We knew that we needed it, but we were afraid that it wouldn’t happen. Could it be possible that we would go all the way there and not come back with what we needed?

Rest. Sometimes it comes in unexpected ways and often it cannot be effectively scheduled. But this was a different kind of rest. We had been “out” of the country before, but the places we were able to go to were mostly more of the same environment in which we had been immersed for 18 months.

Breaking point. I think we hit a breaking point around month 11. That was the month that we came to the hard realization that we weren’t making strides in learning language as we had hoped. We thought that for the effort we were putting in, that strides would be the appropriate outcome. Baby steps was more like it. Every month after that seemed to exponentially compound the issues.

Out. “Out” didn’t happen on the plane ride over to Malaysia, because the plane was full of people from our city going on a party trip that their company had given them. We realized then that re-entry would begin at the departure airport on the way home. Deep breath. Will we be ready in two weeks to make that trip back. I was trusting that the one who called us here in the first place could handle that.

Open roads. Then it happened, we arrived and climbed into a taxi at 1 am for the hour journey to our hotel. It was so shocking to be on a smooth, organized highway dotted with streetlights. We all looked puzzled at each other as we continued to savor the midnight snack of Dunkin’ Donuts.

Quiet. Thank you God for giving us this opportunity to rest. We knew that we needed it, but it seemed beyond our grasp. We were grateful for the quiet place called Juniper Tree where we were able to rest, care for one another, and listen to Him. Help us to find ways of getting your rest where we live. We can’t always be living for the “out.” Baby steps may have meaning in more parts of our lives than language. Spiritually, we are growing because we trust Him.

I could have never found this gathering on my own. We were deep within a community. Please pray for my brother who sacrificially serves these dear people around his home. Pray for his wife and extended family who are unbelievingly. Pray for his sons. And pray for the dozens that come there. Some of them live in the main gathering room and depend on the fellowship for food. Pray also that I will know how to help them to grow spiritually.

We made this little video to help celebrate Mom and Dad’s 15th anniversary of being in DeSoto at the fellowship there. It was used during their celebration as a surprise. But now that the surprise is over, we’ll make it public to you too!

Happy 15th Anniversary

When someone says that to me, it is difficult to refuse, because I enjoy hearing a good story. In fact, everyone seems to enjoy stories. In our country, one form of art is called Henna. It uses a type of temporary ink that is drawn onto the skin. It lasts about two weeks. For special occasions such as a wedding, women will prepare by spending hours having the intricate designs put on their hands and wrists.

Normally, the designs have little significance in themselves, but recently, a group of colleagues developed a set of these designs that tell the story of faith. Beginning with Creation and ending with the Second Coming, these designs provide a fun, beautiful and memorable opportunity to tell the greatest stories in the world. Teams are being encouraged to include these designs and their corresponding stories as part of their preparation for coming to South Asia.

“Can I tell you a story? A story that changed my life forever.”

Resources: Henna Storying downloads

(Pictured: street-side vendor practicing a henna design between customers)

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I met a man two months ago who leads some groups*. He has been telling me about how his group had grown large a few years ago, but they lost the building they were renting and many of the people went elsewhere for better programs. Now, he has three smaller groups that meet in homes. Lives are being changed, but he is very sad about the loss of how things used to be. Yesterday, I was in his home and he began showing me pictures of the great things that had happened in the past. He just couldn’t seem to see how incredibly he is being used now. I asked if I could tell him a story. I said:

I met another man a few weeks ago that insisted that I come to his home. I accepted an invitation to tea one afternoon. Upon arrival, he showed me the apartments that he was renting for his school to train more like him. After a wonderful visit, he took me to the roof and told me this story. He said that over the years the students had been coming to the roof to pr@y as early as 5am on Sundays in preparation for the gathering each week on the roof each Sunday.

They began to build a cover out of boards, tarps, wire, and tin. It was a great place for them to gather together. Then he reminded me that four days earlier, a storm had come through the city. He said that when the storm came he ran to the roof and grabbed hold of the beams. He prayed that G-d would save his shelter. His wife watched in fear for her husband’s safety as the tin roof blew away and fell three stories to the ground. Their hard work was destroyed. He had invested every last cent in that rooftop room. Then he looked at me and said, “Why has G-d done this?”

As I finished the story I looked at my first dear friend, I saw pain in his eyes. There in his living room with his wife and children he said, “I understand how he feels.” So, I told him that he is also grieving a great loss, but that maybe his grief is blinding him to the great works of G-d around him. Possibly, he is unable to see what G-d is doing now, because of what he lost in the past and that, like my friend on the roof, he is still holding on to the pieces of what is left — what G-d allowed to be blown away. Tears streamed down his face and he said, “Thank you that was very encouraging to me.”

Burdens often become lighter once they are shared.

Pictured: Our team, meeting with a national leader and preparing for another day of teaching leaders in a city of 2 million this year.

Thank you for your continued prayers for us on this journey.

God is so good. There are many things in my life that are not quite in focus yet. But I have no doubt that God has it all in his focus. He is keenly aware of every detail and he is working them all out for His glory. I have been meditating on the following verse over the last week:

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21

I love the illustration that Francis Chan uses in his book Crazy Love. He writes:

Suppose you are an extra in an upcoming movie. You will probably scrutinize that one scene where hundreds of people are milling around, just waiting for that two-fifths of a second when you can see the back of your head. Maybe your mom and your closest friend get excited about that two-fifths of a second with you … maybe. But no one else will realize it is you. Even if you tell them, they won’t care.

The point is that if that person goes out and invites all of his friends to the theater to see a movie about him, that would be ridiculous. Yet, we live life like it is about us and it isn’t. We are only a two-fifths of a second bit part second in the movie of life. God is the author and the whole thing is about Him and His glory.

Dear God, Help me live my bit part for your glory.