The Seabourns

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My identity

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John-Wesley In my work in technology, we are implementing a global identity tool so that all staff and non-staff affiliated with our organization are known uniquely and individually. It’s a huge project. It’s the foundation of providing greatly-increased participation in helping launch spiritual movements around the world. So, I’ve been thinking about “identity” a lot lately.

Today, Steve Addison introduced me to John Wesely’s Covenant Prayer. Read Wesley’s covenant prayer through the eyes of our identity, of who we are as people.

I am no longer my own, but yours.
Put me to what you will, rank me with whom you will;
put me to doing, put me to suffering;
let me be employed for you or laid aside for you,
exalted for you or brought low for you;
let me be full, let me be empty;
let me have all things, let me have nothing;
I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal

And now, O glorious and blessed God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
you are mine, and I am yours.
So be it.

And the covenant which I have made on earth,
let it be ratified in heaven. Amen.

Talk about an identity exchange! Wesley was empowered by his identity in Christ. Identity with Christ energized him with boldness and perseverance.

Causing things to happen

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That very special day is here again. Our worldwide day of prayer. As the sun makes its sweep around the globe, fellow staff and volunteers in every nation on earth gather at the foot of the throne to sing praises and to ask God to intervene so that all might come to know his love. Kay and I will soon join with our 25,000 staff worldwide in an entire day of prayer. I always welcome these days, which we have twice each year. These days are very unique.

I recently listened to this short excerpt from John Piper:

God, the sovereign ruler of the universe, has ordained that prayers cause things to happen that would not happen if we do not pray. When James 4:2 says ‘you do not have because you do not ask’, it doesn’t mean ‘you would have anyway even if you did not ask because I’ve got a plan’.

Kay and I are accepting the privilege God is offering to us to focus today on helping cause things to happen that would not happen if we do not pray.

Back in Orlando

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Kay and I are back in Orlando again. We’re enjoying being at home. I read this recently:

Signs you travel too much:

  • When you wake up from a deep sleep during an overnight international flight and you have no idea where you are, where you are going, and comfortably fall back to sleep knowing that you will figure it out when you land.
  • When you think the flight attendants should sit down so you can do the safety demo, since you have it memorized.
  • When you know the location of power outlets in several lounges and departure gates for different airports.
  • When you fail to pay attention to any flight numbers or hotel room numbers… leaving you describing your flight as the Six Something to JFK… and trying your room card key at a bunch of hotel room doors until one opens.
  • When you go to a movie rental store and you can not find a single movie you have not seen… and you have not rented a movie or been in a movie theater for over ten years.
  • You have notes and coins for half a dozen currencies in your wallet but none of your home currency.

Unfortunately, I identify with several of them.

But it is good to be home, drinking my coffee from my machine while sitting in my chair.

OLC and GTL

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Kay and I are leaving soon for the airport. We’re going to the land of the Pyramids again. I’m always humbled to think that Moses and Joseph walked in this land.

We are helping lead the Operations Leadership Connection. This strategic conference is a gathering of almost 100 of our top operational leaders from around the world. Our focus is on developing as leaders who can help develop organizational capacity to sustain the mission around the world. These are leaders in human resources, finance, technology, communications, and general operations.

Following OLC, we lead the Global Technology Leaders conference. This time will continue the leadership development of OLC in the specialized role of technology leadership.

At a conference dedicated to the role of Operations in ministry, it’s natural to see how technology—particularly in the 21st century—plays a vital role in building operational capacity. Whether it’s through communication like email and websites or through managing donations and financial transactions, various technology tools are the vehicles enabling these critical functions. But when our mission statement is to build spiritual movements everywhere and our organizational values are faith, growth, and fruitfulness, where does technology find its place?

We see technology as functioning in three distinct roles in ministry. Building operational capacity is a key role. But we technology is also helping by increasing fruitfulness and connecting laborers. Simply put, we use technology for direct ministry, catalytic ministry, and operational ministry.

I’ll write more about that later.

What God doesn’t say

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Our air conditioner is leaking. Inside the house. The ceiling is wet in the downstairs bathroom because the inside air handler unit is above it on the second floor.

I’ve been talking to God about the leaky air conditioner and the exhorbitant cost of a new unit. And, I’ve been reading Job in my morning devotionals.

My prayer life has been enriched by the desperate need for several thousand dollars to fix the air conditioner. For 32 years, Kay and I have been financially supported by a team of financial partners in our faith-mission work. We’ve raised 3 children, seen all 3 graduate from college, seen 2 marry (still praying for the 3rd spouse!). We’ve seen God’s provision every step of the way. But we’ve never seen an abundance where we get to prepare ahead of time for these costly opportunities.

So I’ve been wondering where the money will come from for this current need. It’s easy to berate myself for not doing more to prepare.

This morning, God spoke to me through my friends Angie and Scott. Angie wrote “What God doesn’t say”. You really gotta read this!