Kenya mission trip blog site up and running!

We have just set up a new blog page for our Africa trip.  We will be leaving in just two weeks, so stop by our blog, Crossroads to Africa '09, often and read our journals, see the photos and videos as we are able to post them.  These two trips will be a great part of the Crossroads ministry to pastors and their wives in Kenya.

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I would also ask you to pray for our trips to Haiti and Mississippi which will be traveling at the same time.

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We have a lot going on this summer and your prayers for us are much needed.  Thank you all for your support and love to make these trips possible.  

This was supposed to be fun!

It's funny how something that was supposed to be fun can quickly turn into a horrible nightmare! The events of life often turn out that way, but there are people on the same ride having a great time. For them it's wonderful fun. They have been on this ride before and know it will turn out ok, but if it's your first time it's horrible!

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I'm seeing this in the body of Christ as people I know and care about find themselves on their first ride of complete dependence on God. They have never had to trust God in this way before. Always, before this ride, they have had a job, savings, income, and all they needed. Suddenly they find themselves on a ride that creates sheer terror! But if they could look back and see others having great fun on this same ride they might ask, "what do they know that I don't?"

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They have been on this ride before. What they know is that God will take care of them, so they are just enjoying the ride. It's great fun when God's in charge. If you find yourself on this ride for the first time I encourage you to read this most amazing passage,

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Mat 6:25 "If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body.

Mat 6:26 Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

Mat 6:27 "Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?

Mat 6:28 All this time and money wasted on fashion--do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop,

Mat 6:29 but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

Mat 6:30 "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers--most of which are never even seen--don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

Mat 6:31 What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving.

Mat 6:32 People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.

Mat 6:33 Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Mat 6:34 "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

Glimpse of things to come?

Here's an interesting story I know many of you have already read. Sounds like China or Russia. What happened to our liberty? Where did freedom go in America? We are in for some interesting days ahead....
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Couple Ordered to Stop Holding Bible Study at Home Without Permit
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Thursday , May 28, 2009
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Pastor David Jones and his wife Mary have been told that they cannot invite friends to their San Diego, Calif. home for a Bible study — unless they are willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars to San Diego County.
"On Good Friday we had an employee from San Diego County come to our house, and inform us that the Bible study that we were having was a religious assembly, and in violation of the code in the county." David Jones told FOX News.
"We told them this is not really a religious assembly — this is just a Bible study with friends. We have a meal, we pray, that was all," Jones said.
A few days later, the couple received a written warning that cited "unlawful use of land," ordering them to either "stop religious assembly or apply for a major use permit," the couple's attorney Dean Broyles told San Diego news station 10News.
But the major use permit could cost the Jones' thousands of dollars just to have a few friends over.
For David and Mary Jones, it's about more than a question of money.
"The government may not prohibit the free exercise of religion," Broyles told FOX News. "I believe that our Founding Fathers would roll over in their grave if they saw that here in the year 2009, a pastor and his wife are being told that they cannot hold a simple Bible study in their own home."
"The implications are great because it’s not only us that’s involved," Mary Jones said. "There are thousands and thousands of Bible studies that are held all across the country. What we’re interested in is setting a precedent here — before it goes any further — and that we have it settled for the future."
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I just thought you should know.

Just thinking....again

I don't write these "Just thinking" posts often....it's because thinking is a real challenge for me. I find that, most of the time, I'm dipping from a very shallow pond. I have a fellow pastor who is a chronic thinker and has a lot to say, but I find that most of the time, when I try to think of something to talk about, my little brain is quite empty...quite shallow.

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My thoughts fly to people, needs, hurts and how can I help. Ideas are not as warm and fuzzy to me so I don't spend as much time romancing them, but today I'm thinking...

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-I find myself doing a LOT of marriage counseling. It's very concerning to me. It seems the strains of the culture and our days is tearing at the homes in our church family. It makes me want to work on my marriage even more. If other marriages struggle I have to spend extra time guarding mine.

-I had some great time of prayer this morning. It was a strange time, but I got to spend it talking to God. I want a closer walk with God. I'm still leaning into my walk with God and working on that relationship. I find that the closer I get the more I want. I pray that will continue.

-It's been a strange week, I've had calls from some of our missionaries in different parts of the world this week. I love talking to them, they bless my life so richly, and I wish I could visit each one of them on location to encourage and pray for them. Missionaries are a most special group of people to me. I think they are amazing.

-Last night a rain storm came through. When I saw the clouds building I got on the motorcycle and rode right into it. It was great!

-Our sweet daughter has been on a mini-vacation to get some time to find herself again, 4 kids will make that necessary, but I really miss her and can't wait for her to return.

-I'm preaching this Sunday to finish the David series. I can't wait to talk about "Lessons from a Transparent Life". Now all I have to do is put the sermon and the notes together.

-Two weeks and we are off to Kenya to teach. A lot of teaching! I have a number of messages to put together and I haven't done them yet. I NEED to get busy. I would appreciate your prayers.

-Ok, the pond is dry, back to work. Dinner with friends tonight. A bunch of counseling tomorrow. Sermon prep. Life is great!

Op zoek naar Maria - Dans in het Centraal Station van Antwerpen

You never know what might happen if you start the dance. What you do does influence others.

And for a little fun...

Nothing like a cool beverage on a hot Texas day. Here's a new drink I don't think I'll try, but if you do let me know how it tastes. Who invents these things? They are either bored and testing how gullible we are or there really is a market for these strange brews. Drink up and have a great memorial day!

Monday's cartoon

Strange stories from a pastor

I had a busy day today! Early morning counseling, a funeral after lunch and then rushing to a wedding late in the day. I am tired, but it was a good day. What I want to share with you is something said at the funeral. Funerals provide really funny stories at times because in the midst of our sorrow and grief we sometimes speak without thinking. One of the speakers this afternoon shared a few thoughts on the life of the one who died and in his statements he said, "I know we all admire her early indiscretions...." I was listening before this statement, but when he said this I perked up. What was he talking about? I'm sure I can honestly say that what I heard is not what he meant to say, but say it he did. I didn't follow up on this, these kind of mistakes are best left alone, but it's forever burned into my brain now, and I wonder....what did he really mean. My sermon that followed was a little harder because I was thinking about this strange statement made about the life of the one we were there to remember.. It's fortunate that most people don't listen to what's said at funerals so I'm sure this wasn't even heard by most, but it sure caught my ear. It's just another strange story from a pastor.

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(Photo added for expression purposes only. I loved the photo and it fit. It's not connected to the story at all, just cute.)

Good news, bad news

Good news- I drank all the milk. Bad news- I'm stuck!

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We live with the constant tension of this good news/bad news dilemma. When something good happens we wait for "the other shoe to drop"....in other words there must be bad news to come. Is this mindset just part of living in a fallen world? Is this the way things really work? Or is this just our perception of the world around us?

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I think part of it is true- living in a fallen world makes us anticipate something bad right after something good because "that's just the way it works." I'm rambling a little bit here as I write because I find that I'm struggling for words to express what I'm thinking. Here's the idea I'm wrestling with- We anticipate bad things following good because of the fallen world we live in. It's just the way we have seen it work. Good news/bad news is commonly understood concept. Often we ask, "do you want the good news first or the bad news?" Communicating that both are present and the only thing I can decide in all of this is which one I tell you about first or, as the listener, which one I hear first.

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It wasn't meant to be this way. I read in scripture that God's plan was always this, "do you want to hear the good news? Ok, how about some more good news?...." It was an amazing design that provided for a wonderful relationship with him and our good as part of the relationship. It's all been lost, and so now we live in this tension between good and bad. I look forward to the days ahead when the bad news will never be mentioned again.....I'm just a little tired of the curse we live under....

Upside down living

A wildlife photographer recently took this photo of a goose flying upside down. It's a rare photo, but something geese do to land in high wind situations. It looks strange because it is! My first thoughts on seeing this photo were, "This isn't right. What's wrong with this photo?"
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Honestly, I think I find myself doing this in my Christian life at times....flying upside. I trust what I can see, what I have in the bank, what I know is coming from my job instead of trusting God. That's upside down living. I plan for the days ahead, for retirement, for what I will "need" to live in the days ahead instead of believing what Jesus said, "don't worry about tomorrow." That's upside down living. I put me first, what I want...what I need...what's important to me instead of putting others first and serving them. That's upside down living.
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You get the idea, don't you? When we live like the world we are living upside down....we are missing the way God meant for us to "fly." It might be a great way for geese to land in heavy winds, but it's no way for a child of God to live his/her life. Isaiah wrote about the kind of flying God wants for us when he said, Isa 40:31 "Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."

"Picture frame" vision

One of the great frustrations for us humans is what I would call "picture frame" vision. We only see a little bit of what is actually going on in our world, in our lives, in God's plan. Our vision is limited and that frustrates us. We can't see what's coming, what God's working on...we only see a snapshot of our situation right now. It's frustrating because with limited vision we become fearful, frustrated and easily lose our direction. Our "picture frame" vision only let's us see a part of what is really going on in God's great plans. We want to see it all, we want to know what's next, we want answers! But what of faith? Where is trust in God for the rest of the picture that we can't see? Will we trust him for what we can't see? Will we let him show us the rest of the picture when he's ready? It demands trust. It requires patience. It mandates a big God. Honestly, I'm glad I can only see a little of what is going on in my life, it does make me trust God, it does give me hope that there's more going on in my life than what I see right now. So, when you get frustrated with your view of life take a moment to realize that there's much more to see than what you see right now. Trust the Lord to reveal it to you when he's ready....

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Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.

Stress tests

(World Magazine)

The stresses of our day cause many fears and worries. The economy. War. Job loss. World events. The list goes on for paragraphs...the list of things to worry about. I know many who are worried because they have lost their job. They aren't sure when they will find another one and their resources are running thin. It is a most unnerving time in history. It seems to be a time when all the foundations we trust in are being shaken. If you can't trust in government, the stock market, your savings, your job.....then what can you trust in? If you read this blog regularly you know my answer, but what I want to do today is share a few of the verses I go to when the stresses and worries of life begin to make me fearful. I hope they help you.
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Philippians 4:6-7- Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
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Matthew 11:28-30- "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."
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Proverbs 3:5-6- Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight.
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And, finally, my favorite. The one I read almost weekly and have given to many, many others as God's prescription for the worries of the days. If the stresses of these days are overwhelming you, then my prescription for you is to read these words every day for the next two weeks. It will change your focus from living an events focused life to a God focused life. Things are much easier if you know who's in charge.
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Psalm 37:1-9- A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb. Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday. Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing. For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

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Monday's cartoon

Two becoming one

Tonight I had the opportunity to officiate in the marriage of a couple I have known for several years. What a great blessing for me to be able to be part of their marriage. I have watched as he has grown in his faith. I have watched as she has come to faith in Christ in her own life. I have been with them as we met for pre-marital counseling to get ready for this day. I have been honored to help them through some of life's issues and their growth in faith. I'm so excited for them both. I can't wait to see what God will do in their lives. It's great to celebrate two becoming one.

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Quote of the day

Of all things, guard against neglecting God in the secret place of prayer.
- William Wilberforce

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