Abiding ... and growing

I took this picture in spring earlier this year - one of the many dogwood trees that grow around our house.  Dogwoods always make me think of Christ's death on the cross ... but not in a sad way -- in a redeeming way!  They remind me of what He did for me!  As Christians we know (intellectually) that Jesus’ redeeming work on the cross is all sufficient and wholly complete to reconcile us to God; however, we do not always live as if we believe this.

I am reading a really great book by a fellow sinner – J.D. Greear.  The book is simply called “Gospel” and it has made me do a lot of thinking.  I highly recommend it if you are also a sinner (… that includes all of you, in case you weren’t sure).  The book basically reminds us that (if we are in Christ) there is nothing we can do to make God love us more, and conversely, nothing we have done to cause Him to love us less.  This is a hard fact to grasp because as humans, we are very works-driven.  We tend to love folks who are sweet to us and do things for us, and we also tend to not like those who aren’t so nice or actually cause us aggravation or harm.  We are incredibly wishy-washy.  Martin Luther called this “works-righteousness” – the idea that what we do influences the way God feels about us.¹   

Jesus tells us to abide.  Abiding is our reminder to counteract this wrong thinking.  Here’s what J.D. says about this:

• What if you gave away all your money, wouldn’t He love you just a little bit more?  Nope.
• What if you went to live on the foreign mission field?  No again.
• What if you finally began to treat your spouse with grace? Nada.
• What if you took out the trash for her like she asked?  She might love you more, but God wouldn’t.
• What if you went one full-week without a single, lustful thought?  God’s acceptance of you is based on the fact that Christ went a lifetime without sinning against Him in even the slightest way.  Now, you are in Him and He is in you.  Thus, God could not love you more than He does right now, because He loves Christ perfectly.

You must dwell on this great truth daily.  Sometimes hourly.  Sometimes every minute.  It is the only way to drive out fear, unbelief and temptation … God’s acceptance is given to us, in its entirety, as a gift we receive by faith, to the praise and glory of God.  Make your home in that awareness.  As you do, you will abound in fruitfulness.²

¹ J.D. Greear, Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary

(Nashville, TN : B& H Publishing Group, 2011) 48.

² Greear 57-58.

Trouble in this world ...

I am struck by sadness today over so many things.  The sudden death of a dear co-worker; the threat of serious illness in a wonderful young woman I know; a friend who is distraught over an unfulfilling relationship; stress and fear overtaking another friend; injustice and persecution; separation from family and people we love; bombs and senseless killing of civilians in Syria; our own country turning steadily from God.  You know, no matter where you are or your station in life, sin and death and sadness are just part of this world.  You don't have to live in a 3rd world country, or be destitute, or enslaved or any other horrible situation imaginable - human beings everywhere share this common emotion - sadness.

However, we also all have Hope ... in Him.  Today I am casting my cares on Him, because really that's all I can do.  I have no real control over what touches my life, or the lives of those I love.  But He does.  He is in control.  He is sovereign.  He has overcome.  Cast your cares on Him, too.

"I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.". - John 16:33

Sharing for prayer

Rachel and I were so fortunate to be able to share last night with about 20 friends and family members at my parents' home in Louisiana.  Among the guests were Aunts and Uncles, and several of my parents' close friends and fellow church members through the years.  All of these people had a role in my formative years - many of them teaching me about God and His Word, and about missions.  It was good to be able to share our experiences and what we learned with people who already have hearts tuned to God's work and His mission in the world.  Seth also shared his testimony of his recent salvation with these dear ones.  At the end of the evening, they all gave me their mailing or email addresses, and committed to pray for those living in darkness, and for the workers who seek to shine the Light.

Honored Guests!

Briyani, fried eggs, tahini with jam, cucumbers & tomatoes, olives, yogurt, flatbread, fruit, cookies and of course - Chai.  My family all helped cook and serve a taste of Central Asia to some dear friends last night.  Some ate on the floor, traditional K-style, and some ate at the table ... but we had lots of conversation about culture -- things in common and things that are different. It was great to watch my own family join in the conversations helping to describe life in K-land!  I see them share with the same enthusiasm that Rachel and I have, and that is very exciting.  Smelling briyani cooking on the stove, I felt like I was in a K kitchen again. 

Our guests seemed to really enjoy the evening and I think learned a lot about the people group that Rachel and I got to experience recently.  They left several hours later with hearts tuned to prayer for the people and especially the women of Central Asia.  It also opened more doors to future opportunities to share and to pray.

Kurdish cookies ...

Sharing about our trip is something that I am hoping to do many times!  Tonight, a group of ladies is coming over for a Kurdish meal and to hear about our adventures.  I found a recipe for Kurdish cookies on the internet, and it seems close to what we had during our visit ... so with a little help from the fam, I attempted making them last night.  They turned out just a little different, but are still good.  I think we all finally got to bed around midnight, but it was fun doing it together.  I told Stephen that we might need to go visit soon so I can learn to make them from the local ladies!

ps, Rachel wanted to help, but had a prior commitment ... but she promised to help eat the results!

Me, Seth and Madison - posing for the photo

This is all of us ... but more delirious as the time grows later ... haha

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Back from afar ...

Well, the trip was ... amazing.  The people, the places, the scenery, the food, the sweet fellowship with others of like mind.  I miss it already.  Rachel and I have been home for a week now, but it has taken me until today to feel ready to type this post.  A dark cloud has been looming over me lately.  I can't explain this feeling, except to say that it is possibly a combination of jetlag, and a carry over of the darkness I felt over there.  Reading has helped to dispel this feeling, along with worship yesterday with dear ones.  There will be more posts to come on my experiences in Central Asia, but for now, I want to share some wisdom from our friend and teacher, John Piper, which greatly encouraged me in the past few days.

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Victory Even from Inside the Tomb

It will often look as though Christ is defeated.  That's the way it looked on Good Friday.  He let himself be libeled and harassed and scorned and shoved around and killed.  But in it all he was in control.  "No one takes [my life] from me" (John 10:18).  So it will always be.  If China was closed for forty years to the Western missionaries, it was not as though Jesus accidentally slipped and fell into the tomb.  He stepped in.  And when it was sealed over, he saved fifty million Chinese from inside -- without Western missionaries.  And when it was time, he pushed the stone away so we could see what he had done.

When it looks as though he is buried for good, Jesus is doing something awesome in the dark.  "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how" (Mark 4:26-27).  The world thinks Jesus is done for -- out of the way.  They think his Word is buried and his plans have failed.

But Jesus is at work in dark places: "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24).  He lets himself be buried, and he comes out in power when and where he pleases.  And his hands are full of fruit made in the dark. "God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it" (Acts 2:24). 

For twenty centuries, the world has given it their best shot to hold him in. They can't bury him.  They can't hold him in.  They can't silence or limit him.  Jesus is alive and utterly free to go and come wherever he pleases.  All authority in heaven is his. All things were made through him and for him, and he is absolutely supreme over all other powers (Col. 1:16-17) ... the preaching of his Word is the work ... that cannot fail.

-- From "Let The Nations Be Glad"; John Piper.  Copyright 1993 - published by Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Time to travel

Expedition time has finally arrived! My emotions over the past two weeks have ranged from nervousness to anticipation, from flat out fear (fear of the unknown, fear of failing or embarrassing myself and my family, etc) and now to great excitement. The jitters have now passed, and I am just looking forward to what the Father will do on this trip! Rachel and I are praying for open eyes and hearts to see the opportunities that He puts before us. We are so appreciative of the chance to go and visit workers and experience another culture - to go and intercede for people that He loves deeply and wants to redeem. Would you join us in praying for light in the darkness, for soft hearts and open eyes? Prayer is so powerful! Rachel and I would like to send a shout-out to our BFF Kim Campbell! Kim surprised us with a special parcel before we left home - all the little necessities we would need on our trip! Kim - you rock! Also, Agent P will be accompanying us on the expedition. His Bond-like skills should come in handy should we cross paths with any Iraqi Doofenschmirtzes. Plus, he looks cool in photos. Shout out to Slyrad Yemmus for general purposes. I will share a couple of scriptures for the day, very appropriate as we embark on this adventure. 1 John 4:16 - We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Hebrews 13:6 - So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Homemade Naan ...

Seth's first try at bread ... and it is delicious!

The Final Product

Well, here it is.  The Ritz Coopton.  The Chicken Taj Mahal.  It is the Creme de la creme of chicken housing that's fo sho.

More progress on the Coop ...

Chicken wire going up, door built and soon to be installed, tin roof in place.  Almost finished!  The Chicken Taj Mahal!

Below is the silkies' temporary pen until the new coop is operational.

Seth's Cherry Tomato!

This little, healthy and thriving plant was once a sucker on the tomato vine!  Seth removed it from the mother plant, and planted it -- it is blooming and doing well !

Silky Coop Progress ...

Photos of the progress on construction of the new luxurious chicken coop.  They even ran a water line across the pond to the coop.  The way this thing is shaping up, Seth might move in there, too!

Note regarding the unique headgear:  gnats are unbearable and neverending; but apparently, they do not like "dangly" things, as Stephen calls it.  Hey, whatever works and keeps production moving.

All Creatures Great and Small

One of the many perks of country livin' is getting to see sights like this every day.  A Great Blue Heron frequents our pond often in search of a meal, and it's become convenient for him to scope out the day's takings from the comfort of the floating dock.

Seth and the Silkies

Seth is home, and he brought more!  Three Silky Chickens have also come to live at our home in Gresston.  Stephen and Seth have been busy working on a new chicken coop to replace the Silkies' current accommodations -- the old dog pen.  Rachel, Madison and Stephen seem to have taken to the new family members as well ...

Preparing for expedition!

Well, it's been officially approved - by Stephen and my contact overseas! Rachel and I will be going on an expedition this summer! We will be helping in the classroom at an Institute where they teach English as a second language - assisting students by having conversations in English, and then also we will fill in for the teachers so they can attend a meeting. We are very excited!

The place we will be visiting is a conservative Muslim society, so there are some cultural differences for which we must prepare. Although it will be hot (June 21 - July 6) we must wear long pants or skirts (ankles covered) and shirts that cover chest, elbows and bottom! No shorts, short sleeves or tight clothes! We are excited about being able to visit a place where not many people have heard the Truth, and we are asking the Father to prepare our hearts to be open for opportunities. We are also asking that He use us on this trip to encourage workers who are already there, and to open our eyes to the great need around the world for Truth. I know this will be a life-changing experience for both of us.

Fabric - for making long skirts - freshly washed, and now drying on the line on our back porch.