grunt. That one's easy though - three words - and you're gone. Doesn't interrupt the ride, and makes it a tad safer. Stopping my bike to talk to someone? That takes a little more convincing. But, I also find it to be true that there are people that we greet cordially with a "hello, how are you," and there are people we love to talk to because they "get us" or we "get them."

So, it was time for some "Free Advice" from my good buddy Roderick, because, well, he "gets me." (Read the blog from two weeks ago to learn more about Roderick). I originally thought I'd wait till my second loop around the lake, so as not to cut into my ride, but afraid he'd leave his post early to watch the Super Bowl or avoid sundown, I pulled off in my first loop as I rounded the corner and saw the sign. Not intending for much beyond a simple "hello" and "thank you" for his encouragement and generosity so I could get on with the ride, we instead instantly jumped into a conversation like friends who had known each other for years. And then I figured out why I felt I needed to stop today. As I explained that Luke was at work, Roderick looked at me and said, "He really respects and admires your abilities and discernment with people." "WHAT?" Well, remembering that Roderick is also a very "discerning person" I didn't doubt his intuition, but he went on to explain with a story of an elderly couple he knew where the man didn't express his emotions much, but his wife was very strong and he remembers telling the wife that her husband truly respected and loved her dearly - and the wife said that confirmed what she had always thought but never really believed.

Why was that so important to me? Another thing I realized/revisited at SIMStart was my inability to fully trust people - to trust that they truly love me as me and value who I am over what I do. I am scared to death that when I let people in all the way, they'll see the real me and run away kicking and screaming. Even Luke, he has 99.5% of me, but I have to keep just a little bit, because if he doesn't like me, I can say it's because he doesn't have all of me. But, if I give 100% and he doesn't truly love me, that means it's really me. But Roderick, he could see Luke's heart as Luke nodded along with Roderick's observations two weeks ago. Roderick doesn't process with words - but he sees inside people. Myself being a woman of words, I had to hear the words from Roderick of what he saw inside my husband - that Luke loves me for me - wholly and completely.

Wow. REAL-ationships. That was so worth stopping. As we parted ways and I finished my ride, I rode into our apartment complex only to find a group of kids around a bike turned upside down, and as I rode by on my "big bike" one of them asked me if I could fix his bike. I thought there was no way and just told him I wouldn't know how. But then again, what is usually wrong with a kid's broken bike? Usually just a chain off the wheel, so I circled back around, and yep - the chain had come off. So I slipped off my seat, laughed when they said my hands would get dirty, and spent a few minutes working that stubborn chain back onto the wheel, assuring them they would get to ride a "big bike" someday too, and that they should see my husband's "really big bike." REAL-ationships. A few minutes of a fairly easy task, and I became a hero (heroin?).

So maybe we should all give a few more minutes, a little more often. I know I was blessed a lot more than my friend Roderick by our chat, despite his smile and gratitude for our visit. Helping those kids definitely touched me much more deeply than it touched them. God has a purpose for you today, not just a year or two down the road -- and guess what? If you listen for it, and follow it, you'll likely be the one who is blessed.

After all, didn't God say, "It is not good for the man to be alone...? " (Gen. 2:18)

"Nationals" this Weekend

As a cheerleading coach for an All-Star gym, we spend much of our time and effort preparing our squads for competition. After all, since they don't cheer for any team, the whole point of being on the squad is to compete, right? And no competition should be bigger than nationals.

At least, that's what you would think.

Nationals, by obvious definition, should include teams from all over the nation. Small gym nationals, then, would contain small gyms (125 people or less) from all over the nation. 150 teams signed up for the two day competition at the Dallas Convention Center. Looks like there should be a good showing. People from all over.

But apparently "Nationals" really means "teams from the great nation of Texas". There is 1 (uno, eins, ONE) team from outside of Texas. Where is it coming from? Louisiana. And not even eastern Louisiana. We're talking located on the border of Texas where the closest big city is Dallas, not New Orleans. Most of the teams are from within an hour or two of Dallas, and we competed against most of them at the beginning of December. And we got last.

I can't WAIT to spend my whole weekend with pre-adolescent, screaming girls covered in glitter, layered in makeup, and wearing ill-fitting outfits. Oh, all-star cheerleading. This love-hate relationship is definitely beginning to lack the love.

And, to agree with Tiffany, our children will never be all-star cheerleaders.

Thank you, Dallas area public schools

I know that Dallas shuts down when hit with "Winter Blasts". I get it. It is just not safe out there. Businesses are closed, highways are shut down, and citizens are warned to stay inside. I've been here long enough to learn that this is standard procedure. So when we had a "winter storm" last night and found ourselves buried under an inch or so of ice, it was no surprise that the news broadcasts announced that every school within 100 miles of here would be closed today. And we were reminded of this fact until 11 am, as the local news took over the airways and forewent any regularly scheduled programming to inform us of this.

So, the roads were bad, and school was canceled. I guess they didn't realize that by noon all the ice would be gone, there would be no clouds in the sky, and the temperature would get up into the 40s. So all the kids were home, parents were left to scramble to figure out what to do with them, and by the time the afternoon rolled around they were ready to dump them off on us. And that they did. We had better than average attendance at our tumbling classes tonight, and the kids were more rambunctious than normal as well. I actually spent 5 minutes with one of my classes doing sitting practice. All they had to do was sit. Just sit. And they couldn't do that.

So thank you, public schools, for not having class today. It really made my life easier. Really.

Sand

SAND:

1. A fine, often loose, debris of rocks, typically mostly quartz

2. The stuff that gets stuck in your shoes when walking on the beach

3. A light reddish- or brownish-yellow color

4. The preferred method of de-icing the streets in Dallas, because, you know, that's effective.

Winter BLAST, 2009!

The freezing line has officially passed through the Metroplex.

Schools are closing.

Businesses are sending employees home early.

Water is falling from the sky, sometimes in the form of ice chips.

Temperatures are expected to continue to drop into the mid-20s.

As a warning to all DFW residents, head to the local grocery store now and load up on water and canned goods, as this could be the beginning of the apocalypse. By this afternoon you may not be able to leave your home. If your door isn't frozen shut, the roads are a death trap. Be like a good boy scout - be prepared. This could be the end...













You have GOT to be kidding me.

Assignment in Habakkuk

Habakkuk is not necessarily the easiest book in the Bible to understand. I mean, most people have a hard time just spelling its author's name. Yet one teacher, missionary in Nigeria, decided to have her seventh grade class study this book. As part of this study, she had the students write their own "book" to God in the same general format as the book - our complaint, God's reply, and our prayer in response (note: I realize that the book itself actually has two interchanges between Habakkuk and God, but, hey, they were seventh graders, not seminary students). Some of the kid's assignments were included in the latest "Serving in Mission Together", a magazine put out by SIM. I'm including one here that particularly struck me.

"One girl wrote: Complaint - 'God, you took my mum and left me alone to care for the younger children.' She created this answer from God: 'My dearest daughter, you know I love you and always will. You and your family are mine. Your mum is mine, and I was sharing her with you.'"


Nothing like the words of a child to really put everything into perspective.

Free Advice

Forget what you learned growing up: always talk to strangers.

I should probably explain. After church today, Luke had the afternoon off and it was a beautiful 65 degrees out (a perk of living in Texas in January). After lunch we grabbed a blanket and books and drove down to White Rock Lake to relax, people watch and whatever else. I convinced Luke to walk a bit before settling in with our books, and we are so glad we did. Often when I have ridden my bike around the lake on Sunday afternoons I have noticed the guy with a tarp, a few chairs and a simple sign: free advice. I usually would muse to myself about it and carry on in my ride. But as we strolled near his "advice booth" today, the Lord placed an urge in my heart that told me to stop and talk to him. Luke is used to my random conversations with strangers and humored me as I walked over to the tarp.

The conversation started out simply enough - I noted that he was like Lucy in Peanuts and I thought it was a great idea - and he said he'd been there every Sunday afternoon for 13 years. After we talked about this and that for a bit, he asked what the story of the two of us (Luke and I) was. In short, I said we are married and are preparing to move to Africa for missions. He made an observation that I am a "Christian tomboy," explaining that he doesn't mean that in the skirts vs. jeans sense, but more that I am strong woman. Apparently his mom was a strong woman who forged her birth certificate at 15 to join the Navy and upon retirement gave away all she had and moved to Jerusalem to share the gospel with Orthodox Jews and Muslims. Something in the talk led me to ask if he had a church he went to here, and he said no, but with good reason...

Our new friend is autistic. He doesn't understand language in the sense that most people do, and though he is extremely intelligent and intuitive, words really mean very little to him. Processing information takes a completely different focus for him. He explained that his mother had asked pastors and priests to pray over him several times - not quite understanding how her son could grasp the Truth without loving the Word itself. Each time, the given pastor (there were two occasions with different ministers) would stop and say the Lord audibly told him that he should stop because the man was "right with God." He said he understands salvation in an experiential way. He feels the presence of God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit in a much different but very real way. He went on to explain a little more and then asked if I understood what he was saying. Leaning on the Lord's leading, I responded that scripture is the Word of God and is inspired by God - therefore God himself is in the words. This is why many people can read the words and get no meaning from them because the Spirit has not opened their hearts to the truth of the scriptures. God is not limited to His Word, but IS the Word.

(it sounded much more eloquent at the time, but that's the gist of it)

Well apparently I was the first person to ever understand him - and that I "said what he was saying but much more clearly." He said it was clear that I had a gift of discernment and that he has known many people in his life who have thought they were called to missions, and were not really cut out for it. He's seen many people who set out on that adventure only to realize it is not where God had them to be - but us - he could see that we were supposed to be going and that we would be great. He also asked about funding - whether we had to raise all our funding or if there was some sort of other source, and we said we have to raise it all but won't know exactly what that looks like for the long run until this summer or fall when we get our placement assignment. When he asked how we would do it, we said letters, visits to churches, etc, and that we're getting our start with letters for this upcoming trip. He asked if he could make a small contribution, pulled out his wallet, and gave us a large cash gift - and hugged both of us, telling us that we blessed him today and made it worth getting out of bed this morning.

if you wonder why I haven't used his name the whole time, it's because we went through this whole 40-or-so minute conversation without knowing his name. It was only as we were saying our good byes that I asked his name. Roderick. And we're not strangers anymore.

God is so good!

Countdown to Zambia!

Again, I've been a complete slacker when it comes to updating this blog. You would think the "writer" of the family would "write" more, but when you work at a computer 40 hours a week - writing - getting back on and putting thought into something when not at work takes serious convincing. That said, here I am, but just briefly. We are less than seven weeks away from our trip to Zambia, and yet I feel we're still recovering from our whirlwind Christmas trip and our recent weekend in North Carolina with SIM (read a bit more about that in the letter - and I'm sure we'll both write more as time goes on... basically, God is awesome and we are learning to trust in His timing as we look at long-term missions - and also know we have a TON of preparation to do before we go...)

As I said, this will be brief, but I wanted to let everyone know that our most recent letter has been put in the mail, and many have also received it by e-mail, but in case you weren't one of the lucky ones, click the image below. Also, if you want to be added to the list - send us either your address or e-mail address (whichever way you prefer to receive the newsletter). May God Bless you and yours so that you may in turn be a blessing to His people everywhere!

Now, off to attack some of the reading, studying, preparing and such that is necessary before moving across the world!

The King in Prince Caspian

So, I'm pretty much addicted to watching movies. Currently in the loop in our study is Prince Caspian, which I watch about every other day. Granted I love the whole movie, but there is one part towards the end that really gets me every time. While Peter is having his duel to save Narnia, Lucy goes into the woods to find Aslan. When she finally gets to him, we have a scene where she is laying in front of him and they're talking. The dialogue goes something like this.

Lucy: "I wanted to come sooner, but the others didn't believe me."
Aslan: "And why would that keep you from coming?"
Lucy: "I'm sorry."

She knew that what the others thought should not have been an excuse, so when questioned about this her only response was to apologize.

How often do we have similar conversations with God? When we finally get around to seeking Him, we bring excuses. "I would have come sooner, but (insert bad reason here)." And God responds lovingly, but sternly, making us realize that He should take priority over anything else. We have nothing to do but apologize for our lack of faith.

There is nothing that should keep us from our Father. No man, no feeling, no schedule. God deserves the praises due His name. So when we find ourselves making excuses for not pursuing Him, we must realize our lack of faith and humbly come into His presence, not bearing these excuses, but turning to our loving Father who, alone, can provide the forgiveness and love we need.