Arrow 4 God

Longings

2011-12-10T14:40:00.006-05:00

Longings

There’s a longing in the soul
A piece of me a-waitin’
To let loose to the love within

There’s a longing in the heart
Filled, full and overflowing
Ready, ripe and expectant

There’s a longing in the being
Which knows there’s more of a meaning
Then keeping all this flowing within this
Wretched soul

There’s a piece of me a-waitin’
With so much, that I’m bursting
Ready, for the giving to another
Of similar yearning

But ready, and ripe as this heart may be
God tells me to be awaiting
For His perfect working

Though I am ready,
And the clock seems to be delaying
God knows the timing
And He tells me
I may share this yearning love
With a distressing, and weary world

The secret in my waiting is, He says
That if I share this love abroad
In His perfect way
Then and only then
Will I truly be ready for the one of similar yearning.

~Anna Dunlap

This is the first poem I've ever written. I was inspired through watching two lovers, and while I yearn for the day which I have one to love in such a way, I realized that this love that God has gifted me with doesn't have to suppressed but can be shared with all the people he puts into my path. For love is something which is not divided, but multiplied... It grows and the more love I pour out the more that God gives. And thus, my poem flowed from this desire for a companion, but greater yet from the realization that I must wait, and though I feel ready, the time as not yet come...So in the meantime, I have the joy of sharing the love God gives me with others.

Wondrous Enigma - the reflections of a whimsical damsel

2011-09-02T15:37:00.006-04:00

Oh, the astounding, inexplicable mysteries life holds...Life full of twists, turns, adventure, trials, laughter, awe, heartache, joy and enigmas... As Elizabeth Elliot wrote in her book, Keep a Quiet Heart, "Some things are simply too wonderful for explanation - the navigational system of the Arctic tern, for example. How does it find its way over twelve thousand miles of ocean from its nesting grounds in the Arctic to its wintering grounds in the Antarctic! Ornithologists have conducted all sorts of tests without finding the answer. Instinct is the best they can offer- no explanation at all, merely a way of saying that they really have no idea. A Laysan albatross was once released 3,200 miles from its nest in the Midway Islands. It was back home in ten days. The Migration of birds is a thing too wonderful."

Similarly, I see the mystery of life and how it unfolds as a 'thing simply too wonderful for explanation'. David in one of his prayers to our Lord wrote, "Lord, my heart in not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don't concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother's milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me." (Psalm 131) That is a rather absurd way for a modern person to describe the state of their soul - like a weaned child... ha ha, but its true, we don't always understand the riddles that life presents but we know the One who does. This One not only understands it, but created it, loves it and is the sovereign ruler of life. So my duty as a human that wants to serve God with her whole being is too be calmed and quieted in the bosom of the Savior. 'May it suffice me, as it sufficed Mary, to know that God knows. So if it's time to work, may I get on with my job. If it's time to go to bed, may I sleep in peace and let the Lord of the Universe do the worrying (paraphrase of E. Elliot).'

I hope this makes a little sense. Life isn't a total mystery though in Deuteronomy when Isreal is being called to return to the Lord they are told, "This command (to turn to the Lord) I am giving you is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, "Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?...No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it (30:11-14)." God gives what we need for today...

So let me repeat, "May it suffice me, as it sufficed Mary, to know that God knows." I must rest in my Savior. I must keep my heart quiet in my Savior. I must. So must you.

It's been awhile since, I've written anything about myself personally. This past year has most been one of the most difficult, challenging but blessed years of my life. Sounds kind of like a paradox. Let's see where I should start...

Well, I'm once again surrounded by homework, I am sitting in a prestigious looking, brick dorm built in 1887 on the beautiful campus of 1600 college students nestled in the hills of Kentucky. This dorm is my new home for the next three years. The journey which brought me to this place was interesting.

Community college ended up being the most difficult things I've ever done... Every preconceived idea of what college would be like was crushed. If I could do things over again, I would change a lot of things I did. But, the past is the past and cannot be 'redone'... reflecting I see many, many hard lessons learned that would not have been otherwise. Startling facts about myself where staring me in the face such as how what an unutterable self-fish person I am and how easily my heart can be swayed...basically, I was so all wrapped up in myself to the point of being depressed. Anyhow, Easter was kinda a break through for me when I realized that the secret to contentment is 'Christ in me not me in a different set of circumstances'. I had to, as is a daily journey, learn to embrace surrender and serve others.

Anyhow, at the end of my second semester of my freshmen year of school, I had no desire to set-foot-in-school again, but I was accepted to another college an hour and a half from my home with a $27,000 scholarship. A blessing wearing a disguise at the time. Also, in the early spring I was pursuing the possibility of nannying for a missionary family in Isreal. I had heard about a program which connects ladies willing to help a missionary family to a family who would appreciate extra help with their family. Anyhow, I began to feel that this pursuit was more my excitment for adventure then God's will... So I prayed, "If you want me to go to Isreal let it work out if not I'll stay home." It fell through and I thought, "Ok, God, what is this about?" Intentionally, I thought I might know why (but that was definitely ended up not being why). So, I moved back home. Actually, moved into the cabin on my parents property with Grandma. I began my summer working at a children's home in the area I had worked at before...at the home, I worked with the handicap and cared for them each day along with other women. And I love my job! In early, June God brought my family a new sister, Esther. This young lady was kicked out of her home and needed a place to live... So Esther moved in with us... and I realized why God had me stay in Kentucky. It was a very blessed, full and challenging summer. And there where so many experiences and things I learned that I cannot share here... Thus life continues, summer ended all to quickly and I did set my feet back in school...both feet, I made the decision and the dive and am here. This school is much different from the last and I have nothing to complain about... maybe I shall share about this experience soon.

Well, I hope something of these ramblings can be meaningful to you. The Lord is good and his mercy endures forever. Never forget that :)

Creation - [kree-ey-shuhn]

2011-05-14T19:59:00.001-04:00

“Some people, in order to discover God, read books. But there is a great book: the very appearance of created things. Look above you! Look below you! Read it. God, whom you want to discover, never wrote that book with ink. Instead He set before your eyes the things that He had made. Can you ask for a louder voice than that?”

— St. Augustine (354-430)

A Proposal to Consider

2011-05-14T18:57:00.005-04:00

Divorce is an epidemic in our country. I would dare to say, every family has been affected by this ever increasing epidemic in one way or another. In my own life three of my immediate aunts and uncles have divorced. I can recall listening to 89 year old, grandfatherly Bill Anacker stating thoughtfully that of all the families he knew across the country only the family of his own wife had none of the adult siblings divorced. In other words, in almost every family he could think of there had been at least one divorce. It is estimated that roughly 40 – 50% of current marriages will end in divorce before one of the partners die (Popnoe and Whitehead). With each remarriage the likelihood of divorce increases substantially. Divorce is a problem in our society.

Divorce hasn’t always been so prevalent in past generations. The percentage of divorce was four times lower in 1960 than it was in 2000 (Popnoe and Whitehead). Marriage was traditionally upheld as a sacred relationship before God, man and society in which both persons committed to each other for the purpose of procreation and child rearing. It was a commitment assumed to last until “death did them part”. Furthermore, rarely did couples marry for love alone. Stephanie Coonz, author of numerous books on marriage and family in America, pointed this out in her article “The Radical Idea of Marrying for Love”, “Only rarely in history was love seen as the main reason for getting married” (Coonz). Unlike today, love was generally not perceived as a pre-requisite for entering marriage. Rather, it was understood that married persons would grow in love for one another. Because marriage was held so highly, it was considered a great shame and disgrace to even speak of divorce. Compare that to current times in which even in religious sects the divorce rate is as high as those without religious affiliation (Barna Group). Not only is divorce not a taboo for the non-religious but also the religious.

G.K Chesterton pointed out, “Just as we should not accept a system that drives men to drown and shoot themselves, we should not accept a system that produces so many divorces. We must insist that divorce is a failure and that it would be much better for us to find the cause and cure rather than allow divorce to complete its destructive effect” (Ahlquist 141). It is obvious that divorce is a problem and that it has not always been such a widespread problem. The greater question is how to reverse the trends, or find the “cause and cure” as Chesterton argued. No issue in society will have an easy or simple fix to it, but there are things that we can do to help reverse the trends. If we are pro-active rather than passive about the problems of divorce we, the people of the society, can reverse the negative trends of divorce in this country.

A wise man once said, “If we travel the same road as everyone else we will end at the same destination”. If we plant the same seeds we will have the same fruit. If our views, habits and attitudes toward divorce, marriage and love are the same as everyone else, we will have the same probability of divorce. I propose that in order to reverse the trends of divorce we must begin with our families. Furthermore, I propose that if parents would teach their children the principle of waiting to date until they are ready for the commitment of marriage it would help decrease the probability of divorce for their children – the next generation.

I can recall a rhyme that my classmates taught me in 1^st grade. It went like this, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.” The carriage can't go before the marriage. The cart can't go before the horse. There are many ways to say this. Things only work when they are done in the proper order. Every farmer knows that if he plants his garden too early in the spring the frost will come and kill his young plants. There is a proper order set out in nature for planting. Likewise there is a proper order set out in the marriage relationship. Also without following that specific order there will be consequences. The modern dating method often brings the intimacy before the commitment - the carriage before the marriage.

Think about what our system looks like. A young man notices a young girl who attracts him. He asks her out on a date, and she agrees. If neither one likes the other, then they both have had a bad experience. If they initially “hit it off” and continue the relationship, then the eventual temptation to become intimate is strong. Then one of the “sweethearts” is interested in staying together but the other has a change of heart, the feelings go away, and he wants out of the relationship. An endless supply of emotional snarls and complications come with a break-up of the “lovers”. The young man notices another young lady who interests him. And the cycle continues. “The modern dating system does not train young people to form a relationship. It trains them to form a series of relationships, and further trains them to harden themselves to the break-up of all but the current one” (Bailey). Old habits are difficult to break. What happens after this man finally settles down and marries? What happens when he wakes up and realizes he doesn't have the feeling that he did for his wife? He must not be in love, he reasons, or he must have married the wrong person. Then he wants out, just like he did with every other relationship. It has been said that dating is preparation for divorce. This is said because of the habit of break-up that occurs through the modern dating system.

It could also be noted that the modern dating system's purpose is for pleasure and entertainment. There is no end to dating, no underlining purpose. This hasn't always been the purpose of dating. In times past, persons only became romantically involved when they had the intent of marriage as an end. They waited to become romantic when they could have the commitment. Parents need to teach these principles to their children.

I believe with the teaching of good principles in regards to dating, love and marriage, parents could help decrease the likelihood of divorce for their children. Specifically, the teaching the principle of waiting to date until one is ready for commitment.

(I wrote this for a assignment in English class. Didn't make a very good grade on it but thought I'ld share anyhow...)

quote

2011-02-17T09:45:00.002-05:00

"I believe that any Christian who is qualified to write a good popular book on any science may do much more by that than by any directly apologetic work.... we must attack the enemy's line of communication. What we want is not more little books about Christianity, but more little books by Christians in other subjects, with their Christianity latent.... it is not the books written in direct defence of materialism that make the modern man a materialist; it is the materialistic assumptions in all other books. In the same way it is not books on Christianity that will really trouble him. But he would be troubled if, whenever he wanted a cheap popular introduction to some science, the best work on the market was always by a Christian." ~C.S. Lewis

Prayer for Quiet Confidence

2010-12-27T21:29:00.002-05:00

Oh God of peace that has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved,
in quietness and confidence shall be our strength:
By the might of Thy Spirit lift us, we pray Thee, to Thy presence,
where we may be still and know that Thou art God;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wait

2010-12-27T21:24:00.001-05:00

These days

Are the good

Old Days

Just Wait

And See

~Steve Turner

reflectioning the changes of life

2010-10-14T15:07:00.005-04:00

I am now sitting at the reception desk of the Health Science Dept. at a local community college. The ladies are talking about the business of registering students for classes. I have a computer mouse in hand and text-books, notes and a notebook scribbled with the latest vocabulary words scattered about me. I hear an adviser's phone ringing with it's gentle bep-bep-beep-bep. The copying machine is busy running of tests and at any second a student will enter and inquire about the programs offered here. As I put my work-study time in I am reflecting the changes life has shown.
I've been home for just over a year. On one hand I don't know where the year has gone, in the other I cannot believe I did everything I did in only one year. Currently, my full time job is being a student. A blessing which often wears a disguise. I began my college education journey at a local community college this August. I had every dream of beginning at a 4-year college and staying put for a change, filled with studying, service, dorm life, community, new friends, away from home ... all those things imagined in 'moving away to college'. Instead, I'm attending a local community college (30 min from home) and moved in with my grandmother. All my preconceived ideas of what college was going to be like were shaken. Slowly, I am seeing the blessing of the un-expected yet God intended time of my life.
When I came back to KY last October, I thought I'ld jump back into life as I left it. But like Nelson Mandela said, "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered." I had changed. or at least something had. It took a bit of adjustment swinging into my family's cabin life routine and back to my job caring for a family's handicap girls. In January, my family moved to our long awaited home. Sometime in that time I also began working at the Galilean's Children's Home caring for the severely handicap. That lasted until harvest time came on the farm in July-ish. Then I worked with a family on their large produce farm growing melons, peppers and tomatoes. We worked our butts off for a couple months. Until school time rolled around... then I was forced to pick up and change gears again.
All the experiences of the past year have been good and fully worth it. Even though it's been good and all, I'm ready to settle down... I'm weary of being the stranger, of 'stepping out of my comfort zone' ... I'm ready to settle in a place called 'home' and staying there for a long-long time. Yet, I don't see that happening for awhile... Why life is full of change? I don't know? Guess, I must embrace it and say, "Lord, Thy will be done."

quote

2010-05-14T00:20:00.001-04:00

"What the caterpillar calls the "end of the world", the Creator calls a butterfly."

-E. Elliot

Christ the Lord is Risen!

2010-04-15T18:16:00.003-04:00

And all God's people say, "Amen."We enter this season of the resurrection with "the prayers of the people", "cross of Christ", and "Holy Scriptures".

All God's people also say, "Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah!"

Trillium

Reflections

2010-04-15T17:15:00.002-04:00

It has been a long while since I've created a post. Mostly because I didn't feel the creativity of writing a story or thought (too lazy to communicate through literature). While I reflect on the past months of life I say, "God is good, life is sweet, thanks be to God." Also, life is busy.

One highlight for myself was a week long silent retreat I took at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Bardstown, KY. This monastery is inhabited by 80 or so men who have dedicated their lives to praying for the world. One of their "ministries" if you will is hospitality. They have retreats available for about 50 people at a time. You are given a room, meals, and all the time and silence you would want. They have church seven times a day, hundreds of acres of wilderness to explore, a library of books to devour and counseling available. Oh yeah, all the other retreatants eager to "talk to somebody" after a day of quiet...

Of all I learned in the "silence" that week, the thing that struck home the greatest to me was the concept of living the moment intensely. One women challenged me, "Don't wait - LIVE today." Amen to that. How many times have I worried myself sick about the future rather than opening my eyes to the beauty of the present? This has been especially challenging for me in the wondering where I will go to school next fall. I want to figure it all out right now. (I've been waiting 4 months to hear from my college of top choice, when I was told it would be about 6 weeks.) So in that sense yes I need to wait and trust God to lead, but I need not "wait to live".

Be challenged in this little reflection, to "live the moment intensely" as Mother Teresa once said.

God's Own Fool

2010-01-08T19:42:00.003-05:00

God's Own Fool

It seems I've imagined Him all of my life

As the wisest of all of mankind

But if God's only wisdom is foolish to man

He must have seemed out of His mind

For even His family said He was mad

And the priest said a demons to blame

But God in the form of this angry young man

Could not have seemed perfectly sane

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise

He played the fool and He opened our eyes

When we in our weakness believed we were strong

He become helpless to show we were wrong

So we follow God's own fool

For only the foolish can tell

Believe thee unbelievable, and come be a fool as well

So come lose your life for a carpenter's son

For a madman who died for a dream

And you'll have the faith His first followers had

And you'll feel the weight of the beam

So surrender the hunger to say you must know

Have the courage to say, "I believe"

For the power of paradox opens your eyes

And blinds all those who say they can see

When we in our foolishness thought we were wise

He played the fool to open our eyes

When we in our weakness believed we were strong

He became helpless to show we were wrong

By: Michael Card

Story 2 - Vaction Bible School summer 2010

2010-01-06T14:06:00.006-05:00

Gerdua with a group of kids
Joe, the 18 year old, in charge of the 40 six year olds
My craft room
Mrs. Berline's red scarfed kids with those awful glitter banners
Praise the lord!

It haven't been very prompt in sharing on my blog much about this past summer. I will share one more "story" or insight on what it was like for me. This time I will quote from my journal.

Tues. Aug. 11th 2009 (written a week later)
"... That was the last day of VBS. I was rose at 5AM. The generator was already on which means that someone was already up and working. I had time of prayer and scripture on the porch ledge of the guest house. From my perch I could see Fenel already starting the string mower which, Mr. Joe an American had fixed the night before with Fenel and I looked on. He waved real big... "Bonjou". To my left I could see Esta vida, the cook and Enel just starting up the fire for cooking lunch for all those children... they cooked a total of four huge pots that day... then they had all the dishes to wash! Thank God of those who work behind the scenes. Back to my perch, then up trudged Pierre to the guest house with a 4 gallon Culligan bottle of water balanced on his head. I said," Isn't that difficult for you?" in Creole

"Non, dificil for you." he replied.

The day had just begun.

By 8 AM all was prepared for VBS and the church was being filled up with children ages 0-14. All of us leaders and helpers clasped our hands in prayer, asking our Heavenly Father for His favor , protection and wisdom. Then started the regular 30 min. introduction time ...
"Papa Abraham bwa ou pepitit.. with the leaders Degazon, Didy, Philip, Cherline and Annlene all leading up front. Hands in the air, feet off the ground, head scarves waving, all praising the Lord with everything in them. Then it was time to split off into groups... I ran up to the craft room to meet Mrs. Berline and her group of 48 of so red scarfed kids. They had coloring books to color that day. All we needed were little paper books and crayons. What a breather compared to the previouse praise banners with glitter! The red scarves came and went. I had I had a min. to visit the other activity rooms. I poked my head into Ludy's class of 50 kids preparing for the parent's program tomorrow. "Koman ou ye Loudy?"I greeted

"Mama,"she insisted. When I had first arrived she called me baby because I was so young. I called her Mama and it stuck.

"Ok, Mama."

Souvenie was singing with a group of seven and eight year olds; Fenel was feeding his gang crackers; Claude was practicing a skit with part of his group; Philp was leading kids on their hands and knees in the field pushing lids with their nose while Yves was doing a sack race with the other part of Degazon's 56 big kids, then I went down into the baby room at the church, 114 Babies (ages 0-5). Here M. Edy was leading with about six helpers. Somehow everything looked amazingly under control.

Oh. it was time for me to receive another class the ends of my quick peeks. In marched Degazon's crowd of 50 twelve to fourteen year olds. I was happy this last day was an easy craft. Dega. was passing out water. I had Esther, the helper, assist me in passing out crayons. In this class was Haitian-American boy from New Jersey. The day before I had given him a "sermon" about watching out for girls vs. taking advantage of them/experimenting with them. Leaving him the challenge.

"Be a real man"...

"But I AM!" Today we talked about being a Christian ...

Now it was time for Degazon's group to head for the snack room. The other day the snack was popcorn. It had taken three- fourths of a 25 lbs bag of corn cernals to feed all the kids snack." ...

and so the day continued...and the week went... Fullfilling, busy and with much teamwork. During that week of VBS we had a few hundred children come each day. The theme was; 'Make a Joyful Noise' to the Lord. The whole Zion church worked together to make this possible for the children of the community.
My role in the VBS was crafts. I had to plan, gather supplies and lead the crafts.

My friends from America came during that week. There was a team of seven that came. On top of the VBS in the mornings, Aaron (my American friend) lead leadership/ teamwork training for the youth of the church. That in its self was a awsome, learning experience.

Moved ! and the story behind our new home

2009-12-13T15:12:00.012-05:00

Family building adventures. 2005-2009Our family in 2005.

Laying firm foundation.

House raising party in 2006. Men from the community came to lend helping hands.

First stud wall up!

Daddy and some of my siblings.

Rafters are going up.

Roof raising party. Thanks be to God for all the helpers.

My sisters and I in the future living room/ dining / kitchen area. We are leaning against beams from world war 2 barracks.

The skeleton of a home.

Our home completed!!! (The white buckets were for collecting rain water for the garden)

My Father built a cabin in the woods.

Jonathan at the pump.

The barn. View from computer.

"Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Rejoice." Philippians 4:4 This was the beginning of the New Testament reading this morning at Church. My family especially has reason to rejoice in the Lord in this Advent season because we've moved into our long awaited home. We've been building it for four years.

"When are you all planning to move?" was a frequently asked question.

"By Christmas - we just don't know which year." was our joke, after it became apparent we weren't moving anytime soon.

"What is the story behind the house?" you may ask.

It began in year 2004. My uncle, aunt and four cousins moved in with us at the homestead "on the creek". ( In our area in Kentucky, we have ridges and creeks. If you have to drive up a big hill to get to your home you live "on the ridge" and if you can see hills around you I think you've found yourself in the "creek".) So Daddy, Mama, uncle, aunt and ten kids aging - 14,13,10,9, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1 all lived in our one bathroom house for nine months. (Hey, it was like a big party for the kids.) Let's skip some details. It was decided that Papa would build my family a house in the back field (we had 4 acres) and my uncle would buy our house. But Grandpa heard about our plans and through his generosity and God's providence we were able to purchase a 15 acres piece of land.

The land had a little white house in which an elderly women lived in (which she had rights to until she died), two large barns falling down, an enormous amount of trash (Why send your trash to the dump if you can throw it over the hill?), an overgrown field and acres of woods. In the years that followed Daddy led in the development of the land ( cleaning up trash, putting in a driveway , clearing the fields, putting up fences, trimming trees, cultivating gardens, etc. ); fixing up the barns; building a cabin; planning and designing our house; developing two springs; and building our home. Not an easy job.

We sold our old home, shop and four acres to a home school family. Then we were able to pay back the money we had borrowed from Grandpa and build debt free.

On June 19th 2008, my family moved into the guest cabin Daddy and Ethan built in the woods. This cabin was complete with a bay window, wood flooring, faucet less sink, wood cook stove and back porch overlooking the ravine. What made the cabin unique for my family was the lack of electricity and running water. All the water we used for the family was pumped at the red hand pump outside the cabin. For cooking, washing dishes, baths, laundary, we learned to conserve water really well! As in: -"I think you can wear that shirt another day." We also learned how to live and work together in a tighter area. Let's say some days were better than others.

After a year and a half in the cabin, my father had finished the house and we eagerly bustled out of the cabin and into our beautiful new home. It looks as if we abandoned the cabin ! We took what we needed and left . One of these days we'll have to go clean out the cabin :)

Now we are in the house, just before Christmas year 2009. Thank you Lord for your provision in materials, time for building, friends and family who helped and grace to live one day at a time.

Parables

2009-11-22T19:38:00.006-05:00

This morning, in Discipleship Class, I was introduced to an intriguing thought. This was in a subject I never had put much thought into - parables.

"Why parables?" You may ask, "Aren't those stories Jesus used when teaching?"

"Yes, exactly. Jesus taught in parables. And if Jesus used this method it must be a very good one."

" Yes, but that was a long time ago. We now live in an era of cell phones, Internet, facebook, science, ..."

" People are people. We all have that same nature. Those in Jesus' time(like us) had the need to be loved, need of belong, a self-centered nature. They cried, laughed, thought, and rested. Even before Jesus' time. "

In class, we were reading the story of David and Bathsheba. This is a dark story ... an account of a sin David committed against Bathseba, Uriah, and God. Then we read that David tried to cover up his sin ... This causes more consequences which spilled into the lives of many innocent people. (2 Sam. 11-12)

Next we find, Nathan, a prophet sent by God, spoke to David in a parable."There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.
'The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
'Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."

How did David respond?
"David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die!" (2 Sam. 12: ?)

"You are that man!" Nathan replied.

"Why did Nathan speak in a parable? Why did Jesus speak in parables?"

...The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"
He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: " 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.' (Matt. 13: ?)

Jesus said, "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand."

Parables are a way in which one reaches past a person's self-defence/ that feeling in which you have to defend yourself . "This is 'why' I'm O.K!"

What if Nathan had told King David, "You are a sinner worthy of death. You committed adultery with Uriah's wife, then committed murder against Uriah ..."? King David may have had Nathan's head chopped off. Do you think the people would have listened to Jesus? The Word tells us that the people's hearts where calloused. What callouses our hearts? Sin?

Fr. Bob brought forth the intriguing thought that we as Christian should also learn how to "speak in parables" in evangelism. Think about Jesus... OK. I'm stuck in this thought. I know what I'm thinking but just how to write that is a challenge. I found a article on http://www.internetevangelismday.com/ which so beautifully portrays what I am trying to share.

The Parable of Parable

Why stories communicate

"Once upon a time, Truth went about the streets as naked as the day he was born. As a result, no-one would let him into their homes. Whenever people caught sight of him, they turned away and fled. One day when Truth was sadly wandering about, he came upon Parable. Now, Parable was dressed in splendid clothes of beautiful colors. And Parable, seeing Truth, said, "Tell me, neighbor, what makes you look so sad?" Truth replied bitterly, "Ah, brother, things are bad. Very bad. I'm old, very old, and no-one wants to acknowledge me. No-one wants anything to do with me."

Hearing that, Parable said, "People don't run away from you because you're old. I too am old. Very old. But the older I get, the better people like me. I'll tell you a secret: Everyone like things disguised and prettied up a bit. Let me lend you some splendid clothes like mine, and you'll see that the very people who pushed you aside will invite you into their homes and be glad of your company."

Truth took parable's advice and put on the borrowed clothes. And from that time on, Truth and Parable have gone hand in hand together and everyone loves them. They make a happy pair."

Yiddish Folktales, Pantheon Books, New York, edited by Beatice Silverian Weinreich, ISBN: 0805210903

The Example of Jesus

"Jesus was not a theologian; He was God who told stories" - Madeleine L'Engle

We can use parable, as Jesus kid to illustrate the truth by pointing to meanings in books and films and everyday life. It is also very close to the concept of redemptive analogy.

Sermon illustrations are essential to clear communication and are very close to parable. "A sermon without illustrations is like a room without windows." (CH Spurgeon)

The word gospel is a direct translation of evangelion in the New Testament, though many modern translations use the equally valid good news. Interestingly, the word gospel comes from the Old English godspel which also means good story. One thing that makes us human is our imagination, the ability to visualize a narrative which we cannot see, whether past, present or future, fact or fiction. We are hardwired to create and understand 'story', even from a very early age.

"Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: 'I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.'" ( Matt. 13:4-5)

As we read the four gospels, we see that Jesus never used scripture as a starting point except in the synagogue. He always used stories about everyday things. Perhaps surprisingly, it is never recorded that He even used a short narrative story from what we now call the Old Testament.

Note how universal this principal is: TV adverts tell a short narrative story in order to be memorable. Even a humor cartoon usually contains the snapshot of a short story.

Jesus was a Storyteller!

Why is storytelling so important for world mission? Here are some reasons, collected by Jim Bowman, Directoe of Scripture in Use:

Over two thirds of the world population receive most of their information orally;
For over one third of the world population, oral communication is the only source of information;
95% of women in the Islamic world can only be reached through oral comm.
Over 75% of the Bible consists of stories

etc.

A surprisingly large number of people even in the West do not receive most of their information through the printed page. This subject of oral evangelism is very relevant even for evangelism in the West.

www.internetevangelismday.com/parable.php

Please leave a comment and share your thoughts on this subject

Story 1 - youth group

2009-10-29T21:42:00.012-04:00

Mount Zion Church Youth Group

While at Living Hope Mission in Haiti, I had the joy of being part of the church's youth group. This group of young adults and teens had a unique bond in Christ.

Every Sunday evening there would be a meeting. They would open in prayer, then one youth would lead a 15 min devotion and then they would do an activity - board games, show-and-tell, movie or Andris would give some teaching. On those Sundays, we saw many new faces from the community.

Yet, more than a once a week meeting was the day-to-day interaction of many of these young folks at the mission. It may have meant a soccer game with the director, Andris; practicing a song for the upcoming Sunday service; sitting around the outdoor kitchen enjoying rice; making hundreds of paper flowers for the upcoming Mother's Day or working together to lead a church service. I saw beauty of unity, friendship and encouragement in the body of Christ through these people.

Then I came - a white, American dumb to the understanding of their language, Creole, and their culture. I moved in with the mission's directors, Andris and Mary Jane, for an unstated amount of time. ( I was not allowed to state when I was leaving until the day before departure.) Yet, this group opened wide their arms to me like they did to others coming from their community. This was one quality I especially admired - they could be a close group but were still able to include another.

In the video above you can see us singing, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" in French.

"Just how did you come to singing with them?" I hear you asking.

I had been at the mission for one week. The youth were practicing songs for the upcoming Mother's Day program. I was watching. Andris then asked,"Do you want to try singing with them?"

"Yes" I answered. I timidly joined the group and tried to make those "funny" sounds. A couple days later I wrote in my journal

"...I went to practice with the youth for the upcoming program. One song, "Alpha & Omega", I don't know in English... the other was "The Battle Hymn of the Republic". In the chorus, the boys would sing "Glory, Glory" in there low voices followed by the girls, "Hallelujah". We sang in Creole of course. I simply watched Fenel's lips and listened to those around me." That is how I learned (and would still be if I were there now) - lip reading, listening and singing.

The language barrier was the biggest challenge for me those months. When I arrived I knew only a handful of phrases in Creole and when I left I could speak no more than in a light conversation (if you could call it that). This was frustrating. I love to talk to people, learn about them and simply understand what's going on. I remember on day in particular ... I was standing outside, we had just finished a Bible study.

"Koman ou ye?" Degazon, the cooking teacher, had asked with a smile. "Koman ou ye" means "how are you" in Creole. I had probably already heard this question 100 times that day. When one of the only phrases you know is "How are you" and you see 100 people. Guess what they ask you? and when the only reply you know is "good" ...

"I am frustrated," I retorted in English.

"Fr-ust-ra-ted? I don't understand?" She said with a very confused look, "In Creole?"

"I am well," I responded with a laugh at her confusion.

Yes, a language barrier is a frustrating barrier which crumbles in the matter of time and study. One way, I found to crack this barrier was singing with the youth. I got to the point in which I "mastered in making those funny sounds" even though I didn't understand what those words meant. But hey, that could be semi-fixed by having a couple high school students practice translating into English..

I thank God for the opportunities He gave me in interacting with the Zion Church youth group.

Mesi Senye! Mwen renmen Haitian zami yo mwen!

Thank you Lord! I love my Haitian friends!

Home again

2009-10-22T12:15:00.005-04:00

Home again. It's been awhile since I've wrote anything on this blog ... let me give a little update. I came home to Kentucky about a month ago. Thus, I have completed my School of Servanthood internship with Reaching the Nations International. I've had quite the adjustment coming home. Let's say I wasn't expecting culture shock coming back to the place where I "look" (and act) like everyone - my own home. Yet, it hit me in the face. It's been a month and I'm about adjusted to our simple, complicated life in the cabin.
Here I am at a place seeking God for "next steps". One of the greatest things I learned this year was how much I need to learn. I think college is my next step. This next bit of time I'll be trying to "learn" what skills I can. My ambitions are high ... I want to learn French, how to crochet, knit, become "better read", guitar and so forth. But I find most days all I have time for is cleaning, cooking and going to work. We'll see what happens. I have to go now but I want to leave with a thought which Oswald Chambers left in his book "My Utmost Highest". "If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a multitude of experiences that are not meant for you at all, they are meant to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what transpires in other souls so that you will never be surprised at what you come across. Oh, I can't deal with that person. why not? God gave you ample opportunity to soak before Him on that line, and you barged off because it seemed stupid to spend time in that way." Jonathan and I

Sveta playing the violin and cousins dancing

Some of those I love

All dressed up in country looking clothing.

My three youngest siblings.

Jonathan

quote

2009-08-28T16:44:00.000-04:00

"Live each moment intensely"
-Mother Teresa

Haiti part one

2009-08-22T22:02:00.002-04:00

Emily and I with some kids

Ashley and I with kids (Eddyson, Eberdine, Gessica, Lyberly, and Tarcha.) This was my last day in Haiti.

Have you ever asked the "Why" questions?

2009-08-20T18:54:00.003-04:00

Hi friends and family

As many know I've been in Haiti the past three months. A week ago, today, I was flying home from the place and people I had grown to love on my way back to Columbus, Ohio to some more people I love and to finish my internship with Reaching the Nations International.
I plan to add a few posts with photos and stories from those months in Haiti. I am now sorting through my photos. I lost all the pictures I took the first two months but I was given all the photos the Mission took so I'm gonna have to see what I'll have to share.
Coming back was difficult for me, yet God's helping me keep it all in perspective. I'm trying to find my place in Columbus. I've even wondered "Why am I here?" ... Since in Haiti, I've seen area's of growth needed in my life ... now I'm ready to go do what's needed there so I can be "useful". But here I am ... God knows why. All this I'm writing is related to what Helen Morgan wrote once ... ( In our lives ) "How anxious we are to see 'fruit'. When a little appears we tend to brag about it and even photograph it because it seems to justify our existence to others and "make it all worthwhile". But we do not need to justify our existence. God called us and will use us when and how he wants. Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile?"' I love that last line - the punch line. "Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile?"
In my own life, I want to get on with things so I can "hurry" up and see some "fruit". Aren't you glad God's not in a hurry. That's one thing I love about God. The Bible says, " God is not slack concerning His promise as some count slackness but is long suffering toward us not willing that any should parish but that all should come to repentance." In my impatience I am wanting to "justify my existence" here. I ask, " Why am I here?". I want to be "needed" in my own little corner here. Have you ever felt that way? Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile?
Yes, but ...
Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile??
Yes, yet Why ...
Dare we say that simply to obey Him is not worthwhile? God called us and will is use when and how he wants. Isaiah 45: 9 says , " Shall the clay say to him how forms it, " What are you making?' ... No that would be silly to even think about. In verse 12 God goes on by saying, " I have made the the earth and created man on it. I - My hands - stretched out the the heavens, And all their host I have commanded. I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his way; ..." Next time you are out in a meadow full of wildflowers, or gazing into the starry night or upon a mountain sun-rise with the dew softly resting on the grass or are watching your children ponder the Creator of All - Him who by His hands stretched out the heavens - Him who made the earth and created man in His own image. I think that kind of Creator knows what He is doing in your life and mine. Do you?
God knows the beginning and end of the picture. I present a challenge to you if you have ever questioned like me ... Dare we say that to simply obey Him is not worthwhile?

A Little about Haiti

2009-06-08T21:21:00.004-04:00

Ok. This picture in blurry. Here I am with my 5th grade class. Last week I practied two English songs with them everyday which they sang for church Sunday. The kids are a joy to me.

Here are some of the children lined up for school to begin. This school has about 200 students in attendence grades preschool -6th.

Flowers, flowers. We made 100+ paper geranium's for the Mother's Day Program.

Inside the church. This is at the Mother's Day Program on May 31st.

The youth sang a song for the Program. I joined them. They were singing, "Alpha and Omega". I didn't even know the song in English. Here I listen to the one beside me, read the lips of someone and sing...

People, people, people, we had about 500 come to our Mother's Day Program.

Here I am sideways ... With Baby Joos. Notice the chicken in the background. We're in the church ... There are a couple plump chickens that hang out around the church. One day, I went down to the church to teach the English to a couple youth. Low and behold, two chicken were perched on the bench my students usually sit on. It looked as if they were ready for class.

Can we fit everyone and the church in the photo? Nope.

Can you find me? I'm on the back right.

You can see the church in the background. It's still under contruction. About one third of it has a roof.

In this picture you can see the side of the church with the roof.

Haiti

2009-06-02T20:04:00.005-04:00

Haitian sunset.

Mary Jane and Andris (in foreground)

mission grounds ( in background)

orevwa = goodbye

2009-05-21T12:47:00.006-04:00

The time as came for me to say good-bye to Milo for a time. Ivon and I in a sack race

Which team will win?

Hey Jawaraski!!!

- My girls -

By this time tomorrow, I'll be in Haiti. Time has been flying these past few weeks. I've had a good week preparing for this trip. Wednesday Young Disciples was kinda a go-away party for me. In the girls study, we had snacks and everyone had a turn to say something about me. Then we had an egg hunt. Inside the eggs were questions about the last 4 Bible stories we learned - creation, the fall, Cain & Abel, and Noah's Ark. Then we split up in groups and answered the questions. Then we had a sack race. At the boys study, we all sat in a big circle and talked. Then they had an egg hunt too. We all split up in groups to discuss the questions. Then boys also had an sack race and bobbed for apples. We all had a fun time.

Today, a couple of Emily's boys came by to say bye to me ... So long, till next time.

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great thing for God." - William Carey

(Pray for me that I would have an attitude like this in Haiti)

quote

2009-05-18T23:50:00.001-04:00

"We have got to have soft hearts and hard feet"
-Jackie Pullinger

sewing fun

2009-05-10T17:08:00.003-04:00

Sewing skirts for the trip to Haiti

Anna and Carica

Erica, Carica, Anna, and Ashley. ( If you wonder why they look a little odd it because -they're not all finished) Saturday myself and this three girls went to a friends house to sew skirts. Ashley, Erica, and Mrs. Bev cut out the skirts while Carica and I sewed. It was very slow going considering the fact that Carica had never sewn anything. Carica enjoyed learning very much. In the nine hours we were there, we only finished two of the skirts. The funnest, and most important part was spending quality time with Carica. I was glad to have time to talk and share.

My trip to Haiti is coming up quickly. Please remember me in your prayers. Last, week I met the missionaries I'm to stay with. They are humble and simple people. :) I am looking forward to learning from them.

Is God calling you?

2009-05-10T16:38:00.000-04:00

recommended book

2009-05-06T23:07:00.005-04:00

"The Heavenly Man" by Brother Yun and Paul Hattaway is an incredible book. I suggest that anyone that has a chance ought to read it. (Maybe you could get it through inter-library loan at your local library.)Amazon had 155 reviews for this book. Here is one of the reviews -

Surviving heaven and hell in modern China, March 15, 2004
By
Michael JR Jose (the UK) - See all my reviews The 'Heavenly Man' gets his name from a time when he was being publicly arrested by the Chinese state police for preaching (an offence for which you can still die in China), and he refused to give his name and address to avoid incriminating others. Under pressure, he shouted aloud as a warning for the village to hear, "I am a Heavenly Man". This defiance and denial of the state and assertion of his individual rights only enraged the enforcers even more, but certainly saved a few others from capture that night. The Heavenly Man's true name is Liu Zhenying, and the brothers call him Brother Yun. He was born in a mud hut house in 1958 in Nanyang County, the southern part of Henan Province, China. His peasant farmer village is very small, only 600 souls, but Henan Province has 100 million, and has been widely influenced by his preaching and leadership in the persecuted house church movement. Brother Yun is currently in exile in Europe with his family.
This account of the way things are for the oppressed in modern China is not for the faint-hearted. It is a harrowing but inspired account of his life from his conversion at the age of sixteen (with the rest of his family), up to 2002. Almost every type of miracle is recorded here. Of course, whether the reader believes any or all of them will depend on many things, but most basically it will depend on whether your worldview contains any supernatural aspect. If you go so far as to believe that there is a God and that he can intervene by his Will direct, as opposed to just working through people, then you may be inclined to accept all that he says. He is a veteran of the Chinese state prison system. Under the almost incessant vicious treatment of the communists he was attacked bodily and mentally in torture and public humiliation. It is no surprise that it took miraculous powers to bring him through: without it he simply would not have survived physically or mentally.
His family and friends also suffered terribly. As China is an honour-shame culture, the absolute rights and wrongs of individual justice and truth are as often as not of no importance in determining your public treatment at the hands of the community and authorities. Being shamed, or the fear of being shamed, is often all it takes in terms of social control and compliance. (The other side of the social compliance mechanism is the Hebrew internalised justice-guilt culture, which 'Westerners' have...so we are eclectic Easterners really. Our jurisprudence is essentially Greek. In the justice-guilt concept what matters most is the actual truth of the case, not what people think or the circumstantial evidence. Our version of honour-shame is sadly exemplified in the debased hysteria of the screaming tabloids, peer pressure in the youth, and fashion victims. But all stable cultures require a blend of both elements.)
The risks of being a Christian in China today are all too evident. Brother Yun and his co-pastors quite rightly condemn the state-controlled 'Three-Self Patriot church' as an ineffectual and neutralised collection of infiltrated collaborators. It is a running dog, paper tiger type of church. They are called 'caged birds' that enable the communists to falsely claim that religious freedom exists.
Yun's conversion starts with the night vision of his mother, desperate in plight, as their father lies dying of cancer. She is converted instantly, and the next day they pray for their father who is healed. The family become Christians. Yun needs a bible (extremely difficult to get at that time), and almost fasts and prays himself to death. The bible is miraculously provided. He shares his faith and preaches. He is then plunged into a whirl of healings, miraculous escapes, supernatural dreams and visions, conversions of almost insane death-row prisoners, and escapes from prison that read like episodes from Star Wars.
The style in which everything is reported is so dry and plain that it seems that only Yun's simplicity saves him from being accused of fantasy beyond the normal reaches of fiction. He speaks as man consumed by the truth and the passion of his convictions. I myself believe what he says, and am one of such sceptic mould that I parse every miracle report and 'word' I hear with great care. If I reject what I hear most often it is on the grounds of 'good intention' and thin evidence: the person's motive may be good but the method bad. To me it clear that Brother Yun has only survived with his life through an incessant stream of miracles.
During his final arrest he broke both his legs. As a well-known escapee he was incarcerated in a maximum-security prison and his broken legs are tortured to cripple him for life. He is warned by God that he must escape very soon or die. At the right moment he walks out of the prison like the invisible man (on the broken legs, not realising that they have been instantly healed), and he eventually escapes to Germany. His family escaped via Burma (where he survives an unspeakably vile Burmese prison), and they now live in exile in the west.I am currently reading, "Living Water" by Brother Yun. It is a collection of Yun's dynamic teachings.

Here is a you-tube video with Brother Yun in it. (I suggest that if you get on you-tube do so with disernment and caution.)

flowers

2009-05-06T22:38:00.003-04:00

"In the absense of any other proof, the thumb would convince me of God's existence" - Isaac Newton

Take a minute and observe those flowers. Do you think they also point to a Infinite Creator?

( Photo taken by Sveta)

Good days

2009-05-01T22:24:00.003-04:00

VBS week

Some of the boys

Us, girls working on our life of Jesus Books

Emily with girls

Emily teaching

Here are some pictures back from the VBS we had last week.

May has come. In 21 days I hop on the plane for Haiti. People ask me if I'm ready my reply is "I'll be ready in 21 days". These past few weeks have been very fruitful and busy.

A couple weeks ago, I did an intensive study on "The Pilgrim's Progress" written by John Bunyan. "The Pilgrim's Progress" is an phenomenal analogy of the Christian life ... I found it extremely well written. (Maybe that's why it has become an Christian classic :) Aaron's father lead me in that study.

The next week was followed by Vacation Bible School. The kids were on Spring break. VBS was six hours each day. Good times. Aaron and Jumar would take the boys to a park in the mornings. Emily and I had the girls here at the house. We would progressively watch part of the Jesus film and then work on our "Life of Jesus" book. The girls seemed to get into the film even though it wasn't action packed. Different people brought lunch each day. In the afternoons, we had the girls and boys together. The first two days it was rainy. That means we had all of them in the house. To say the least, it got a bit hectic. Day three, the sun decided to show it's face. That day we had lunch park and spent the afternoon there. The theme in the afternoons was - We are more than conquerors.

It is emotionally exhausting thinking about the future of all those kids. The future of these kids are bleak without God. I want to make the kids choose the decisions which lead to life. All we can do is live out the truth, pray for them, teach God's ways, and trust God to do the rest. I am encouraged by these lyrics ..."Our God is mighty to save ... Savior He can move the mountains, our God is mighty to save He is mighty to save forever, author of salvation He rose and conquered the grave Jesus conquered the grave..." I thought if God can move mountains and conquer the grave. He can save these kids too. Jesus can show them another way to live...

Last weekend, Emily and I went down to see our family's. It was a wonderful visit. I cried when I arrived and when I left. One of my favorite parts of the trip was our Sunday afternoon hike at Colum Branch. At Colum Branch, we walk up a creek a little ways then through fields and woods. At one point we were at a little pond with teams of salamanders. Some of the little ones decided play in the mud. It was just relaxing. At one piont I asked, "Emily, what do you hear?" She listen for a long time and said, "No traffic, just running water and birds" Anywhere here you can hear traffic ... Sveta has pictures on her blog.

Vacation Bible School

2009-04-19T14:18:00.000-04:00

Quote

2009-04-19T14:15:00.002-04:00

"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart"
-Bob Pierce, World Vision founder

Psalm 8

2009-04-12T22:28:00.002-04:00

Psalm 8

O Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is your name in all the earth,

Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

You have ordained strength,

Because Your enemies,

That You may silence the enemy and avenger.

When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers,

The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,

What is man that You are mindful of him,

And the son of man that You visit him?

For You have made him a little lower than the angels,

And You have crowned him

with glory and honor.

You have made him to have dominion over the works

of Your hands;

You have put all things under his feet

All sheep and oxen -

Even the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air,

And the fish of the sea

That pass through the paths of the seas.

O Lord, our Lord,

How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

Mission to Milo II

2009-04-03T17:24:00.004-04:00

Here are some more pictures from last week. They got all mixed up when I down loaded them.The sophmores had so much fun playing with the kids. Here's Taylor with a young one on his shoulders. I wonder if he'll get it in the hoop?

Sorting clothes at Victory Mission.

Hosanna in the Highest! Blest is he who comes in the name of the Lord. This week at Young Disciple we taught about Palm Sunday.

Here I am with some kidos.

Boys packing food at Victory Mission.

mission to Milo

2009-04-03T16:22:00.006-04:00

This past week a group of high school sophomores came from East Liverpool Christian School to do "Mission to Milo". There were 3 girls, 6 boys, and 2 chaperone's. They learned about inner city ministry and did some service projects. Here we are. RXN Monday night we all split up in groups after Aaron taught a lesson.

Aaron with his "sons": Aaron Berry( the tall one), Jonathan, and another Aaron.

Tuesday night Emily made some delicious Chadean stew and rice. We ate in the traditional Chadean manner on the floor with a common plate. The girls served the guys. Us girls first brought around warm water, soap, and a towel for the guys to wash their hands. Then we gave them their platter. The dish was very delicious. Everyone liked it.

Girls table. Great fellowship.

Each day with the kids was full and dynamic. They arrived Monday and left Thursday. I actually rode back with them and am spending this week with Aaron's parents doing an intensive study on John Bunyan's book " The Pilgrim's Progress". On Monday, we had a cook-out before RXN. I know the boys had fun playing basketball. On Tuesday, we went to Victory Mission. It is a food pantry, clothing closet, and has chapel and free counseling. The guys mainly helped with the food aspects and the girls the clothing aspects. One other girl and myself got to help with the people that came. There was a blind lady that I got to help pick out clothes. That evening Aaron and Emily gave a tour of Columbus. Then they dropped us off in two groups in downtown Columbus and we were to find our way home using the bus system. Also, we were to talk to people and show an act of kindness. When we got back we were to have a person's name and a story... I talked to a boy at the bus stop. He actually knew Emily and Aaron. I guess he'd played ball with them. On the bus, one guy from my team and I talked another young man. We were all new to the bus deal ... When we got off at our stop at 2nd. The bus driver got off and asked if we knew where we were going. He was genuinely concerned about us. He said, Don't you talk to people and say you're not from round here"... I guess it's not to common to see a group of white folks getting off in the worst part of town. (I don't feel in danger here though). Wednesday, we picked up garbage and prayer walked in the 'hood. Wednesday night was Young Disciples. Thursday, we got packed up to leave... That's a short version of last weeks going ons.

Haiti

2009-03-27T21:36:00.009-04:00

Map of Haiti

I am leaving for Haiti at the end of May. Last week I received my passport in the mail and bought a plane ticket the same day. Exciting. I'm going to the Living Hope Haiti Mission for 3 months. It is outside of Port-au-Prince right near the coast. This mission is headed by Andris and Mary Jane. The mission has a trade school, elementary school, and church. I will be living with the missionaries and serving wherever they would want. It will be a huge learning experience ... I've talked to a few people that have been to the place I'm going. And all of their responds have been very positive ... I'll be flying over with Mary Jane and her husband considering the fact that they are in the States now raising money for the mission. The last nine days of my stay in Haiti, Aaron and Emily are bringing an group of RXN youth down. Then I will fly back with them. We don't know which kids are going yet. Please pray that the kids God wants to go will take the initiative needed for taking this trip. And for the parents permission to be granted. And for the funds needed for their travels. And for me that I will be prepared for those 3 months... The missions website is http://www.livinghopehaiti.org/

Poem

2009-03-20T23:33:00.003-04:00

Go to the people

live among them

learn from them

love them

start with what they know

build on what they have:

But of the best leaders

when their task is done

The people will remark

"We have done it ourselves"

-Unknown author

City walk and houseleader meeting

2009-03-20T21:38:00.004-04:00

Paula and myself taking a walk in the city.( A little different from the back country roads ...)

O.K. Now this picture is for the benefit for my good old country friends. This is what you may see on a walk in my parts. This is how it is - our house then alley then a big ugly cement building then a street then the (name slips me -those people that come a pick up your trash) Then this ... It never ceases to amaze me to be walking on a road and to have a highway and train track under me and other bridge roads and downtown in the distance. I told Emily I've gotta take a picture of this!

Aaron and Emily speaking at the RTNI houseleader info. meeting last Saturday.

Guest speaker, James Brown. He's got 16 years of experience with urban ministry and community development. Also, a leader from among his own people.

Last Saturday was the Houseleader info. meeting for RTNI. It was here at the Starrs. We had a few out of town guests and some from Columbus came. Aaron and Emily have a vision to plant more RXN homes in urban/inner city communities. A RXN home is basically like theirs actually theirs is the prototype. So in the next few years we hope to see more ministry houses planted in our cities! It was awesome to hear Mr. James speak. He was a man who was once a drug addict and in jail. Then God rocked his world. A man helped train him in ministry and eventually left him to lead. This is a good thing. Our urban communities have become a oppressed people.(Especially, our black urban.) Many of the best-trained minds, leaders, good examples, have "exodus ed" the inner city - leaving a leadership vacuum. The key to helping people get out of a poverty mentality is developing leaders.Indigenous leaders. Any oppressed people must believe that they can "drink from their own wells".And lead themselves. This is no small commitment in developing leaders.It takes a long term commitment of living amongst the people, modeling a healthy lifestyle. It's a "Incarnational ministry" has John Perkins deemed it. Jesus. How did he love? Did He commute back and forth from heaven? No. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory"(John1:14) Jesus came to the earth and gave/showed us the way to new Life. So also, the most effective messenger of the gospel to the lost is him who lives among the people God has called him to minister. I am kinda hits all over the dart board here. Does it make any sense? One last thing, we can see that government and welfare programs have not worked. They simply perpetuate themselves. One example is the "Aid to Families with Dependent Children program" (something like that). It attempts to stabilize a mother without a father in the house. It assumes no family is in place and give no incentive for leaving the program. Getting this benefit has aloud single parent homes to become the norm... The world has tried its ways ... Simply, it does not work. But the church has the answer in Christ. The Church needs to rise up and give more than charity, which can be given at a distance. It needs to reach and touch "the leper" ... It needs to reach and feel the pain of the poor being willing to offer ourselves (changing the person for we are the church) bringing hope, dignity, transformation, and rest to the people. "Rise up Church with broken wings fill this place with songs again to our God who reigns on high by His grace again we'll fly. Shout to the North and the south sing to the east and the west Jesus is savior to All HE IS LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH."Some of you might know this song.

Random

2009-03-15T14:11:00.006-04:00

Aaron and Emily Starr ( He doesn't seem to mind)

Emily and Little Bear

Trinity playing twister

Ivon and Trinity on the Drums. How much noise can we make?

Play me a tune... on the guitar without strings.

It's about time I write about what's been the going on around these parts ... I've been here for about a month and a half now. It's hard to believe it's already the middle of March. The feeling of spring is felt in the air. The park across the road is teaming with more life. There seems to be children out there everyday now - Big boys playing ball and little ones swinging. When walking in the 'hood, we see people out on there porches now ... We even opened the windows one day. Even, the shoots of Emmy's flowers are poking out there heads.

What is the School of Servanthood like? I hear the questions. It's like playing parcheesi with a neighbor girl; it's smelling like cigerette smoke; it's playing ball in the court with kids; it's swinging with them and given under-dog pushes; it's giving a hug; it's studying too. Most of the "study" part of my internship is reading books and writing papers. As of now, I'm reading, "Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster and "Compassion,Justice, and the Christain Life:rethinking ministry to the poor" by Robert Lupton. I've been learning quiet a bit about urban ministry, community development ... and charactar development. It's a good thing. The hands on part of the internship is stuff like: RXN on Monday nights ( Youth group for ages 12-18), Young Disciples, playing with the kids who stop by, Thursday nights helping another lady with her bible study for kids in a different neighborhood ...All of my being here is "learning". An important thing I remember that Emmy told me is: I am here to learn from God and serve Him. So whatever I'm doing and through whoever I'm with to be open to learn what God may teach me through them or that situation. And whenever I serve to be doing it for Jesus.Sometimes people won't appricate or notice what you do for them and that could let you down but if you're doing it for Him you won't have that let down. Because of your motive. I'm having trouble knowing what else to write...hum. I know. A few people have asked what the most challenging things has been thus far.

1. Understanding the youth and trying to communicate with them. A lot of times I don't really understand what the teens are talking about. It's not because they mummble it's just because they have a differnet set of vocabulary per say. And sometimes it's hard to know how to initate a conversation. God's teaching me though. I do ask for your prayers in that line... I'm learning all sorts of new stuff from them. Example two boys came to RXN with "fronts". For your knowlege, they are teeth jewerly for men. To me it looks like tin retainers.It's a statius thing for some people. Anyhow I was prying them is it a retainer? Did the dentist give it to you? Orthodonist? Did you make them out of tin foil? ...

2. scheduling. Another challange for me. But I'm to tired keep writing.

I will leave on this note though. I am very grateful to God to be here. I have peace in my heart and soul. " Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved but abides forever" Pslam 125:1 I challenge you to be trust the Lord in all things for in Him you will be like Mount Zion!!!

Guess what I'm going to Haiti May 22nd - Aug. 13th. I've applied for my passport ... Now all I have to do is learn how to swallow pills :) No actually, there is more preparation then that. ( Swallowing pills I refer to the Malaria and/or garlic pills ).

quote

2009-03-01T15:58:00.002-05:00

God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.
-Hudson Taylor

Happy Birthday Aaron!!

2009-02-22T17:32:00.005-05:00

Aaron with Joshea. She just made him this "Happy Birthday" card.

We're playing "signs". It's a really cool group game. (I'm sitting behind the guy in the middle so you cannot see me :)

Joshea and I were playing connect-four

Emily playing Manacala with Mrs. LajeanaMs. Joetta playing Manacala with Willie.

Aaron and Joshua playing chess.

Emily and I had a "surprise" birthday party for Aaron. It was a surprise not so surprise because 1. Emmy has a surprise party every year for him and 2. the night before we ended up telling him about it. It was real fun . At first we were all playing different games and then some of the Starrs boys came over and we played group games. More later.

Nija and cupcakes

2009-02-22T17:08:00.006-05:00

Nija and Anna

Nija , Shanique , and Anna

Emily and Shanique mixing up cupcakes

Nija melting chocalateHere sister try the chocolate. It is good!

Here are a few pictures of making cupcakes with Nija and Shanique for Nija's birthday.

2009-02-22T16:57:00.005-05:00

God's will is plain. We are to love Him and people. But when it comes to loving people, we hedge. Jesus says, " Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" ( John 15:13) People say, " Sure, I'm willing to die for you." But are we willing to live for our neighbor? - John M. Perkins

I read a bumper sticker that read , "Jesus died for you are you willing to live for Him"

Young Disicples

2009-02-22T15:51:00.007-05:00

girls painting

Unique

Forget how to spell her name?

More, Girls painting

Nija building with blocks

Emily helping Trinity put together a Bible verse at Young Disciples

Brianna on the other side putting the same verse together - it's a race.

Young Disciples is one of my favorite parts of being here. Young Disciples is a Bible Study for children ages 6-12 from kids from here in the 'hood.

Last week , twelve kids came. I'm not talking about 12 "homeschool " kids but 12 hurting, needing attention kids. This last week I could see a clear connection between the kids behavior and home life. The ones with relativly "stable" homes vs. not at all.
Children are easy to reach out to because all they want to attention. So they are easier to connect with but I'ld say that is generally true anywhere.

The last few weeks Emily has been teaching them about ways of praising God. So far they have learned about : lifting hands, shouting, kneeing, singing, instruments ... I love Emily's Kids. ( I noticed I have pictures of only girls - it makes it look like we only have girls come. But we do have boys to.)

Dare 2 Share

2009-02-22T15:30:00.006-05:00

Here is the theme of the conference.
Jonathan practicing witnessing with Aaron.

Milton looking on.

Carica and myself (my "first" friend here)

6,000 teenagers and youth pastors

The first weekend here RXN went to this huge D2S conference. This conference was geared to encouraging youth to share their faith.The theme was "InVinsible" about putting on the full armor of God as written in Eph. 6 . About 6,000 attended ( youth and leaders) ... We had 13 tickets. The first night we had 1o teens come from RXN. The next day on 3 came. The kids around here just go with whatever is going on at the time , never mind the planning ahead. Emily didn't know how many were coming until she went to pick-up kids ...2 of the 3 that did come the second day were ones that did have to plan because they were spending the night. I learned a lot about the kids hanging out with them.

A lot of stuff at this conference was culture shock to me and wasn't something I would choose for myself. For instance, the music was so LOUD I couldn't even hear myself ; there was lights flashing all sorts of colors all over ; and what gets me the most was the head singer ( a man ) looked like a woman ... I think a man should look like a MAN and a women like a women. ( Well, I'm sure you agree too)

Anyhow, to look on the bright side, I did like how they made people get out of their "comfort zone" ... One time the speaker asked everyone that had a cell phone to lift it up. Lots of people did. Then on the spot everyone who could was asked to call a friend who wasn't a Christian and talk with them about God. The night before we had all thought of a person we would commit to sharing our faith with - that was the person we were supposed to call.

All the different group were also assigned to neighborhoods to collect cans for Salvation Army and most importantly witness. We kinda cheated and went to our own 'hood. It was a great opportunity to talk with and pray for the neighbors. Emily and Aaron were pleased with the opportunities we had.

quote

2009-02-06T11:21:00.002-05:00

The wise man accepts Christ today;
the foolish puts it off till tomorrow.
-William Borden

Milo- Grogan

2009-01-30T15:42:00.004-05:00

We have made it to Columbus. The first day or so there was kinda a snow/ice "storm?".We got about 12 inches of snow and a bunch of ice. Some of us went on a walk, as seen in the picture. Mama, Ethan, Daddy,Jonathan and Susanna

Hay there Jonathan. Kinda cold ride...hu?

Snow in the city

Playing catch-phrase. Here's the it-er trying to describe a phrase to...

...yelling guess-ers.

Milo-Grogan, here at last. I posted some pictures first of the beautiful snow up here. There isn't that much all the time but at least it's more than Kentucky. The second were a couple shots from last night's playing games. Emmy turned 26 yesterday. A few of "her" boys came over for supper and we played fun games.

Monday night was RXN ( youth bible study). Four kids came ... It was ... can't think of a good describing word. Here's how it goes. Play games - eat junk food. Then Daddy shared about wisdom . In talking about wisdom, he mentioned how cheating is wrong. For cheating is lying and lying a sin. Explaining to one boy that just didn't get how cheating was a sin. Later when asked to share what he(different boy) had learned 12 years old, Jonathan said, "I learned that lying is a sin" Emmy told us later that he wasn't joking. His only exposure to church has been Emmy and Aaron's. Which has been about the last 6 months or so. They hadn't gotten around to telling him that lying is a sin ... These kids don't know some stuff we would consider basic knowledge. Aaron shared that they had one girl here that thought God was dead. "God's dead. Right? I thought He died on the cross.?" Then they could share "NO, He's Alive and will be forevermore." But how can they know unless someone teaches them?

I love the kids around here ... and the Starrs.

Good-bye Kentucky

2009-01-25T12:50:00.004-05:00

Myself in Janurary

Irina and Susanna reading/posing for Sveta

Jonathan and Susanna doing dishes the day before we left

Can you find the faucet?

Here it is . Mama pumping water. (She looks like a Russian here)

As of now, we are in Cincinnati staying with some friends for a couple days on our way up to Columbus where my family will leave me. (This week is also special in that my parents will be celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary ... )Today is Sunday ... by the end of this week I will have said my good-byes to my family, at least for a time. I am excited and "ready" for it to get "started". I really don't know what to be expecting ... So I have my thoughts and wonderings in my mind. If that makes any since. I'll share an exert from my diary :

1-18-09

My greatest fear is that I would be a seed unwilling to die so that much life would be produced. One of those seeds that lay in the cold, dark earth laying dormant. Unwilling to let go of the little life I hold - to die in order to live ... " Vanity of vanities, "says the Preacher.'Vanity if vanities, all is vanity" ' that is how Ecclesiastes starts. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:

" Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man's all. For God will bring every work into judgement, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil." The words of Solomon. A man in whom God has bestowed Wisdom - in abundance...My Spirit is befuddled within ... conflicting thoughts... paradoxes... confusion... passion...
Then I proceeded with many questions of life. In the end , I wrote ..."God is sovereign and truly His Yoke is easy and burden light. And I don't have to figure out this madness. All I have to do is lean on His never- failing arm and obey His commands."

Anyhow, many thoughts... I ask for your prayers. That I would learn true servanthood/selflessness as I attend this Pilate program at the school of Servanthood. And also that I will be able to develop good relationships with the youth in Columbus as that also is one of my fears. For some reason in my mind, I think since I grew up in such a different culture then the inner-city that I won't be able to relate with them as well as some people. So please pray with me about these things.

quote

2009-01-09T13:48:00.004-05:00

If my life is broken when given to Jesus,
it is because pieces will feed a multitude,
while a loaf will satisfy only a little lad
- Ruth Stull

My job - my second family

2009-01-06T11:59:00.009-05:00

Brandon and myself

Look what Rachael found under her bed ... Never know what you'll find there.

A bunch of us girls watching a movie - Sveta, Amanda, Rebecca, me, Miriam, JoAnn, Rachael, And Lilli

Jodi and Destiny. Destiny comes over some afternoons to do activities with the girls. She calls me "teacher".

Brandon

The field

Rachael and myself

Rachael and Lilli
Lilli and Teresa
Rebecca and myself

Ann
These are a few pictures of some of the kids I work with. The Kreiders have a ministry of caring for special needs kids/ adults. This is a family with people coming from all different places, with different needs, yet united with love because of how God has worked in Ron and Joann's hearts to take into their care anyone who would need care and love. This family has become like a second family to me. I've been working here about a year and a half or so. In that time the family has changed many times. As of now. They're is Rachael(18) ,downs-syndrome. She's full of life and spunk. She's my little buddy and is quit a talker. When I first started working here I would come here a couple days a week and play games with her, teach reading etc. Lilli (19)and Teresa(25) are sisters and they have been adopted. Ann(14) and Brandon(4) are special needs foster childen. Brittany is a 20 year old girl that is bed- ridden and has ceribal palsy. That's all the kids they have now.
20, 19, 18 ... I've been counting down the days till I leave for Columbus. And until then I will be mostly working at the Kreiders place. Since Just after Christmas, I have been working like this is a full time job. ( Before, I worked like about 3 or 4 afternoons and evenings a week, now about every day for long hours) I don't mind because they have become like a second family to me. It also is helping me save money for the up-coming school and get used to missing my family.

Psalm 100

2009-01-05T19:51:00.006-05:00

Psalm 100
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before his presence with singing,

Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and
not we ourselves;
We are his people the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with
thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless
His name.
For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting And His truth endures to all generations.

(Here are some pictures from our hike to Iceburg Lake in Glacier Na' Park in Montana this summer. The first is Susanna sitting on an piece of ice that was floating on Iceburg Lake. Some are braver then others. The ranger had told us the water was 36 degrees the day before. Then next picture is 5 wild flowers amongst a meadow of alpine wild flowers. One of my favorite things in the mountains was the meadows filled with varieties of wild flowers. The last photo is Papa and Mama looking on to Iceburg Lake. Notice the bloomed flowers in the foreground and the ice in the back.)

Susanna

2009-01-05T17:33:00.003-05:00

Susanna Grace In 2005 - age 3

Susanna Grace in 2007 - age 6

Christmas

2008-12-29T18:43:00.005-05:00

Regina , Elizabeth , and I - after the Christmas Eve mass

Andrew . What kind of look is that ? Too much coffee ?

Or a see how long I can-stop-blinking contest ? or maybe it's

just really late at night? Any ideas?

We had a nice Christmas Season this year. Humm. Christmas seemed to start with writing Christmas cards. One Sunday afternoon, back at the end of November, Sveta and I addressed and stamped about 60 envelopes. Then leaving Mommy and Daddy with the fun job of writing to the friends and relatives.( Unlike most, we like to write a personal little letter in each card which makes it no small job) So we sent out a record maybe 90 - that would include local ones too. Then their was the Christmas play. We had 3 weeks and about 6 practices. I personally enjoy practicing for our play because of the excitement of working together to bring this joyous message to people. This years play was tittled "the Shepard's Tale" . Ethan acting as the Shepard is relating the story of the Savior to his great-granddaughter. We act scenes as he remembers them ... Fr. Bob and Jerome wrote the script. It really turned out well. Sveta was the narrator and did a good job. She posted some pictures of it on her blog http://www.svetasstation.blogspot.com/ . Their was also the Christmas caroling , the gifts, the manger, the hot Chocolate and cookies, lighting the Advent candles each Sunday ... But what is Christmas to you? What are these things we do mean? What are they pointing to? It started so long ago when God chose the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise, when God chose the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty (1 cor.1:27) When God chose to become incarnate and enter this world as a Babe, the lowliest of all states. In order to bring the hope of salvation to all the world ... mere words cannot explain the love of God toward people He showed to us in sending His Son into this world. Anyhow, this Advent season the example of Mary kept replaying in my mind ... After the Angel had spoken to her bringing her this message from God She responded, " Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to Thy word ". She "embraced surrender" then look at all the LIFE that resulted from her submission. Those two words "embrace surrender" have challenged me ... I want to like Mary also say " do unto me according to your word (your will).

Caving

2008-12-28T17:06:00.004-05:00

Caving on Thanksgiving ( I found these pictures from our caving back in November with the Dunlaps )

The one on the top is what I look like with no head. The other is Sveta with cousin Holly.

Just a country girl

2008-12-27T10:41:00.004-05:00

Just a country girl - that's exactly what I am. What's this country girl doing ? Planning to do ? Moving to the city for 5 months that's what she's doing ... Well kinda. God has opened up an incredible opportunity for me. Our friends Aaron and Emily Starr are starting a missionary training school, The School of Servanthood. They invited me and another girl to be the first interns for this school. I have accepted this invitation. Aaron and Emily live in Columbus, Ohio inner-city. They have a ministry (http://www.reachingthenationsinternational.org/ )reaching to the youth in their neighborhood, they have a couple Bible studies at their house, they're missionary by the way they live...Anyhow, as an Intern for SOS I will be living with Aaron and Emily for 5 months. During those 5 months I will receive ministry and leadership training and will gain hands-on experience with their ministry. I will hopefully also learn how to be a better servant. That's just the beginning, the next 3 months I will be interning in a forgein country. Most likely Haiti. They have connections with a ministry called Living Hope Haiti (http://www.livinghopehaiti.org/ ) I'm really not sure what these 3 months entail. Emily told me this is definitely an "open door" but God may have a different plan that He hasn't showed us yet. I figure I'll get excited about going to Haiti and if God has a different plan then - GOOD, because God knows best.

So when does this start? January 29th is our starting date. The potential travel date to leave for Haiti is July 4th . And I will return home around the end of September.

This upcoming year is going to be one marked with an growing in the Lord and learning stuff that I will remember the rest of my life. I am going to be facing many challenges. First the obvious one, Different cultures. I figure I'll be going through 4 cultures next year; 1. The Starr's home 2. right outside their door is another world 3. Haiti and 4. readjusting to Kentucky life . And many other challenges too. But I choose to embrace them knowing that underneath are The Almighty's hands leading me on. I feel I'm definitely leaving my comfort zone. Please I ask for your prayers.

You may wonder what my family thinks about this. My parents are very excited for me. They knew about this opportunity before I did.They prayed about it a week or two before they asked if I wanted to do it. Someone asked Mommy what she'd ever do without me . She said I've got other girls. Jonathan says he's going with me. Sveta says she's going to miss me a lot...I've got my family's blessing.

I'll end this post with a little thought I have written in a little pink book I write down cool stuff I read in: "We are the clay , He is the potter. Humans have a fascination with the future. For centuries we have consulted astrologers and other claiming to know our futures. We've written books and made movies based on the concept of time travel. We want to know what lies ahead of us on our journeys through life. Just as the clay cannot ask the potter what it will be, so we cannot ask our Maker what we will be. But we can trust that God will create something beautiful and holy with our lives. We know by faith that we are the products of God's hands. In what ways do you need to trust that GOD, the Master Potter , is making you into a work of art? " Author unknown

Remember the only time is the present so embrace it

peom

2008-12-25T20:07:00.005-05:00

( sunrise at Glacier National Park. Daddy took this shot)

Quiet Peace

O lord, my heart is all a prayer,

But it is silent unto Thee;

I am too tired to look for words,

I rest upon thy sympathy

To understand when I am dumb;

And well I know thou hearest me.

I know thou hearest me because

A quiet peace comes down to me,

And fills the places where before

Weak thoughts were wandering wearily

And deep within me it is calm

Though waves are tossing outwardly

Amy Carmichael

1867-1951

children are a blessing

2008-12-10T20:28:00.003-05:00

Jonathan and Susanna are dancing

Here they are posed. Each year when we take out the manger scene it also means we see Grandma Dunlap's wedding Dress ( bescause the manger scence crate is the safest place for the dress). Susanna is trying on the veil here. The veil Grandma, Mama, many of our Aunts woreand hopefully someday us girls will wear at our weddings.

"Remember how the Psalmist described children? He said they were a heritage from the Lord, and happy is the man that has a quiver full of them. And what is a quiver full of but arrows? And what are arrows for but to shoot. So, with strong arms of prayer, draw the bowstring back and let the arrows fly ---all of them sraight at the Enemy's hosts' --Jim Elliot

Psalm 127: 3-5

Sons are a heritage from the Lord

Children a reward from Him.

Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are sons born in one's youth.

Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them.

They will not be put to shame

when they contend with their

enemies in the gate.

This little thought by Jim Elliot and Psalm 127:3-5 is how I got my idea for a blog title. I want to be one of those arrows shot out with strong arms of prayer for the Glory of the Almighty. I won't worry if the world says I am insane to go where God might call me ( or shot me to). For the safest place on earth is in the center of God's will. And that is were I must be. We die in order to live, a seed falls into the dark earth and dies. Out of its death comes multiplied life. It takes faith to believe this, as it takes faith for a farmer to plant seed. It takes faith to liveby it, act, look, and hope.

This reminds me of what Elizabeth Elliot wrote in Passion and Purity; " Think of the self that God has placed in a Acorn. It is a marvelous little thing, a perfect shape, perfectly functional. Think of the grand glory of an oak tree. His intention for us is '... The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.'

Many deaths must go into our reaching that measure, many letting goes. When you look at the oak tree, you don't feel taht the "loss" of the acorn is a very great loss. The more you perceive God's purpose in your life, the less terrible will the losses seem."

The lord is GOOd, Indeed

ice and laundary

2008-12-05T20:37:00.004-05:00

It's December.
Here is a cool piece of ice we found in a bucket of laundary water. Daddy thought the design was unique.
We have our washing machine outside on one side of the cabin. Our electric washing machine froze once so daddy bought an ringer washer which also froze ... The latter was not to big of a problem to thaw. Want to hear how we do laundary? We (usually Ethan) pump about 6-8 5-gallon buckets of water. Then we take that and dump it into the washer ... Let it swish awhile ... rinse .Then ring it out and ta-da the laundary's clean. Well, that's the simplessed version.

Taste and see that the Lord is GOOD

2008-11-27T21:26:00.003-05:00

Uncle Luke with his old tractor and a load of kids and leaves

Daddy, Uncle Luke, Uncle Amos, Uncle Silas and Grandma
(Do they look alike or what?)

Irina Joy

Abigail

Thanksgiving ... I feel incredibliy at peace when I sit back and think of the many blessing God has bestowed in my life... It's a good time of year to reflex on those blessing. I am thankful for; 1. my family - having a Papa I can trust- a mama I can walk with- a brother I can tease-sisters I can work with , 2. a home , 3. wild flowers and smooth pebbles 4. good health -youth-vibrancy 5. joy 6.sunsets 7.friends 8.the chance to learn and study 9.shooting stars And 10. God's never failing love and protection.
Today, my Papa's family got together and had a turkey dinner at Victory Church. All of his siblings made it -making it a kinda family reunion. Thanks Uncle Silas for coming. ( It was a Turkey dinner and picture taking marathan ... All those cameras!!!!!) Then we came over to Uncle Luke and Aunt Carla's place and went caving. So awsome. We're spending the night here too. Anna