I Used To Share A Room With An Angel!!

SHARING A ROOM WITH AN ANGEL!!

    I grew up with an Angel.  In fact, almost all of my life I have had the privilege of having an Angel in my life.  I know what I am about to write, there will not be a lot of people reading, this blog will never go viral or even will many people know about this Angel.  All of this is okay.  But I want to write this before this Angel is called back home to be with our God in Heaven.

     Many people don't know this but my sister, Echo; has severe Cerebral Palsy.  She at one point in her life was able to walk, today not.  There was a time that she was the poster child for Cerebral Palsy and the test child for many of the innovations that are used for children, just like her.  She has never been able to do the things we were able to do as children.  She has never been to Disneyland or any other place like that.  She was never able to go to the movies by herself or even be able to go to the park and swing.  She has an amazing mind trapped in a body that doesn't work.  But the one thing that she could do was love and love unconditionally.
     I remember growing up that we were told that she would never live past the age of 6.  Then when she reached 6, they said she would never be a teenager.  Then it was she would never see 20.  Next came it could happen any time.  But now she is nearing the end.  Her body is beginning to fail and we are all coming to grips with the fact that soon she will be leaving this earth.  For us we are facing the reality that each day is a special day with her. 
     Growing up with her was a very special time.  I remember a time when we were at the University of Oregon Crippled Children's Hospital and Echo was doing her weekly therapy and time of being a guinea pig for the doctors and therapist there.  It seemed that they were always trying new things with her, new leg braces, computers that were interactive with her, and my favorite the metal they strapped to her shoes so she could walk.  This was just another time and another week.  Echo, Mom and her personal therapist, plus a group of interns were working with her when a strange new doctor entered.  I can't remember his name but he was some type of world renowned specialist.  His first words were, "Where is this angel, Echo I have been hearing about?"  This was the first time that I had heard her referred to as that.  After introductions were made, he got down on the floor and started working with my sister.  At this point, all she could do was sit up and crawl on the floor.  Boy, could she get around then.  But after about an hour of working with her, he whispered something in her ear, and he had a walker brought into the room.  He picked her up, put her hands on the walker and told her to do it.  It was the first time I saw my sister take steps.  It was the beginning of her being able to walk. Her walking didn't last long before her legs would not work and she was put into a wheelchair.   But what has stuck with me all these years later was that he called her an angel. 
     Over the years I have watched her interact with people.  People will meet her and see that although she is handicapped she always smiles.  Echo will soon leave this earth but I know that she has a special place in Heaven.  In Heaven, my sister will be able to walk again, be able to talk without the assistance of a device (I am sure she has a wonderful voice) and more importantly she will not be in pain anymore.  However I believe that God has a special place in Heaven for her and that she will truly be the Angel that she has been in my life and those that she has met. 
      I am writing this so that you will better know my sister.  It is because of her that I am who I am today.  She has taught me to love and be accepting.  It is because of her that I fight for what is right and to be determined.  It is because of her constant effort to succeed even in the midst of pain and failure that I try to always to my best.  It is because of Echo that I cry at movies (yes I admit it) and it is because of her that I see the good before the bad.   And as I stated earlier, it is because of her that I am able to love.   I truly did share a room with Angel. 

   

God Is Good: A Sample of Communication

GOD IS GOOD!!

    Many of you have asked me what type of communication do I get from the partners that I work with overseas.  I thought I would share two of them with you.  The first one is an email I received less than a week ago (actually while I was sitting in church) and the other is from a recent project that occurred in the region, which was led by a dear friend and brother.  This is just a sample of the emails and communication that I receive.  Many of the names have been changed and places for their protection.  Please as you read them pray for them.

"I was contacted by folks in our church in the central region.  They told me that our pastor had been taken away, our church meeting place was confiscated and no one had heard from our pastor for over 24 hours.  The man that witnessed it was distraught and could not keep from sobbing.

As soon as I could, I contacted a man who deals with Christian media in the central region, and found a lawyer that would work with us.  I got ahold of the man from our church that was also roughed up by the police and he told me to call our pastor immediately.  I got ahold of our pastor and he told me he was in not in the country!  I was relieved he was safe, as we all though the worst.  Below is the story that I translated from our pastor. .  Here is our pastor's account of what happened: 

Before I explain what happened, I want to share something that I feel very certain of and something that I have determined from the last few attacks.  Whenever we have a ministry or project, within two days or less "someone" learns of it and comes to try to stop what we are doing. These people seem to be aware of even the smallest detail of everything that we do.  I believe that someone that has close knowledge of what we are doing and has a flow of information is making complaints about us.  I am not saying that it is someone that is from inside our church.  We have enough enemies and I suppose you maybe able to guess who these might be.  Because of our involvement in writing and participation in ....(name deleted for protection)  reconciliation, I know that there are many from within the larger church that still hate us.  As a result of this there are some that continue to make complaints about us and our church, they know all about us and they are sharing this information with authorities. 

The day that it happened our brother from the church opened the door.  I was about three feet away from the door.  Our brother from the church kept the door partially open and said to the men at the door, "what can I do for you?".  The men were in civilian clothing and we did not understand who they were.  The man in front grabbed our brother's hand, pushed him and forced his way into our church.  Our brother asked, what is going on?, as soon as he asked this they kicked him in the shin and all forced their way to the church.  I then yelled and asked them who they were. Because of all of the yelling and commotion our next door neighbors heard and came over to see what was happening.   They all came into our church.  One of the man took out his badge or identification and began hitting my on the sides of my face with it.  They pushed us both into our worship area.  There were four men and one of them was playing the role of the "bad cop".  He was continuously cursing at us and kept motioning to us like he would punch us.

 He started off by saying,

 "you bleep bleeps, you are such a trouble to us, why are you looking for trouble? Are you wanting a beating?, you ..... seeds,  Why are you always trying to dig up 'bleep'? Why can't you just keep your doors closed like the other churches and sit on your rears? What? you mean you are the 'crazies' of all the churches?  They have made you go mad that you will see your place."  We would let you alone if you would just not do anything, in fact you can stay here for years if you do not do anything more. 

Two other police were trying to calm this man down and tried to talk with me in a more sincere way.  They said,

"please look my friends, the things that you have done this country cannot put up with and will not give permission for. You also know the situation in this country.  It is a mere dream if you think you can just make a video like this and put it out there and go on like nothing will happen.  If it is not today, if it is not tomorrow, soon there will be a day that in this geography (Translator's note: meaning in Muslim/Islamic countries), that there will be no permission for videos and books like these, and they are not ready for them anyway.  And 'God forbid" that anything would happen, it would cause a lot of problems for us, and it will vilify our country's name.  Look what happened in Malatya and what happened to Hrant Dink.  Now you have put out a video like this....  Did you not go on YouTube to research if anyone had made a video similar to yours or a more "normal" video like it?  There is not one.  Well, have you wondered why there is nothing out there like it??  What do you think you are the world's bravest hero??  You think you can insult people's book (the Qur'an) and their prophet (Muhammad) and then you can walk down the street?? I don't think so.

Forget the police..., Allah will not even be able to protect you!  This is my advice, get lost and get out of here.  I don't care if you go underground, if you go to your village, if you go to the ...... that you love so much, you can figure it out.  This is a warning from us." 

The police did not confiscate any books, computers or anything. Every time I tried to reply to their questions they would tell me to shut up. Later that evening, I was called by a private number.  The man on the other end of the phone cursed and threatened continuously then hung up. I thought for safety reasons that it was prudent to get out of sight for a short period of time.  For that reason both I and our brother from church decided to get out of the country.  We plan on returning to Turkey as we evaluate the circumstances.  The biggest concern for me is not that I will be tortured or hurt, or be put into prison.  This is only the first book and first video that we have produced and I have plans on doing much much more.  My biggest concern is that I will not be able to finish my projects. 

For our church's safety I believe that it may be wise that we move from where we currently meet for worship.  Right now my family is safe and they have not been threatened in anyway.  But the video that we put on YouTube is still new and every day it reaches more and more people.  (Translator's Note: what he means by this is that there could be many more threats and issues the more viewers this has.). 

We are truly grateful for the people that are praying for us.  Before we began our ministry, we counted the cost.  Whatever comes from the Lord, may His will be done.  I have now almost reached my 50th birthday, I am not sure about how much I have to run the race, however, May it all be sacrificed for the path of the Lord.   We love you all."

A Project Report:

"My Brother Ron,
    Here is the report from our recent project:

PROJECT REPORT  Name withheld for protection

DATES OF THE PROJECT: 3 Major Cities
NUMBER OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT: 4 including me
NUMBER OF PEOPLE CONTACTED: Approximately 40 persons
NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MADE PROFESSIONS : 20

Here are some stories:

Some one her name is H....., she was 23 on October 2011 She decided to do not believe in God any more. She believes when man die as any animal, it’s over. She is smoking and drinking. Her target is making money and enjoying herself. I spend more than 2 hours talking about God’s love where All Religions around us man looking and try to please God, while in Christianity God who are looking for man and He died for him. And He have to do Salvation to balance between His fair and His mercy. After I evidence from the Holy Bible the God’s love and salvation doctrine, she prayed with me asking Jesus who die for her sins to forgive her and wash her heart with His Blood and accept Him in her heart as her Lord and Savior.

Also another story with Ka...., who accept Jesus from three years ago, he saw people who said they were Christians not acting like Christians and this caused him stumble and said to himself if Jesus likes those people, I do not want to be Christian any more. I believe this case is more difficult than any case else. So, we start to talk about Jesus’ love and how He was treating people including this woman who was bring her to Him while she command adultery. How he was nice, gentle and treat her with very nice way. In the same time we have responsibility towards ourselves at the front of God. and do not forget that the Satan are using his ways to let us loss our relations ship with our Lord. I gave him encouraging message and warning him in the same time. He cry and ask Him for forgiveness and renew his covenant. "

Simply Said: Merry Chistmas!!!

The Wayman Family

Picture was taken at Mitch and Allison's Wedding

Simply Said:  Merry Christmas

    It is an amazing time of the year.  A time for family.  A time for friends.  A time to do for others before yourself.  A time to be recognize the Savior who came to the Earth.  I love this time of year.  Many years ago, in a prior life I worked for Target and even then this was my favorite time of the year. 

      I think the reason I love this time of the year was because of Jesus Christ, my Savior.  Jesus Christ is the reason that in 2001, our world was shook up and I left the busy, crazy world of retail and headed overseas to follow a Higher Call in my life.  I have no regrets about the decision to answer His Call.  This Call has led to many happier days.  I have grown closer to my family and have wonderful friends who support us through all of it. 

     But why did Jesus come to the earth.  I have thought about this a lot lately and it is a simple.  If you do a search online, you find many reasons.  However the best reason is that He came to earth to ensure us an eternity with Him and the Father in Heaven.  Jesus came to reconcile us from when we turned our backs on him and from our sin.  Simply for each of you, if you do not know Jesus Christ; I would love to introduce you to Him.

     As Christmas is approaching I would like to say thank you to each of you for blessing Jeannine and I.  Each of you are such a blessing to us.  And to my family, thank you for loving me and following me on this journey.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

                                        

Thanksgiving 2015

BEING THANKFUL

2015

    The above picture was taken when we first arrived in Amman, Jordan to start this wild journey.  It is amazing how far we have come since that day.  This last year has been the most exciting of all of my years in the ministry.  There have been times of great joy and celebration then times of sorrow and frustration. 

    Hebrews 12:28 says:  "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe."

    This is really one of my favorite verses because if you really look what it is saying then we are to not be shaken in anything and in all things be thankful, good and bad; because we someday we are going to be a kingdom that God created just for us.  Now that is a promise that each of us must grab hold of and never let go.

    So here is my THANKFUL LIST and believe me it is not complete:

1.  I am thankful to God.  Because of His Love for me I am guaranteed to be in His Kingdom.

2.  My wife, Jeannine, that has faithfully walked this road with me.  She has endured my extended travel alone.  She supports me, prays for me, and loves me when I am not sure about many things.  She is a rock even though while I am gone she stands alone.

3.  My children, all 4 of them now.  They are amazing people of character, integrity, love, compassion, understanding and support.

4.  To our Great Commission Partners that pray for us and support us so we can continue this crazy journey.   Without you, this would road would not be possible.

5.  To the Workers and Believers in the region that partner with me and International Commission to do the work of God in an area where their sacrifices I will never understand.

6,  For the safety that God continues to grant me as I travel.  This year has been the most dangerous for this road.  There has been unexpected dinners with people who could easily end my life or that of the team with me.  There has been safe passage when I had done something stupid. There have been the many times that I know I have been followed when in countries.  And just recently the car bombs that occurred within a few miles of where I was and then the military/police raids that occurred right in front of me. 

7.  For the protection of God.  A great example of His protection was the flight that was delayed out of Frankfurt.  Although I was frustrated and yes angry about not being able to be home as planned.  When I found out that the brakes were the issue and that there was a possibly of danger upon landing in San Francisco, I thankful that God knew better than I did.

8.  I am also thankful for the struggles that I have faced this year.  The times where I am not sure about what is going on in His Call.  The ways that our financial support has so drastically reduced but yet God continues to provide.  And the times that I have been in such extreme pain that I can hardly move.

    God continues to amaze me.  All I can do is to continue to be thankful.  Again thank you for everything that each of you have done and continue to do for us.  Finally I am thankful for the picture below because today this is the family that God has blessed me.

Focus Should Be On Jesus Christ, Not A Cup!!!!

FOCUS SHOULD BE ON JESUS CHRIST, NOT A CUP!!!

Hebrews 12:1-2 says: 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

    So I was going to make this addition to my blog about my upcoming trip to the Middle East and how prayer is the support to its success.   The reason for the need  and importance of prayer is that this trip has the potential to be the most dangerous of trips and projects that I have taken a team on in a very long time.  However over the last couple of days, there has been a trend on social media that is wrong. 
    Christmas is fast approaching and Starbuck's has again come out with their "Red Cups."  The difference this year is that they are just plain red cups that say Starbucks.  Facebook and other social media have lit up with comments about Starbuck's taking Christ out of Christmas, how people are not going to shop them or patronize them because the red cups don't say Christmas or any other comments about Christmas.  Starbuck's publicly said we want to be more inclusive.  However, reality is that for Starbuck's, it also is a profit factor.  Less printing equates to more bottom line dollars.  Now I have been in Starbuck's recently and have seen all of the normal things in them, the ornaments, the "Christmas Blend Coffee"  (which actually says Christmas Blend Coffee), and all of the other things that say they have gone Christmas. 
    Why are we, and I mean we because all of the Christians out there who are "all up in arms" are representing me; a Believer of Jesus Christ and yes a Christian around the world declaring "War on Starbucks."  You see, your actions here in the USA reflect all Christians around the world.  People it is a RED CUP. 
    Candace Cameron Bure said this yesterday on her Facebook page:

Starbucks War on Christmas?

It's a red cup, folks.

Until Starbucks puts a baby Jesus or nativity scene on the cup while saying Merry Christmas, then pulls it because they say it’s offensive, let’s talk. I don't remember Starbucks ever being a Christian company, do you?  A Santa, a snowflake, some holly, a polar bear, some jingle bells or plain red cup don’t define Christmas for me as a Christian. My relationship with Jesus does.

So, I will joyfully sip on my Starbucks coffee, in a plain red cup, and instead of complaining about the lack of decorations, I will lovingly share the good news of Jesus Christ with friends and co-workers or anyone who's willing to engage in conversation.

    Is she right?  Yes she is right.  Here is my rant and I am yelling it at the top of voice right now....IT IS NOT STARBUCK'S, TARGET, OR EVEN WALMART'S RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS CHRIST....IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY!!!!!  The red cup is a red cup, let it go.  If you are that upset about a red cup then get off your duff and start sharing the real truth.  The truth the Jesus Christ came to earth to be a sacrifice for your sins, to create a new covanent so that you and I will have an eternity in Heaven with Him and His Father.  If you want people to know why we celebrate Christmas, then go meet with them and tell them. 



    See the picture above, "Sharing the Gospel with Others-Easy or Difficult."   Pick your battles.  You are making Sharing more difficult.  I am not trying to belittle your belief system, but pick your battles.  A red cup is a battle you are not going to win.  But if you use the red cup as a opportunity to share Jesus Christ, then it is a eternal battle you will win.  For me, I am going to use Starbuck's.  I am going to invite people to have coffee with me at Starbuck's, I am going to get them something in the red cup, and I am going to share with them the LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST, the TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST, and THE ETERNAL REASON FOR CHRISTMAS. 

THANK YOU STARBUCK'S FOR THE RED CUPS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE!!!!  



LOVE....It is an ACTION WORD!!!

LOVE IS AN VERB….AN ACTION WORD

    Last month I wrote my blog on Forgiveness and it seemed right that this month’s blog be about Love.  Another subject that is so needed in the world today.   The word love is thrown around like baseball.  I love pizza (lol, personally I don’t-not a pizza fan), I love the way this looks, I love my car, and it goes on and on.  So do we truly know what the word love means and how to really use it?  Can you love someone, something or anything without having actions to go with it?  Honestly I don’t think you can.  To love it takes actions, not with just words but with an sacrificial emotional act. 

    God’s Word shares with us the story of Jesus, who loved you and me so much that he was willing to give His life so that we would be guaranteed an eternity with Him and His Father, God.  Jesus’s love he demonstrated through emotions and sacrifice.  I am still not positive that I could offer my son or daughter for anyone or anything.  But Jesus was willing to die because He loved you and me.  I am learning this type of love even today.    Please read the below article by Rick Warren and ask yourself at the end…Do my actions show that that you love or are you giving just simple “lip service?”  I would challenge you that if your actions don't match the words then make them match.  Believe it or not, lip service hurts and jeopardizes your love relationship.  It also doesn't take long for the lip service to show through and then start hurting your relationship with that person. 

“The Bible Says Love Is An Action

By Rick Warren — May 21, 2014

“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” (1 John 3:18 NLT)

If you really love someone, then you show it by how you act toward that person.

Love is more than attraction and more than arousal. It’s also more than sentimentality, like so many of today’s songs suggest. By this standard, is love dead when the emotion is gone? No — not at all — because love is an action, and a behavior.

Over and over again in the Bible, God commands us to love each other, and you can’t command an emotion. If I told you right now, “Be sad!” you couldn’t be sad on cue. Just like an actor, you can fake it, but you’re not wired for your emotions to change on command.

If love were just an emotion, then God couldn’t command it. But love is something you do. It can produce emotion, but love is an action. 

The Bible says, “Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18 NLT). We can talk a good act: “I love people.” But do we really love them? Our love is revealed in how we act toward them.

How will you reveal to others that you love them this season? Be specific. Think about each member of your family. How can you show your love to _____?”

Forgiveness: Hard Lessons to Learn

    

FORGIVENESS

 I started to write a blog about the importance of friends and family in the ministry, but as I was writing it, I found that it was turning more to forgiveness.  Forgiveness has really been heavy on my heart.  

    My search about forgiveness began in the Bible, of course.  I found over 200 references to forgiveness in the Bible.  It was a time of reading a lot of eye-opening and soul searching verses.  What I have found as I was studying is that forgiveness takes three steps. 

                                Step 1:  Takes a person asking for forgiveness. 

                                Step 2:  The verbal act of accepting the forgiveness. 

                                Step 3:  The emotional act (the heart) of accepting the forgiveness.

    When someone asks for forgiveness, most are thinking that the person will forgive them.   In order to ask for forgiveness, the person asking must have recognition.  The asking for forgiveness is the recognition that their actions or words hurt someone they care about or love. They realize that they need to ask for forgiveness because of the hurt and actions.  Do they expect forgiveness to be immediate, no; but their hope is forgiveness.  The question arises of what is the time frame for forgiveness?  Honestly if we use Jesus as our example it is to be immediate.  Definitely not a human trait. 

    The next step is the acceptance.  Acceptance of forgiveness is difficult especially if the hurt is deep.  However throughout the Bible we find that God says over and over again we are to forgive.  In fact one of the key verses is when Jesus is speaking and one of the disciples asks how often and Jesus replies, seven times seven fold.   Doing the math alone, it is an infinite number.  So being a follower of Jesus, we are not only supposed to forgive, but are commanded to forgive.  And forgiveness is not a one-time action; it is a multiple time action.

    The third and final act of forgiveness is the heart acceptance.  This is the toughest of all the steps.  This is where the human aspects of forgiveness exist.  It turns from giving “lip service” to the emotional support.  Many years ago, I faced a situation where I was asked to forgive a situation and the person.  It was easy to do the verbal acceptance of my forgiveness but the heart action was terribly hard.  Over time it happened.  However during this time as my heart was forgiving I lost the friendship and love with the person.  When my heart was ready I tried to get back the relationship with the person, but it was not to happen.  Recently I asked the person what happened and what I found out was even more heartbreaking to me.  I found out that during this time, my actions had hurt them more than their initial hurt had caused me.   Their comment was that they had reached out knowing they had caused hurt, but that although I said I forgave them, my actions told them a whole different story.  My heart was broken and my words of forgiveness are never going to be enough.  I lost a friend and a relationship that will never be the same.  What I learned was that you can say you forgive but there MUST be action to our words.  I also learned that when asked to forgive there should never be conditions added to your response.  Image if when we asked forgiveness from Jesus and He says I forgive you but…We are to learn to forgive like Jesus does.   Simple and once He says I forgive, we know it is gone.  I know what you are thinking….it is easier said/written then done.  You are right and that is why as we spend our time here, as Followers of Jesus, we are supposed to be becoming more like Jesus.  Sorry to be blunt and honest but it is the truth and I am struggling every day to become more like Jesus.  Not perfect (by far) but forgiven.

    Imagine what would happen if we went to Jesus to ask for forgiveness and He says yes but does not forgive us with His heart.  Where would we be today?  Where would we be at the Judgement Throne?  How would it be if Jesus said to the Father one of our sins that we had asked forgiveness for that sin, and Jesus says, “Father they asked for forgiveness but I just could not forgive them in my heart?”  That is why once we ask it is cleaned, wiped out, forgotten, gone as far as the east is from the west.  I am not sure about you but I ask forgiveness every day from Jesus for the stupid things I do.  I am glad that Jesus forgives me and they are gone.

    Why did I write this blog?  It is like I have said many times before, maybe what I write is something that you have struggled with or are struggling with.  But it really is something that I am struggling with. 

Where Does Our Value Come From?

 

WHERE DOES OUR VALUE COME FROM?

Journey To Completion

 



    

Genesis 1:26-27

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.   So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them."

 

 

    It seems like every time I sit down to write a blog or to say something, that God just reaches into my heart and pulls out part of me.  This is the case as I sit here writing this blog.  I just finished our Great Commission Ministry Update, which I was pretty candid about a huge need that we have and yet as soon as I finished it, I started wondering and doing some quiet reflection of where does our value come from?  Being in a faith-based ministry and watching our monthly income decreasing rapidly, maybe that is why I started questioning my value and where I get it from.  Is it money, family, friends, professional relationship or the work that my value comes from?  I knew but maybe I needed a "refresher course" from God.
    "Value is a personal quality. You can only be value by a person.  You can't be valued by an impersonal force."  Value is a human trait, thus yes I am repeating myself; it takes people or a person to make you feel valued.  Who values us? Where does my value come from? If I do matter, then how much or to who do I matter, and how much do I matter?  Have you ever thought about those questions, I know I have in the past and especially the last couple of months.
      I would first say I am valued by family and friends, or at least I think so.  When they call you, text you, or use social media to tell us we matter, our eyes brighten and our hearts are lifted.  A great example of how our family and friends are affecting our value is through the use of Facebook.  When we post something or it is our birthday (Now be honest with yourself), how many of us don't see how many like it, share it, write a comment or even just wish happy birthday. 
     Yes family and friends definitely affect our value, but there are definitely some problems with seeking our complete value here. 

• It will NEVER be enough.  We will always want more.
• Because of need for more, it could make us always need to be in a relationship.  We will need a relationship to validate our value.  Relationships are tough and take a lot of work to sustain, thus we could end up putting stress upon us and those we are in relationships with.
• It makes us vulnerable.  People change.  Does that mean we are of less value?  A loss of a family or friend, who justifies our value dies or moves away, it can makes us vulnerable and feel like we don't matter. 
• It can become a popularity contest.  Does it mean that more popular people are valued more?  If we are totally seeking our value from family and friends, then does it not make sense that the more popular person is the one of more value. 

    What if our value does not come from personal relationships, does it mean we are seeking them from professional relationships?    "If not from the love of our family and friends, then perhaps from the approval and esteem of our colleagues, our boss, our tutor or even a teacher. Perhaps it is our achievements, our productivity, our success, that will win the respect of others, and underwrite our worth."  As stated above the same problems exist with seeking our value from professional relationships. 
     But we MUST remember that value is a personal quality and I/we/you can only get it from a person.  Our value can ONLY COME FROM ONE PERSON OR RELATIONSHIP.  That person and relationship is God.  He is personal. He is Eternal. And He is Love.
      The advantages of getting our value from God are simple:

1. Everyone can seek it and get it.  There are no elites, no popularity contests, no conditions.
2. We don't have to earn it.  It is a free gift.  It was freely given.  God paid for it already through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Read John 3:16.
3. There is no fear of not being of value.  God is not going to stop loving us.  He is love.  He is eternal.  He is never going to change.  His love is without conditions. 
4. God is infinite.  The value we get from each other is short-lived while we are here, but God is will be there for us forever.  "The value we have in the mind and heart of God is infinite.  To whom do we matter and how much?  To God, and enough to die for us, as our anthem pointed out."

    Now I need to give you the one disadvantage of having our value grounded in God.  It is that we are demanded to share this truth with everyone and thus we MUST treat everyone with the same value that God as for us. 
    So when you are struggling like I have been with my sense of value, please understand that to God you are the most valuable, loved, prized and important person.  God sent His Son to reconcile the world and solidity our relationship with Him, but more importantly we MUST remember that Jesus came just from me....I am of value.

 

    



THE ROAD I CHOSE!!!

 



Waiting For My Flight-A view I see a lot, different place-same view

 

THE ROAD I CHOSE

 

    I have been called a missionary, an employee, a warrior, a man, a leader, a father and the one I choose to call myself is a Servant.  Where I am today, where I will tomorrow and where I was yesterday are all places that I chose to be.  You are probably wondering where I am going with this.  You see, God called me as He does all of His to follow Him and do His work, but like all of us; we have a chose.  A chose to answer that call or a chose to ignore it and walk away.  I chose this road.  I chose it because of the love I have for my Lord and the desire to follow Him wherever He calls. 

     Some of you might think that this is the life.  I get to travel to exotic locations, doing the work of the Lord.  That it is wonderful watching a person make a decision that will affect their life forever.  That I meet exciting and loving people.  I have heard some of you say that I must never worry when I am traveling because the Lord walks with me.  All of the above are very true.  But there is the other part that is not so glamorous. 

     The not so glamorous is the loneliness and worry of the road.  As I make these trips, there is not one trip that is only a few hours long.  The typical trip is an average of 10 days.  This is 10 days away from your family and friends.  It is getting to the airport 3 hours early at the beginning, having a unusually long layover in a "foreign" airport, where although English is spoken it is not their first language so you are struggling to understand, then there are the flights for many hours at a time.  And to make each flight worse, I am making these flights without family and most of the time alone.  Even with a team, I still miss my family, the loneliness of being away from them, and the worry that they will be fine. 

But this is "THE ROAD I CHOSE."  It is the Road that I would not change.

It is a Road that I would not be able to make without the emotional support of my family.  It is the Road that I could not be on without the prayers of the many that pray for us.  It is the Road that I could not be on without the support of many of you who sacrifice so much for us to do this. 

Someday this Road will come to end.  How many more days I will be on this Road I am not sure of.  I will continue this Road until God pulls me away or tells me enough.  But no matter where the Road will lead I will claim the promise from Jeremiah 29:11- "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
 

    

That Time Again.....A Ministry Newsletter Blog

THAT TIME AGAIN!!!

    In just a few days from today, I will begin a season of travel.  The first stop on my travels is viewed in the picture on the left and the other stop this time is below on the right.  Over the next 9 months, I will be traveling every month but one.  It seems like God is  opening lots of doors.  Please pray for me, my family, the people I will be meeting with and of course that God gets the Glory.

    I have been trying to write more blogs and let you know what is going on in the ministry that God has called us in to.  I hope you are reading them because God is really doing some great things in the region.  This trip will be a whole lot of preparation for future projects with teams.  But will also include many opportunities for prayer and sharing the one real Truth. 
    As I told you in the first paragraph, I will be traveling every month but one over the next 9 months.  As you can guess these trips or excursions are tough.  They are tough on many levels, from physical and emotional to financial.  Please pray.
    I will try on this trip to use the blog more to let you know what is going on, where I am and how God is working. 

WHAT IS HAPPENING???
    God has really been taking care of us this year.  He has had to take care of us because if you look at things that have happened, it can only be God who has brought us through everything.  In our lives, good and bad; we need to always look at the hands of God in our lives.  And for us we can see God's hands throughout our lives.  Here are some of the ways we have seen the hands of God:
1.  I had a health scare with my blood pressure spiking to dangerous levels, but I never felt any of the side effects.  Today although we are monitoring it, it is at the lowest levels of my life.
2.  Our son recently got married to a young lady that was an answer to our prayers.  We had prayed that God would bless him with a partner in life that would be a biblical example and that is exactly what God gave him.  They are a perfect compliment to each other and they put God first in their lives.
3.  In the recent years, I have been able to reconnect with friends from my childhood and my college days.  These friends have taught me how to forgive, how to look at my past with fondness and that through it all they are there to walk this road with us. 
    These are just three of the ways we have seen God in our lives but there are so many more.  God is always with us, we just need to look for them.  Jeremiah 29:11 says:  "For I know the plans I have for you--this is the LORD's declaration--plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."  This one verse is something we all must remember.

A TOUGH SUBJECT
    God has really blessed us since we started this journey in 2001, at that time with the International Mission Board, then in 2005 when we started the second part of our journey with International Commission.  Earlier I spoke about God being with you and in our journey with International Commission, we have seen Him so very much in our lives especially in our financial situations, although we have seen our financial situation decrease over the years.  Yes the tough subject I am going to talk about is Great Commission Partnership. 
    God calls us to follow Him.  He really calls us to go therefore and make disciples of the world, sharing His love and good news.  Each of us that are "followers" have this command in our lives.  We are called to GO, to PRAY, and to GIVE.  Some cannot GO, but all of us can PRAY and GIVE.  What are you doing with this command? 
    International Commission is a faith based ministry, which means that we need people (JUST LIKE YOU) to come along side of us to pray for us and to financially partner with us so that we can stay in the ministry.  Is partnership biblical?  Please look at the ministry of Paul and the other disciples who had people and churches come alongside of them so they could continue in the work.  We have been blessed to have many partners who have come alongside of us and it is this core that has kept us going.  Over the last 6 months, our financial Great Commission Partnership has reduced by as much 25% on a good month.  We need you to pray with us about our financial situation.  We have now begun to tap into our savings in order to meet our daily needs.  Pray that God will lift up people who are called to come alongside of us.  Pray that many of our partners who had to reduce or stop their partnership will feel God calling them to increase their amount or begin again.  Please pray that God will continue to meet all of our needs.  Pray that God will give us peace in this current situation.  Thank you for your prayers.

   

A Love Story

   

 

 

Our Wedding Day



 

 

 

A Love Story

    Almost 33 years ago, I met this wonderful person after going through what I thought was one of the toughest years of my life.  I will save that story for another time.  So I walked into our college food service where I worked and met, Jeannine.  You know that saying that "sometimes you just know this is the one."  Well that is exactly how I felt about Jeannine.

    To make our long story short, I asked her out she said no.  But I was persistent and finally she gave in and asked me out and of course I said yes.  Like I say before, I knew she was the one.  A few short months went by and we got engaged.   Then after dating and being engaged for 18 months, we got married.  

    Not long after we were married, we moved.  This would be the first of many moves that Jeannine would agree to without complaint. Eleven in the first 5 years of marriage and then feeling the Call of the Lord and moving to the Middle East.  All without complaint.   This is the way that she has been our whole marriage.  She loves without conditions.  Over the last 30 plus years, Jeannine has been an answer to my prayers more than I have been an answer to her. 
    Jeannine seems to always know what I am thinking, probably before I even know what I am thinking.  She stands next to me in every decision, of which I think many she does not agree with.  As I have followed the Lord, she has followed with me.  I know that she gets concerned and is concerned every time that I leave.  But still she hugs me, kisses me and says that she loves me and is praying for me.  She has cried when I cried and laughed when I laugh.  She supports me when I complain or am upset, never saying a cruel or unjust word.  She stands with me during the darkest moments of our lives and brightest moments.  She is the example in every way what the Bible says a wife is to be.  She loves me a 100 percent of the time, and many times she gives more. 
    This is the woman that God made just for me.  Many have said that God knows and plans for us to prosper and that is what Jeannine is for me.  Without her I would not be the person I am.  She is my gift from God.  We have had almost 33 years together and in one month, we will be married for 31 years.  I would like to have another 33 years with this woman, Jeannine.  She is my life, my love and my everything.

Family

 

  

FAMILY

 

    



    It has been almost a month since my last blog and I am trying really hard to do a blog once a month about a subject that is important.  Family for Jeannine and I is, next to our relationship with God; the ultimate most important factor in our lives. When we lived in the Middle East we learned another definition of family.  In the Middle East, family is everything.  There are traditions that say when a family member comes to you for help, you are to help them.  If a family member shows up at your door you are to house them, feed them and take care of them for 6 months and no questions asked. 
    Last month, our son got married to a wonderful person.  Two years ago our daughter married a wonderful person.  And our family grew.  But is this all my family, the answer is a simple no.  So it again feigns the question, what is family. 
    The Bible says the following about family:
          1.  Family is a key concept both in a physical sense and in a theological sense. The concept of family was introduced in the very beginning, as we see in Genesis 1:28, "God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth..."
          2.  Family members look after each other in every situation.
          3.  The Bible has a more communal sense of people and family than is generally held in Western cultures today, where citizens are more individualized than people in the Middle East and definitely more so than the people of the ancient near East.
          4.  Through Jesus' ministry we see another and eternal definition of family.  Jesus' ministry, "He is making the clear theological point that in the Kingdom of Heaven, the most important family connection is spiritual, not physical.  This is a truth made explicitly clear in John's Gospel, when the evangelist says, Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God" (John 1:12-13)."
    "So what does the Bible say about family? The physical family is the most important building block to human society, and as such, it should be nurtured and protected. But more important than that is the new creation that God is making in Christ, which is comprised of a spiritual family, the Church, made up of all people who call upon the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. This is a family drawn "from every nation, tribe, people and language" (Revelation 7:9), and the defining characteristic of this spiritual family is love for one another: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:34-35)."
    Again what is family.  I think the Bible is very clear we are all one family.  And if we are to really go back to the creation story then we all are related (although distant) through Adam and Eve.  I think we, as a world; have forgotten we are one family.  I feel it is time that we remember this and follow what God says and that is "to love one another."  Loving one another is not just words, to love we MUST have actions.  So the question I have for us all is do our actions meet our words?  I sure pray that my actions meet my words but I am sure that I fall short a whole lot of the time. 
     Thank you for reading my blog and being part of my family....
   
   



How Do I Know God Is Speaking To Me

 

 

How Do I Know God Is Speaking To Me?

 

 

    I was preparing this blog to be about family but over the last couple of weeks and especially this last week I have had to ask myself if God is speaking to us and if He is how do I know.   Let me give you a little perspective and history so that you will know why I have asked that question of how do I know if God is speaking to me.
    Six months ago I received an invitation to come to a country (to be named later in this blog).  The country is part of the battle that is going on in the region that God has called me to work in.  It is also a country that Christians are constantly being persecuted for their faith. When I got home and told my wife, she pretty quickly said she was comfortable with me going.  As the time has progressed and time for visa preparation, getting flights and planning Jeannine has gotten more apprehensive about my going.  All she asked was that I pray about it but that she doesn't want me to go. So I have been really searching the right answer. 
    So I have searched and this is what I have found out about what the Bible says about how God speaks to us:


1. Through the Word of God(2 Tim 3:16, Psalm 119:11, 105):This is the most clear and effective way of God’s communication with His people. If you want to know how things work perfectly, you need to read the manual. The Bible is God’s manual for His people. But as in case with other manuals, we often ignore the Bible. How often do we try everything else, but His word?
2. Through the inner still, small voice of Holy Spirit (Acts 11:12, Acts 13:2, Acts 16:6-7, 1 Kings 19:12, Isaiah 30:19-21)
3. Through the advice and counsel of the Men and the Women of God(Prov 12:15)
4. Through the Audible Voice of God (Acts 9:4-5)
5. Through Dreams  (Matthew 1:20-21) – There are many instances in the Bible, where God clearly communicates through dreams.
6. Through Visions (Acts 10:9-18)
7. Through Angels (Luke 1: 26-38) 
8. Through circumstances: However there is a danger of opening doors to Satan by letting mere circumstances dictate our lives. . So be wise and discerning with regards to your circumstances and expect God to speak to you through them.
9. By Inner Conviction and Peace: It is similar to the inner still, small voice of Holy Spirit.  God can give you deep conviction and inner peace about something.  (http://bibleseo.com/church/ways-god-speak-to-his-people/)

    Does God speak to us in all of the above.  Yes God does speak to us in the above methods.  But in this case of why I was searching for an answer because my wife asked me to.  So I did.  And in the end I cancelled the trip that was being planned. The reasons are simple:  see numbers 1, 2, 8, 9 and of course number 3. 

    Why do I share this?  It is because we all need to know when God speaks and HE DOES SPEAK!!!!

  

 

    

 

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the Ends of the Earth.”   Acts 1:8

                Where would we be today if Jesus had told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem or to only go to Judea and Samaria?  Would the Good News and Saving Grace of God ever have made it to us?  Where would Christianity and Eternal Salvation, THE TRUTH, be today?  Where would we be today? 

                I have been pondering this whole thought a lot lately.  Throughout the Bible it is about God, Our Father wanting a relationship for all eternity with us.  So Jesus was very deliberate in what he said to the disciples about going to all the world.  But what if the disciples would have been as disobedient as we are and said, Jesus said that but we are only going to go to Jerusalem or just to Judea and Samaria.  Where would we be today? What if they would have said, we only want to go to Judea, we will let others deal with the other places? Where would be today?

                God’s Word is to be obeyed... ALL OF IT.  There can be no picking and choosing of what to obey and what not to obey.  The disciples knew this and obeyed.   Thank you and Praise God that they obeyed and went to all of the areas.  The really great part is that their Call was not for the same area but God Called each of them to a different area.  Because of their obedience, the Gospel spread and we are a living testimony of that obedience. 

                Over the last few years there has been a movement by many churches, organizations and other groups to embrace Acts 1:8 as their mantra for missions.  I embrace, encourage and applaud this movement because it truly is obedience to God’s Word.  But I also caution those that embrace this to realize that not all are Called to Jerusalem or even to the Ends of the Earth.  Even within the confines of embracing certain areas, not all are Called there.  God Calls each of us to different places and areas.  Thus as Jesus did, we must embrace the mission area God has placed on the hearts of all Called.  We MUST celebrate their Calling and Praise God for the Calling.  It is partly about celebrating with them their obedience, but it more about Praising God that He is using all.

                In 1999, God Called me/us to the Ends of the Earth.  We did not know at that time the  specifics but we knew the Ends of the Earth.  In 2001, God called us to the Middle East and that Call has not changed.  Although the Middle Eastern region is the primary Call, in being obedient we are to tell people of Jesus wherever and at all times.  In Experiencing God Henry Blackaby says that “when we see God at work, we are to join into that work.”  So if God is working in any area we are to support, celebrate, and join in that work.  That is being obedient. 

                Obedience is not just for the individuals whom God Calls. It is for all of those that are friends, family, organizations, and churches that are aware of the Call.  When we see people called, we are called to pray for them, to encourage them and to support them.  It is not an option, it is obedience. 

                Now back to my original thought.   God through his son Jesus Christ created a perfect way to get the whole world to know Him.  That is to go to Jerusalem (our city), Judea and Samaria (our state and country), and finally the Ends of the Earth (the whole world).  Jesus didn’t say only one area. He knew that He was going to Call each of us to different areas, so it is His plan that we go everywhere. 

                I would encourage you to seek God.  He has Called you to go.  God has Called you to be involved with praying, encouraging and supporting those that have answered the Call.  Pray about what God wants of you.