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Distilling moments

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Standing there in the chaotic baggage hall not knowing how Kay was doing and feeling 10,000 miles from her, I sang the Matt Redman song 10,000 Reasons. Over and over and over, I quietly sang the words. The sun was going down outside and the words of the song are:
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me,
Let me be singing when the evening comes.

This is not how I envisioned my return trip. I had received word about 24 hours earlier that Kay had fallen and broken a bone in her elbow. After spending the day changing my flights, I was on my way home. I had to get my bag from this domestic baggage claim so I could check in for my international flight. I had been waiting almost 3 hours for my bag. I was also waiting for a text from Kay telling me she was through the outpatient surgery.  Neither was forthcoming.

While I waited, I sang Matt Redman’s song to myself. While 500+ people from 2 international flights plus several domestic flights crowded around 2 small baggage belts in 90 degree tropical humidity. As bags were delivered a few at a time, I blessed the Lord. While I wondered how Kay was faring as the surgeon removed bone chips from her elbow, I blessed the Lord. He is good. I  received the next-to-last seat on the only domestic connecting flight that would have put me in this baggage claim in time for my international connection. Now if only my bag would come. If only Kay’s text would come.

God does that. He puts us in these distilling situations to help us trust him even more. And he brings others around to pray for us and to help us. It’s fragile and frail sometimes, but it works when we work it. It works when we choose to remember that he is faithful. It works when we choose to remember that he is good. It works when we choose to remember that he is full of mercy and compassion.

I think that is why I like the Psalms of David. He pours out his junk in plain language. He does not hold back. But he ends up with God’s goodness and mercy and faithfulness.

Have you read any Psalms lately? The 30’s and 60’s are good places to start.

 

Entrusting others

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Cameroon mapI hugged Kay goodbye outside the Orlando airport and walked inside. This adventure I will have alone. I’m in JFK airport in New York on my way to Cameroon, West Africa via Paris.

Ahead are 65 Cru staff and local pastors from 16 French-speaking countries. Some countries have exotic names like Burkina Faso whose capital is Ouagadougou. Some countries are known by their initials like DRC and CAR (Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic). Some have been broadcast into our living rooms through horrible events their populations have sustained like Burundi or Mali.

In spite of their different names and locations and governments and economies, these countries share in the plan Jesus announced 2,000 years ago when he said, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

We will be together for 10 days preparing and training in how to build His church. Participants will return to their countries and churches as trainers who will multiply themselves into the lives of others.

One of our goals is finding 2 Timothy 2:2 people: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” We are looking for leaders who will make a heart commitment to be a reliable person who determines to qualify himself this week to teach others. When we identify them, we entrust.

I think the key to this verse is the verb entrust.

What are you entrusting to others you are leading? In your ministry? In your family?

Our new chapter has begun

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Kay and I shook hands with Bekele, Jerry and Grace. We prayed together, we celebrated over lunch, and we began the next chapter in our ministries … together. Kay and I now serve with the Global Church Movements team.

Global Church Movements, like our previous team, is one of the global teams of Cru and is led by Vice President Bekele Shanko. Kay and I have known Bekele for a number of years. Bekele and Shewaye are originally from Ethiopia. They served as national leaders in Ethiopia and then as area leaders for the ministry in Eastern and Southern Africa. Two years ago they moved to the U.S. to create the Global Church Movements team.

Global Church Movements (GCM) offers training in multiplying discipleship to churches, equipping church members to engage in reaching those around them through praying, caring and sharing. This strategy of multiplication is designed to result in new faith communities being planted, new churches starting, and churches multiplying into every rural village, every suburban neighborhood, and every urban high-rise.

What will we be doing? Keith will coach the area GCM leadership in three African areas, coordinate field strategy globally and also integrate digital into field strategies. Kay’s initial focus is to consolidate and organize the training materials that exist in several languages into a common location. Two years of rapid growth, development, and translation have created many documents.

GCMTeamTeam is important to us. We said goodbye to a very special team that journeyed with us for many years. We are now saying hello to a new team. We are excited about the people on our new team. We look forward to this journey together.

Kay and I have not changed our mission. In fact, we feel we are coming full circle. Part of our responsibility is West Africa, where we began 37 years ago. We are very excited to be engaged in a specific field strategy where we can more directly influence the adoption of digital strategies in embracing the amazing opportunities God is giving us today to help everyone know someone who truly follows Jesus.

What questions do you have? Make a comment below or email us. 

Seeing with God’s Eyes

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IMG_20130905_065112-001The morning sky looked clear with low clouds on the horizon making for a beautiful ocean sunrise. The horizon changed brilliant shades of orange and red as the sun illuminated the clouds. Chris Tomlin’s worship songs lifted my soul as I sang along.

After the sun actually broke above the horizon, I noticed that the sky above me was not clear at all. It was covered with cirrus clouds.

IMG_20130905_071030-001There were more textures. I thought everything to see in the sky was over at the horizon. But above me were more designs that began to illuminate.

How interesting. More light had revealed things more clearly.

That’s why Kay and I are taking this sabbatical time. We are allowing God to shine his light. We are asking him to help us see more clearly. We are celebrating our last 12 years. We are asking him to reveal the next years. He is shining his light. We are being intentional about seeking him. We are not seeking just his plans, but seeking him. He will reveal when he is ready.

Just like the sun revealed the clouds in the sky at the right time, God reveals at the right time … and the picture will be beautiful.

Multiply the doers

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A friend reminded me today: “He who does the work is not so profitably employed as he who multiplies the doers. Count the day lost that you do not do something, either directly or indirectly, to multiply the number of unselfish workers.” ~ John Mott