Future with a Hope

I just finished reading a blog post by Bishop Bickerton of the United Methodist Church. He used the phrase "a future with a hope." I really like that phrase with the reference to Jer. 29:11. Usually I hear, "a hope and a future." But, the kids I work with, whether they are in Russia, Central Asia, Ghana, the jungles and mountain villages of Peru really need a future with a hope. They need blessings for today and the hope that their future will be better, along with the hope that we have in Jesus Christ! What a timely reminder! Thank you, Bishop!

Musings

Today I am in a pensive mood. I guess it comes from comparing myself to others and not looking to Christ. It's looking at the bottom line instead of the Lord. Maybe I'm being attacked because I'm preparing for a trip to Central Asia. Whatever the reason is, I'm not sure I like it.

But, it's times like these that I draw near to Him. I talk with Him about my ministry. Is it really a needed ministry? Am I following Him? Should I be doing something else? Why do people say that they are so proud of me, the way I've taken this step, but yet, don't back up what they say with financial support? Am I just needlessly questioning? Is it that 5 letter "T" word again? (TRUST) I love what I do. I am getting more and more invitations to go to other countries and situations. I've been told that my ministry is well needed and apprciated by those with whom I've worked.

So, for now, I'll just set my sights on Him and draw closer to Him. And, as I draw closer to Christ, my worries will cease and I'll be confident in Him and His leading.

The Human Touch

When traveling overseas into a variety of cultures, a person really has to be aware of what is and is not culturally appropriate. I was reminded of this as I was readuing a devotional a few days ago.

When in Ghana, I was part of the Ankaase Methodist Faith Healing Hospital's Prayer Ministy. After devotions, we would go into every patient room and pray for and with the patients. We didn't know the religious backgound of each peson. We would go into a room, talk a few minutes, then, ask the patients to form a circle for prayer. For people of certain faiths, we had to rearrange ouselves because a single woman could not hold the hand of a married man. I think this experience made me more aware of subtle differences. It wasn't necessarily a cultural difference, but a religious one.

As an American in another culture, I need to be aware of all things that may be a part of the culture in the area in which I am visiting, even in various religions. One thing I am sure of, my Lord, Jesus Christ can cross all cultural barriers. He can cross and eliminate all types of barriers. Soon I will be traveling to a country where there are many barriers and restrictions. Please pray that people will experience Him through me, with a human touch.

Pride Goes Before Destruction

"Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." Proverbs 16:18 This Scripture is too true for me. I have severe arthritis in my left knee, and am at the point where I need to wear a knee brace (not bad) and use a cane. A cane! I'm too young! What will my friends across the world think when I show up with a cane in hand?

The truth of the matter is, the cane does make walking easier. And, in some of the places I've been, the cane will definately help! So, good bye pride, hello cane...Central Asia, here we come!

Blessed to be a Blessing

Time is ticking away. My trip to Central Asia is only 3 1/2 weeks away I'm beginning to pack for my trip to Central Asia. Well, maybe "pack" isn't the right word, "pile up stuff" is a better way of putting it. I am beginning to get requests from people "over there." Requests for things they can't get, like an HP ink cartridge, Frisbees and Uno cards to use with one of the kid's ministries, stuff for guitars, and, sandalwood soap. I can't find sandalwood soap anyplace but on line. But, I'll keep looking.


When I first started going oversees on mission trips, I was trained to use my carry on and half of a larger suitcase for myself. The rest of the room goes for ministry supplies. So, I have yarn dolls, felt, dream catchers, patters, balloons, games and LOTS more to take to use with the kids and stuff to bless the missionaries, too. So, my suitcase is a little, no, is a lot like this one pictured here. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a blessing to be a blessing!

Gye Nyame

The Ghanaian people have a rich culure. And it is said that there are no athiests in Ghana. This culture is full of gods. But, even in their ancient beliefs, they believe in a supreme being, a supreme God who is Lord over all.

This is an ancient Ashanti symbol. It reflects the supremacy, power and dominion of God over all situations and creations. He is therefore reguarded as the immortal, omnipotent, omnicient and omnipresent. This is a symbol of the supremacy of God.

Does the one, true God have lordship in your life? Is He the one who goes before, after and beside you? Is He the one to whom you look to for forgiveness, peace, mercy and perfect love? He is for me. I hope He is for you, too.

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged by Jan.
The Rules

List seven random things people may not know about you. The rules are to link the person who sent this to you and leave a comment on their blog so their readers can visit yours. Post the rules on your blog. Share 7 facts about yourself. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, linking their blog. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I was once a canoeing instructor.

2. The older I get, the more my knuckles get white when I fly, the more practice I have in trusting God.

3. I sleep with one or more stuffed animals. They have to be really, really soft, preferably with beans in their butt and/or paws.

4. For a few years, I played guitar for a charismatic prayer meeting.

5. I backpacked in the snow.

6. I once climbed a windmill in Mexico.

7. My dream vacation would be a week at the beach with nothing to do but read.

Now, I tag:

Angela

Brenda

The Jernigans

Michelle

Tiffany

The Wilsons

Work in Progress

Looking around my apartment, all I see is work in progress. I have a suitcase started for my next trip to central Asia. I have newsletters ready to stuff into envelopes. I have a new display that is waiting to be finished. I need to "brush up" on some every day greetings in the language of the next country I'll be visiting. I have not one, but two containers of things to take to Ghana (all the trophies will not go this next trip.) My next sermon is in my head, but not on paper. My speech "homework" is always waiting to be done at LEAST once a day. Emails need to be sent, information gathered, supplies acquired. And, if I'm not getting ready for a trip, I am coming back from one and am in the process of unpacking. Everything is in progress, a continuing thing. And, when one thing is finished, there is something to take it's place.

I think that my spiritual life is like that, too. It is a wok in pogess. I have things that are in progress in my spiritual life, things like learning to trust God with my whole life, not just bits and pieces of it. I am learning to love others as Jesus loves me. I'm learning to accept differences in people. I'm learning to be comfortable wherever God places me, even if it is sharing an apartment with two German med students (female, of course.) I'm learning that when I get in a "funk" and don't want to talk with anyone, just stay curled up in a nice fuzzy blanket, that's when I need to pick up the phone & say, "let's do lunch" or whatever. And, most of all, I'm learning to draw close to Him, to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, because without Him in my life, where would I be? I don't even want to guess.

There ae pluses to being amidst a work in progress, too. There is no time to think I have it all together, that I can relax for awhile. For, it's when I let my guard down, the enemy finds a way to attack. So, I'll continue, not trudging along, but joyfully continuing to work with a focus, with a goal in sight. That goal would be to stay close to Him and, when it's time, to spend eternity in glory with Him.

Home for Easter

The last two years, I spent Easter in Peru. In the places where I hung around in Huancayo, I couldn't even tell Easter was coming. There was no commercialism as there is here in the States. I imagine the sermon was appropriate for Easter Sunday, but my Spanish isn't good enough to understand an entire sermon. So, this year was very meaningful to me.

I appreciated the prayer and thought and time my pastors and the worship director put into the special services during Lent. On Palm Sunday, there was a special visitor to talk with us. He was a Roman cross cutter. He spoke about what he had heard about Jesus as he formed a cross and put it together. He wondered...what will happen on Sunday...is it true what Jesus said? On Thursday night, I had the privilege of partaking of the Lord's Supper with my church family. And, on Saturday, the in between day, was a service of darkness, remembering what Jesus did for me and for you. I appreciate that Scripture tells us that Jesus struggled with the will of the Father before saying, "Not My will, but Yours be done." I'm like that at times, too. I struggle before I say "Yes." Then, Sunday. A day of new beginnings. A day of new life. A day of rejoicing for death has been conquored and life is freely given to all who accept it. Thank You, Jesus!

It was good for me to be here this year. I often struggle with the question, "Where do I belong?" Yes, I belong to the Lord, the giver of life, the Savior of my soul, the Lord of my Life. But, I also belong to a church family that I love to worship with. Concord UMC is my church home. And, I loved being home for Easter!

We Are Part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed

We are part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed. We have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. We have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. We are disciples of His. We won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. Our past is redeemed; our present makes sense, our future secure. We're finished with colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals.

We no longer need preeminence, prosperity, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. We don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. We now live by faith, lean in His presence, walk by patience, are lifted up by prayer, and labor with power.

Our face is set, our gait is fast, our goal is heaven, our road is narrow, our way rough, our companions are few, our Guide reliable, our mission clear. We cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded or delayed. We will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the enemy, pander at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

We won't give up, shut up, let up, until we have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, preached up for the cause of Christ. We are disciples of Jesus. We must go till He comes, give till we drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops us. And, when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing us...our banner will be clear. For we are part of the Fellowship of the
Unashamed.

Letter found on Zimbabwe Pastor's Desk who was martyred for his faith.

Starting the Day Right

I had a neighbor who went to be with the Lord a little over three years ago. He and his wife had a habit of starting the day with communion right at their kitchen table. They would open Scripture, read Jesus' words that He spoke at the Last Supper, partake of the bread and juice and pray. After his wife died, Albert continued this habit. I remember sharing communion with him, and after he died, with his family. It was such a nice way to focus, to remember, to be grateful, that I started to have communion at my kitchen table every morning, too.

Then, for whatever reason, I stopped. Maybe I was too busy one day, or too tired, or didn't have any juice. Whatever the reason, I stopped. During lent, I have had communion in a several different settings. And, I was reminded of communion with Albert and the love he had of his Savior, and of his faith. I remembered, too, what communion in the morning did for me, a reminder of what Jesus Christ did for me because He loves me. Can you imagine that? He loves me! And, not only me, but you, too!

So, I bought grape juice and matzah crackers and put a Bible on my kitchen table. Now, I wake up and have my morning moments with the Lord. And, in those moments, I am so much more vulnerable and so much more open to Him and what He has to say to me than any other time of the day. I am more open to Him then than when I read Scripture or do a Bible study because it's during this time I talk to Him from my heart, without an agenda. Each morning, I am amazed at His mercy and grace, Somedays it is painful, other days there is comfort, always peace and joy from knowing Him. This is something that has helped me in my walk with the Lord. Maybe it will be a help to you, too.

Make Me a Servant

Jesus said... "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." John 13:15-17

During this past week, I attended two communion services, both focused on the last time Jesus ate with His disciples. The one thing that really made an impact on me was the fact that we are to be servants. Our ministry is to follow Jesus' example and to "wash feet" or possibly to do those menial chores that no one else wants to do. We are to seek Him and ask Him what we are to do, not tell Him what we want to do.

And, as usual, as I thought about this, as I meditated on this, I thought about the ministry in which the Lord has placed me. I didn't go looking for the opportunity to serve on the Global Resource Team. I thought I would be serving in Russia for five years. But, the Lord had other plans. Now, what I do is go into an area or country where I have been invited by missionaries or nationals. They have identified specific needs that they have concerning children/children at risk. And, I go and help fill that need. The need may be an extra pair of hands to show children that Someone loves them. It may be helping to set up a new library. It may be to do training to empower nationals to better do ministry. It may be "holy hanging around." It may be visiting sick children in a hospital. It may be being part of a hospital prayer ministry. It may be living side by side with nationals, living in the same conditions they are, bathing in the river, walking to the out house, helping out with day to day chores and sharing the love of Christ, not just in words but in every day actions.

Ten years ago did I think my life would be like this? No, not at all, but God did. And, now I pray, "Lord, make me a servant, Your servant."

A Friend in Need

Hi, everyone in Blogland! This is a picture of Pastor Clement preaching in the out patient department of Ankaase Methodist Faith Healing Hospital. He has a heart for the Lord and desires that everyone come into a personal relationship with Him. There is one problem - he doesn't have tracts in the heart or first language of the patients. The language in this part of Ghana is Twi. There are three tracts available in Twi from World Missionary Press (Help from Above, How to Know God and Satan vs. God) free of charge. I ask that if you want to be a part of Pastor Clement's ministry, click on the link below and order tracts in Twi (Ashanti.) Then, you can send them to Pastor Clement. He will gladly take as many that are sent to him. Please send only what will fit in an envelope no bigger than 81/2 by 11 inches, and even a size smaller would probably be better. If it can fit in his PO Box, it's okay. If it is too big, he would have to pay import tax & that is very expensive. As American Christians, we don't realize how blessed we are - we have so much Christian literature available to us. A lot of the world does not have this type of stuff readily available to them. Anyway, send the tracts to:

Pastor Clement Forkuo

Good News AGC

PO Box KS 9725

Kumasi, Ghana

The website to order from is:

http://www.worldmissionarypress.org/