Timing is Everything

Haiti, Day 5

2011-06-18T15:33:00.000-05:00

Thursday we set up a medical clinic at The Apparent Project. (Pete wrote about their mission in the previous post.) On the drive to its location we saw some of the devastation caused by Monday night's flooding. Although most of the area was dry, signs of rushing water was evident. Retaining walls intended to protect areas from water were demolished. Contents of homes were either carried away by the water or left soaked and caked with mud. One road on our route was blocked by a large pile of rocks and other debris; the flooding caused numerous mud/landslides. As we approached the home that serves as The Apparent Project, a young boy ran behind our truck. He asked for money and we said no, as we have been instructed to do. Still running behind us, he darted off to another street. Little did we know he was taking a shortcut to our destination! He was waiting for us at the front gate when we arrived. Our translator allowed him to carry some bags inside for us; he earned a tip for his effort.

The Chadasha guest house (where we stay) sells the jewelry, journals, and bags made by artisans at The Apparent Project. We were excited to see the artisans in action. We saw numerous men and women cutting cereal boxes and magazines into the narrow strips that become beads. Others wound paper into beads around skewers and covered them with glue. Upstairs we watched a group of young men string the beads into bracelets. This is where we set up the clinic. The kitchen became a pharmacy and one of the bedrooms was a patient room. The benches on the porch were full of people waiting to be seen. We saw men, women, and children. One woman reportedly nearly drowned in the flood waters (see previous post for her picture with Pete) and the amount of water she ingested made her sick. An adorable set of twins arrived with their mother; she wanted them checked because they, too, spent considerable time in the water. We are fortunate to have an incredible group of people from LifePoint with us. Each person is willing to do whatever is needed at any time. Our team worked well together as we shared the duties of bringing back patients, running the pharmacy, handing out vitamins, administering medicine, and helping Pete. If I had a dollar for every time I heard, "Musch!" Honestly, I love working with my husband. It is one of the blessings of serving together.

Once we finished the clinic we walked downstairs to the boutique. There we saw hundreds of necklaces and bracelets, journals made from recycled oil drums, handmade cards, crosses and globes crafted of metal, and handmade bags. I am sure I've left out something. We loaded up on goodies and headed back to the truck. The young boy from earlier was waiting on us and there were several others too. One boy approached me and said, "Hello, how are you doing?" in perfect English. I smiled at him and he continued, but in a low voice, "Sister, please, I have no money, I have no food." There were many questions that went through my mind. Does he have parents? Is he providing for younger siblings? Why is he so good at this? It is heartbreaking that these children are so adept at asking for money. I have learned that the most prudent reply is no. I get on the truck.

On the way back to the guest house we drove through downtown Port au Prince. It is crowded with traffic and people; buildings damaged by the earthquake remain in shambles yet life goes on around them. The Presidential Palace is no different. Its structural damage is extensive but it has not been repaired. It sits unused. The damaged Palace is symbolic enough of Haiti's current state, but across the street from it lies a tent camp occupied by those displaced by the quake. The paradox is vivid.

That's all we can get to for now....the baseball field is calling. :)

Reflections on the week....Sustainability

2011-06-13T19:59:00.001-05:00

From Pete:

Sustainability...but let me digress for a moment. On my way up to the Roberts' house from the Chadasha guest house, in the still of the night, I caught a glimpse of what I thought was a rat. That's cool - I'm not scared of rats. Then Michelle says to me about the thing that is scurrying toward my feet, "Look, a tarantula." It was the size of a large grapefruit. It wanted to eat my leg. Can I have another pair of underwear, please? You have never seen Peter Cobb scream like a little school girl as I did that night.

Having been to Haiti three times now, I can only help but ask myself the question, "Is what I am doing making an eternal difference?" After all, Haiti has always seen a flood of aid and evangelism, yet the ride home each night serves as a reminder of past failures. Still, Haitians as a populace have little hope. Salvation lies in the balance for most.

So what is the key to success? Sustainability. Only until we have continued support of Haitians helping Haitians will me make a difference. Let me illustrate the point. If a mission team comes down to help a clinic by putting in a water filtration system, that is a good and worthy cause. The patients at that clinic now have fresh water - a hallmark of healthy living and a key to eradicating many disease states. Yet the team does not leave directions on how to care for the system if it breaks down or educate how to change out the filters or manage their cost. Over time the filtration system breaks down and simply sits in the clinic unused.

This is what we as mission teams have done. With good intentions we come to this beautiful country only to set up an infrastructure that is doomed to fail. We come and go and cannot be relied upon for sustained help. Imagine counting upon someone only to see them go and never return.

The leadership of The Chadasha Foundation understands that it must be Haitians who raise up Haiti. The Apparent Project, the group with which we partnered to provide medical care via a mobile clinic, follows the blueprint for impacting Haiti in a sustainable way. Please visit their website, which states:

"The Apparent Project artisans guild uses discarded materials such as cereal and cracker boxes, oil drums, and trash paper to create beautiful “upcycled” pieces of jewelry, journals, and stylish home decor. While redeeming the Haitian landscape, these artisans are also bringing new hope to their families, employing themselves for a brighter future and earning the means to pay for their children's food, shelter, and education. That means less orphans, less crime, less garbage, less stress, and a whole lot more beauty."

This is making a lasting impression and allowing Haitians to climb out of poverty and support their families. Brilliant and simple. Successful. Lasting.

All is needed is servant leaders: people willing to give all of the glory to Him and take none for themselves; people who come behind the beautiful people of Haiti and lift them up so that they have the stature and strength to lift up other Haitians.

May God strip me of any and all desire to be praised for this past week. I am ashamed at times for even feeling good about myself because I am here. Bonje bene ou Haiti! May God bless you. I will be back!

Patient we saw during clinic at The Apparent Project. She was carried over a mile from her home by recent flooding.

Joyce, Joy and George at the "pharmacy."

Beautiful necklaces made by the artisans at The Apparent Project.

Haiti, Day Four

2011-06-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

Wednesday we awoke to another beautiful day. The air is thick with humidity but fans in the guest house are plentiful; the shower begins the week as "cold!" but with each passing day becomes just what we need. We enjoyed coffee (Haitian coffee is amazing. You can buy it here.) and a breakfast of Haitian oatmeal. Lonnie runs the kitchen at the guest house and her meals are always delicious. Her oatmeal is spiced with anise, cinnamon, and lime peel. She simmers the whole spices in water before adding oatmeal, sugar and evaporated milk (Carnation, I think). It is SO good. There will be an attempt to recreate it at home. Pete is being really pushy about this.

We headed back to the orphanage this morning. Most of us remained there to complete physicals on the children we did not see earlier in the week. Peyton and George accompanied John, our leader from Chadasha, to the tent orphanage to load the remaining belongings onto the truck. Before we left the guest house we challenged ourselves to go outside our comfort zones today. God can use these experiences to shape us but we have to be willing. Each of us commited to it and we planned on sharing the results during evening porch time. I looked to the day uncertain of how I would stretch myself but, of course, God challenged me where I most needed it. I realized that I have approached each day with a guarded heart. The guard unexpectedly came down on Wednesday and that was hard, but it was good. It further convicted me to see through that which God placed on my heart: help provide education for these children. I'm sure there will be more to come on that subject! We enjoyed hearing about George and Peyton's day. They made two trips between the tent orphanage and the new home; much of it was spent sitting in traffic. As it turned out, their purpose consisted of more than moving furniture. The multiple trips and congested traffic allowed them two hours in the back of a truck with a Haitian gentleman who works at the orphanage. The language and cultural barriers fell as they pieced together the French and Creole and English each one knew. By the end of the trip it was just three guys talking about faith and life experience. Very cool. Everyone had great stories to share that evening: there were attempts to speak Creole for the first time, there was a willingness to hold child after child infected with scabies, and there were those who worked long after the point of exhaustion. The challenges were different, but every one in our group stepped out of their comfort zone. We have an awesome team! That evening's porch time was our best of the week. There were stories of God's work in each of us and there were tears. It was a reminder of the blessings that come when we walk in obedience in spite of challenge or uncertainty.

Another blessing of the week has been Mathieu. He is Peyton and Elizabeth's son; they are in the process of adopting him. Mathieu spent a good deal of time with us and we all grew to adore him. I think we all consider ourselves his aunts and uncles whether his mom and dad like it or not! Peyton and Elizabeth have an incredible story of being called to adopt Mathieu. Click here to check out their blog and read their story. They also have awesome t-shirts for sale and a silent auction coming soon.

Coming next.....a post from my husband, Dr. Pierre.

The new orphanage

Elizabeth in the orphanage's courtyard, holding Mathieu (please note his shirt - WAR EAGLE!)

Debbie, the one-armed bandit

Heather, Peyton, George, and Joy

Unloading the truck

Haiti, Day Three

2011-06-08T17:05:00.001-05:00

Monday night we experienced a significant storm. The accompanying torrential rains caused mudslides and flooding, and yesterday we learned that many lives were lost. It was a reminder of the fragility of life in Haiti. As we set out yesterday morning for the children's home, we carried shovels to help clear impassable portions of the road. We made it through but I noticed how quiet the streets were. Typically the morning is bustling with traffic: cars and people are everywhere. This morning was different. I later learned that many offices closed due to the significance of the damage.

Our group split yesterday. Peyton, Joyce, and Pete went to the clinic to see patients. Heather, George, Debbie, Joy and I visited the children's home in Pernier, which is a community of Port au Prince. (It is a different home than the orphanage we visited earlier this week.) There are 17 children and several are in the process of being adopted by families in the US. The children are very well cared for by several ladies and one man, Shama. Shama has a time of school lessons each morning with the children. He showed us each child's folder that included the writing, math, and art lessons they complete. The teacher in me is amazed at his ability to discern each child's ability then create appropriate, challenging lessons individualized for each one. Shama also sings and plays guitar. The children love to sing along with him; he's taught them worship songs in both Creole and English. We loved playing and singing with the children.

Later in the afternoon, Pete and I walked with Kessy, our translator, to the homes of Bertha and Guerda. This is without a doubt one of the highlights of our trip! Bertha and Guerda stayed with us last summer while Bertha was in the US for surgery; we have looked forward to seeing them since they left last August. Guerda was about 5 months pregnant when she returned to Haiti. It was a joy to meet her baby boy. She asked if I continue to cook the Haitian recipes she taught me, and I told her that I try but I just can't do it as well as she does. That comment earned us an invitation to come back for dinner.

Last night, after a delicious Haitian spaghetti dinner, our group sat on the porch together. We listened to music and talked about our day. The "porch time," as Eddie calls it, is something special. We can reflect on what God is doing in Haiti and in us. It is great to just hang out together. Tonight we will sit on the porch and be led in devotion by Peyton.

Thank you for the prayers!

Haiti, Day Two

2011-06-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went back to the new orphanage to do physicals on the children and spend some time loving on them. Our team worked well together; we are grateful for a group who is willing to do whatever is needed! Downstairs in the orphanage, Joyce, Heather, and Elizabeth handed out toys to the children and played with them. They also shared hair ribbons and bracelets with the girls, and they painted their nails too. The boys enjoyed tossing balls with each other; it wasn't long before they started a game of monkey in the middle. Upstairs, we set up a clinic. Each child sat with Pete and he examined them from head to toe. Kessy translated for us. He was Pete's interpreter during his first trip to Haiti immediately after the earthquake. Kessy taught me to say, "What is your name?" and "How old are you?" in Creole. This allowed me to talk with each child as I documented everything. I love working alongside my husband to help him do his job. Joy gave each child a vitamin and took a picture for the records, and she managed the suitcases of medicine we brought. Almost every child we saw has scabies. Nearly all show signs of malnourishment, and many have old scars. When asked about the scars, the older children reply, "It happened when I was young." We know their scars go beyond the physical, and we pray for God's healing on their hearts.

After Pete completed the exam, each child went to Debbie. She administered antibiotics, played keep away, and showed the way to the scabies treatment area. George and Peyton slathered the children from head to toe in permethrin, which will kill the scabies. The children were wonderful patients. It was a privilege for each one of us to spend time with them.

Mid-day, we took a break. During this time the children went downstairs and were led in a time of worship by their caretakers. They are led in song and prayer. In prayer they repeat their leader's words then pray individually for several minutes. Their prayers are spoken softly but the steady hum of 60 children praying at once makes a loud impression. Following worship, the children ate a hot meal. We then resumed our morning's activites until heading back to the guest house. In all, we treated about 30 children. We will see the others later this week.

Today we are dividing our group between the clinic and a warehouse. There is a shipment arriving from Samaritan's Shoes and we will ready the warehouse for the boxes. Thank you for keeping up with our journey!

Pictures upload slowly so we can only get up two for now. From yesterday:

Heather, Peyton, George and Joy on the porch at the orphanage

One of the precious girls at the orphanage

Pictures, Day One

2011-06-07T07:59:00.000-05:00

We intended to post these last night but we had a huge storm. There were some of the loudest claps of thunder we have ever heard. It also poured rain for at least a couple of hours; we lost internet service.

Here are some pictures from our first day:

Pete presenting the sound equipment to Daniel, the sound guru at Pastor Jude's church.

The tent orphanage.

Pete on top of the truck, loading supplies from the tent orphanage. This is also our means of transportation. We love riding in the back and enjoying the infamous Haitian potholes!

2011-06-06T09:14:00.003-05:00

We arrived to the guest house Saturday afternoon as an amazing series of events was unfolding; it is something only God could orchestrate. In the past week, 60 orphans and their caretakers were rescued from a flooded tent orphanage in Cite Soleil, a slum outside of Port au Prince. They were brought to temporary housing as those working tirelessly on their behalf searched for a more permanent home. The temporary housing happened to be the guest house where we will spend our week. It was a joy to hear the sounds of children coming from the upstairs! To be here at this time, to witness God at work through many people, to see God's immense love for and faithfulness to His people, it is an extraordinary blessing.

God provided a permanent home for these children. Yesterday, it was ready. Our first task was to drive to Cite Soleil and load the orphanage's belongings onto a truck for transport to their new home. Before we began, we visited Pastor Jude's church. It was a busy Sunday morning at the church and we had the honor of presenting brand new sound equipment provided by Billy Crain and friends. Thank you, Billy! We spoke with the pastors, enjoyed some of the service, then continued to Cite Soleil. Once we arrived, we climbed over a gate to enter the property that was the tent orphanage. Many of the tents were washed away by the flooding but several remained. It was still muddy and there were many small pools of mosquito-infested water. Needless to say, the living conditions were appaling. As we waited for a key to the storage
unit to arrive, the Haitian men with us cut and peeled sugar cane for everyone to enjoy. We also had time to take in our surroundings to more fully understand the place from which these children came.

We delivered the belongings later in the afternoon and toured the new home. It is beautiful! After several bumpy rides between the home and the guest house, everyone was present. It is a moment none of us will forget: we watched as these orphans and their incredible caregivers were introduced to their new home. To have seen the area where they lived, a muddy patch of land where they slept on burlap sacks, and watch as they looked through their safe, dry, new home, we were humbled and blessed. Following is a video of the "ceremony" that unfolded at the new home.

Today we are preparing to return; Pete is going to perform physicals on the children. Some of us will help him and others will return to Cite Soleil to retrieve the remainder of the belongings. We'll post pictures tonight.

Hello from Haiti

2010-06-29T13:38:00.000-05:00

Hi, everyone! We arrived to Port au Prince yesterday afternoon after two easy flights from Nashville. Our only issue was with immigration after our arrival. We had no clue where were staying - at least not the street address - and that blank space on our immigration form earned us a trip to the boss's office. When the door to his small office opened, about eight people spilled out. It didn't take long to figure out why. The blast of cool air and the TV tuned in to the World Cup garnered quite a crowd! We tried to explain that although we know where we are going, we don't know exactly where. When the official finally asked, "Missionary?", we smiled and said yes. Close enough! And that became our address: missionary.

We are staying at a home that is used to house the medical teams that serve one of the clinics here. It is the same house where Pete stayed in February. Our meals are cooked for us and we have plenty of clean water, working bathrooms, and a comfortable place to sleep. The staff that works in the home (they cook,clean, and provide security) is wonderful. The doors and windows always remain open and we have numerous fans. The bugs aren't too bad and although it is hot, we can tolerate it fine.

This morning we rode through the community that is served by the people with whom we are visiting. This community, Pernier, is part of Port au Prince. The church and clinic operated by our hosts are here. The community, by American standards, is poor. Here, it is considered "middle-class." The roads are narrow, usually not paved, full of potholes, and if you drive, it is every man for himself. People sit along the roadside on walls. There are street vendors everywhere -- selling sugar cane, food and drinks, mosquito nets, medicines, you name it. Just as many people are wandering the streets. They estimate unemployment to be at least 85%, so that explains the numbers of people milling about and trying to earn a living on the street. There are numerous buildings, many that house shops, but most are closed. Alleyways off the street appear to lead to numerous homes. They are concrete, cinder block, often falling apart, one room, and one after another.

This afternoon we will talk with the pastor of the church that runs the clinic. Later this week we will visit an orphanage, we will travel downtown where the quake damage is, and we will work a day in the clinic. I think Eddie and I have to learn a little nursing! At the clinic, we hope to meet the husband of one of the Haitian women who recently stayed with us. Finally, the church would like to build a Christian school, and we'll look at some potential sites for the school. It should be an amazing week. We miss our kids a TON, but all in all, we just know it is God's will for us to be here. We are very content.

Thank you all for your prayers. An enormous THANK YOU to the family and friends watching over our kids. We could not be here without you.

Joy and Great Food

2010-06-18T09:29:00.000-05:00

Our kitchen will never be the same. Since our new Haitian friends arrived on Saturday, Guerda has taught me a thing or two about cooking. She made for us: trout (head and all, by the way) and chicken, both cooked in sauce that you want to lick from your plate; rice and beans with black bean sauce; butter cake; sweet potato bread (like a bread pudding) with grated coconut, lime, sugar and spices; potatoes and cooking bananas (the green ones) with meatballs; and more. She can cook anything and do it well. We anticipated that Bertha would be on a liquid diet given her tumor but, that is not the case. She eats everything. You can imagine our surprise on the first night when Guerda took a full plate of food upstairs for her, and a clean plate returned a few minutes later. Her nutrition is good; the strength it gives her will allow her to better tolerate the surgery. Bondye bon....God is good.

We spent yesterday at Vanderbilt for Bertha's initial appointment. Kari, the nurse who saw Bertha in Haiti then took on the US government to plead her case and obtain her humanitarian visa, drove from Knoxville to join us. It was a joy to witness their reunion. Bertha had a CT scan followed by a visit with Dr. Netterville, the surgeon. She negotiated the IV, the CT scanner, and the doctor's exam with ease. She does not speak English but, between the wonderful care of the Vanderbilt staff and Guerda's explanation of what was happening, the language barrier meant nothing. She was, in Guerda's words, "Relax!" Dr. Netterville, a distinguished head and neck surgeon, is a man with a heart of gold. He is an outstanding physician who embraces the opportunity to serve those less fortunate. He and Vanderbilt are offering their services free of cost. We will tell them as often as possible: thank you.

Over the past week, bits and pieces of the women's story have surfaced: the story about Bertha's tumor, her quest to find someone who could help, the prayers and dreams of Guerda, and, once they heard the news about coming to the US, the difficult road to obtain a passport from their own country. That last one doesn't make sense, but such is the state of affairs of Haiti. For comic relief, there is the tale of their trip to the US. Guerda told this story to us yesterday while we waited at the hospital. I understood a lot of it (she speaks with me in French), but I didn't need to. Her facial expressions, her gestures - they told the story. We were rolling with laughter by the end.

Many thanks for everyone's prayers and offers to help. Bondye bon!

God's in control.....remain flexible

2010-06-11T23:32:00.000-05:00

Pete just called from the airport to tell me that Bertha and her daughter-in-law did not clear customs in time to make their connecting flight. He spoke with the agent and found out that they are booked on a flight in the morning. We do not know their overnight arrangements. Please pray that they remain safe.

Bertha arrives Friday!

2010-06-10T16:19:00.000-05:00

Bertha (see previous posts), the Haitian woman in need of life-saving surgery, is set to arrive in Nashville on Friday night, June 11th, in preparation for surgery at Vanderbilt. Bertha was seen by the group of physicians with whom Pete traveled during his February trip. She has a mass on her jaw that prohibits her from eating solid food and it may soon obstruct her airway.

We expect Bertha to be here 4-6 weeks. We have one host family but are in need of others. If you are interested in hosting Bertha and her daughter-in-law, the time frame is flexible and funds are available to alleviate some of the cost. We anticipate other needs as well. Following is a complete list. If you are interested in helping, please contact me at susantcobb@comcast.net.

1) Host family (period of time is flexible; funds available to alleviate some of the cost associated with this)
2) Meals for Bertha and her daughter-in-law
3) Rides to hospital for doctor's visits (pre-op and post-op)
4) Volunteers to visit with them at host home

At this point we will compile a list of volunteers. Once the surgery is scheduled and we can better determine dates/times, I will be back in touch with you.

Thank you so much for your help.

Great News!

2010-04-20T22:16:00.000-05:00

She is coming!

Many of you may be familiar with the story of Bertha, a woman treated in Haiti by the physicians and nurses with whom Pete traveled. Bertha is in need of life-saving surgery. She has a mandibular (on her jaw) mass that is obstructing her airway. The team that treated her realized immediately the severity of her situation and committed to bring Bertha to the US for surgery. One of the team's nurses, Kari Smith of Knoxville, became Bertha's advocate and has worked tirelessly since returning from Haiti to make this happen.

One major hurdle in getting Bertha here has been obtaining permission from the US government for her visit. You can imagine the paperwork involved and, of course, the waiting, but Bertha's paperwork was submitted last week and was approved within days! Bertha has been granted Humanitarian Parole, her sister has also been approved for travel, and they will arrive in Nashville soon to begin preparation for surgery. Dr. James Netterville, a Vanderbilt physician, has graciously offered to perform the surgery. Vanderbilt Medical Center will cover the cost of her hospital stay. Pretty amazing.

For more on the Bertha story, head over to Kari's blog.

Presentation at Smyrna First United Methodist

2010-03-21T15:25:00.000-05:00

Many of you have asked about seeing Pete's pictures and hearing about his trip to Haiti. You are welcome to attend his presentation at Smyrna First United Methodist Church tomorrow night (3/22) at 7 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Fellowship Hall located in the rear of the church, off Sam Davis Road .

Many thanks to Smyrna First Methodist for this opportunity!

Haiti Update 7

2010-03-10T14:54:00.001-06:00

We want to share Pete's journal entries from his final two days in Haiti. As I sit and read his entries, my heart and mind are immersed in the reality that is Haiti. It is a sobering reminder that my "concerns" are not all that concerning. It is the blessing of perspective.

From Pete:
" My second to last day on the island of Haiti, at least for some period. It has been an incredible experience, thanks to God, and He has opened new doors for me. This all started a few weeks ago when I reached out to Him and he answered. He simply confirmed how faithful He is. I love God and who He is. I am glad He is my God. For this trip He deserves all the credit. As the roosters awaken and I stare across the mountains and valley, I reflect upon the week:

- God is a glorious God, full of grace and true to His promises
- I am deficient in my knowledge of the Bible and must spend more time in it
- Quiet time should be done daily. It gives clarity to the day and heightens your relationship with God
- This country is both devastated and devastatingly beautiful
- My kids are very special and I hope one day they are able to see something like this. With God's grace, we must prepare them with the desire, strength, knowledge and spirit to love the Lord so that one day they can travel and care for the sheep (Matthew 25). I think God has provided in them a servant's heart.
-It is never appropriate to ask God why. Only "As is your will." How do I fit into this, being your will.
- This country is in so much pain yet they awaken with a spirit and determination that is awesome. When will be the next time I have a bad day?
-I will never again criticize an American pot hole.
-Our group here has made all the difference for me. Each man and woman with strengths and weaknesses, but each on the same page of life. This was not about taking pictures or exploitation but love and service. Bill Broome, Bill Ramsey, Keri, Kaye, Will, Orville, Chris - each will be in my heart.
- Myriam and Alexander. Two translators who captured my heart. I hope to see you both again. I know will. I love you both.
- Why is it that your perspective of a leveled building with bodies littering the rubble changes in the period of one week?
- The house we stayed in was awesome. Allowed us to come home and recharge our batteries. The days were taxing and rest was critical. Thank you to the house staff - they took great care of us.
- Chadasha has it right. A lesson for all medical mission trips. Where the logistics allow it: take good care of the doctors and nurses where they have a safe place to eat, rest, and pray. Work closely with the natives and empower them to be the leaders. Find a Christ following church and couple with them to establish medical care. Mission medical teams are transient but churches are permanent and life-altering.
- I am eternally grateful to my office staff tha had the love and patience with me as I embarked on this trip. I love them very much.
-Anne made me cry.
-My job is to come here then tell their story. This is important because as the cameras leave, the destruction will remain. I will not forget Haiti. I will serve her and her people. It is also another way to show God's love and grace and to show obedience to Him.
-I know now how it feels to look into the eyes of three children who just lost their mother and father
- The devastation will come again. Soon. When it rains. The only thing worse than poverty is wet poverty. God have mercy on them! Where are the tents?
- I pray for a government that one day loves its people.
- I will listen more to God and less to my creatures of comfort.
- I did help some Haitians, but it is only through God's grace.
- I now know what Nascar driving feels like.
- I felt a 4.7 aftershock.
- Pastor Jude and Yannick have followed God's command and are making an eternal difference.
- As I prepare to say goodbye to Haiti I say this:
   Thank you for what you have taught me
   I promise to come back
   I will tell your story
   I will never forget. "

Haiti Slideshow

2010-03-03T21:28:00.005-06:00

Following is the link to the video of Pete's pictures from Port-au-Prince. Thank you for watching. Please
keep the Haitian people in your prayers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExQS_F8O01U

Haiti Pictures

2010-03-01T22:59:00.001-06:00

The first of many pictures.

Aftermath of the earthquake:

The Presidential Palace. Click on photo to see extent of damage.

A home.

Devastated church.

Homes on top of homes.

With patients:

This is one of the team's physicians, Bill, with Baby Christelle and sisters. Christelle was born on the streets of Port-au-Prince the day of the earthquake.

Pete with a young girl with cerebral palsy. Her mother had been carrying her around since she was a baby and did not know what her daughter suffered from. The day she and her family arrived to the clinic, a shipment of wheelchairs did too. From Mexico.

Pete with Myriam. She works as a translator and would like to come to the United States to go to school.

The team.

Many more to follow.

A Safe Return Home

2010-03-01T13:49:00.000-06:00

A brief update: Pete arrived home from Port-au-Prince late Friday night. We will post the journal entries from his last two days as well as a number of pictures. Hopefully that will take place tonight. :)

Thank you for your prayers during the trip. I also appreciate the numerous kind messages received in support of his journey. We are blessed to have friends and family like you!

Haiti Update 6

2010-02-26T01:01:00.001-06:00

View from home where team stays

At church

I received the following email yesterday. I hope to get another one this morning and if I do I will pass it along but, last night the internet connection dropped. It also has been difficult for Pete to email many pictures because of the slow connection. We will post his pictures once he returns.

I have been here almost a week, and as I pass by the rubble I notice it even less. This is concerning. I don't like it. I will try to refocus today on the destruction.

The theme of the day yesterday was relationships. Lasting relationships.. Relationships formed with other team members and translators.

A relationship was formed with a Haitian who has been working in Boston. He is moving up the managerial ladder at HUD. He came down to Haiti to check in on his mother and nine siblings. All are safe. Yet his flight was a week away and he had a burning desire to help his people, so he walked into the ER I was running. "Do you need help? I just want to help. I will be available for the next five days." I told him that the translators make, if the funds are available, five dollars a day, which is quite good in Haiti. He didn't want money, only the chance to make a difference in his home country. Rarely do you run into acts of true altruism - but this is about as close as I have witnessed. We stood by each other for the ensuing three days, laughing(mostly at my Creole and him passing out at the sight of blood), crying, supporting, entrusting. I will never forget him; he served without accolades, newspaper articles, awards or even the thanks from the patients. He served because he loves his people, all people. He taught me a lot about true service. I will never forget his friendship. Alexander has impacted my life and brought me closer to my God.

Today we work a half day in the clinic and then we go out into the city for a first-hand account of the destruction. I will bring back pictures for all to see. I will try to tell their story. I love Haiti and my heart bleeds.

Haiti Update 5

2010-02-24T17:47:00.000-06:00

Tuesday in Port-au-Prince. God's timing is perfect, as usual:

Sak Paze?
This means "what's up" in creole.

Two dollars and a plate of beans:

Yesterday was a little less chaotic which allowed me to stand back and observe more and soak in the stories. God provides these stories in our lives but we are often too busy to enjoy them. Is this the will of God?

Nearly the minute I got into triage, an elderly man came to me in respiratory distress. Obviously uncomfortable, and barely able to breath on his own, we attended to him immediately. His oxygen level was 80%, very low, near intubation low if the trend worsened. Yet his lungs were clear. No swelling. No chest pain. Heart rate in the low 100's - not too concerning. What was wrong with this guy? Finger stick -180 after he had a coffee with sugar in it, so not suggestive of diabetic ketoacidosis. What was wrong with this guy? Gave him oxygen, our one source of oxygen, and he did not respond as we would have liked. Labs showed no evidence of infection or anemia. He had no chest pain, no wheezing. Did he have a pulmonary embolism? I felt helpless and at a loss. He had to be transferred to a higher level of care. We didn't even have Xray running at the time. Yet the family had no money and the patient could not even walk fifty feet without laboring severely. I had two American dollars in my pocket and asked my translator to flag down a taxi for me. We went into the street and the very first car was a taxi. "How much to transport one patient and his two family members to general hospital?" He told us three dollars. I told him I would give him two dollars. He said "no, three dollars." Remembering that I had not yet eaten lunch, a large, tasty plate of rice and beans, I asked "how about two american dollars and a large plate of rice and beans?" Deal! This thin cab driver, before we could get the patient in the car with an IV still in his arm, had inhaled my lunch and had the greatest grin on his face. This is the story of two dollars and a plate of rice and beans. He willingly transferred my patient to general hospital, where hopefully my patient was afforded the proper medical care. I prayed for him this morning as well as the taxi driver - one very sick, the other very hungry. God bless them both.

Timing is everything:

I was asked to evaluate a girl who was carried in by her mom. The child couldn't walk. Mom had been carrying this child around for four years and wanted to know what was wrong with her. It was quickly evident that she suffered from cerebral palsy with mental retardation. Not a good prognosis, especially in light of the current conditions of the country. She needed a wheelchair and physical therapy at least for the family to be able to move on to some kind of normalcy. You could tell that mom was tired and at a loss for what to do. But as God has shown me over and over again, He provides the timing for incredible things. As she was waiting for the physical therapist to evaluate her, we received an enormous shipment of materials from Mexico - unannounced. I walked back behind the hospital where the supplies were being inventoried when I saw a row of 10 new wheelchairs. Wow. "Who do I ask if I can have a wheelchair for this girl?" In my brief tenure, I had been given the authority to make such decisions, and this one was easy. Wheeling this little girl out to her car, where her father was waiting, placing her in the car and folding the wheelchair so that it just barely fit into the trunk of this tiny car is a moment I will hold on to forever. They drove away with huge smiles on their face. Timing is everything. Thank you Mexico for giving this child a chance at independence and giving a mother rest for her back.

Brief observations
The ride home is a dichotomy of extreme poverty with the background of beautiful green mountains
People seem to know that we are here for them and thus treat us with that respect.
All my translators want me to sponsor them in the US to study - they know this is a way out. I think I might. Her name is Myriam.
Slowly people at the hospital are improving. This is good.

Wow........God is SO good! Thank you for your prayers.

Haiti Update 4

2010-02-24T17:37:00.000-06:00

I continue to be amazed at God's work in Haiti. I expected to hear about the poverty, the sickness, and the devastation. One only need to turn on the news to see this reality. It would be easy to consider these and surmise that there is no hope. But we are blessed. We have the opportunity to hear stories that news anchors may see, but do not report from the perspective of one who expects God to show up. We do expect Him. And when we look at the details of the tiny miracles that occur each day, we know it could be only Him.

Pete's email about Monday. :

Two aftershocks in the middle of the night. Makes you wonder if the big quake will come again. I awakened to the same roosters and dogs and our Haitian housemates sleeping outside in the yard. Who can blame them?

How can a small town family doc from Smyrna, TN find himself essentially in charge of a hospital with an ER and tent city full of patients? Yesterday, by God's ordination, I was the only MD running the ER and the inpatients. We had an outstanding anesthesiologist and plastic surgeon inside, willing and capable, but their work was largely dependent on what we sent them from the outside. When I arrived a completely unresponsive man and an MVA with chest trauma were there waiting for me..... we hit the ground running. It is such a fluid situation. There is no certainty that anyone will show up to see the patients. Their lives hang on the thread of a few volunteers showing up that day. The Mexican navy has been here to help but they took two days off without telling anyone.

Through it all the people of Haiti continue to teach me patience. They are a rich people, expressive, thoughtful. But some of that has eroded into fatigue, doubt, skepticism.
I love caring for Haitians. In many ways I feel closer to these people than many of my own. You must feel them, listen to them, touch them to learn of their pain. We cannot simply whisk them off to the CT scanner or MRI because we don't have them. Often we are without xray. It is just me, the patient, a stethoscope and a story. Perfect but imperfect. It has taught me that in America we have lost the "touch" between doctor and patient.

A nurse came running into the ER yesterday and told me a little boy was crying in a tent, in excruciating pain. When I got there it was a seven year old boy who had a femur fracture with complete displacement. The only problem was that it had not yet been set and he had been off pain meds for more than a day. It made me think of my son who had the same injury when he was that age. Imagine if Buzz was unable to have pain meds and the pain he would have had to endure. But this child is my son, and it breaks my heart. He got pain meds and got near instant relief. He will get surgery today.

Haiti Update, #3

2010-02-23T12:00:00.000-06:00

I received this email yesterday morning. Amazing stories. I imagine there are many more. If only these people had a voice. We must do our best to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves." Proverbs 31:8

Bonjour,
Standing on the roof of the hospital with the USS Comfort in background.
I awaken today to the sound of roosters and barking dogs, and O yeah, a strong aftershock. I can see why Haitians would be tentative about going back into their homes.
We awakened yesterday to squash soup, the normal Sunday fare - delicious. Onward to church where we witnessed the most energetic service. They seem very authentic in their love for the Lord.
As the service ended, most of the Haitians wanted to touch our hands. One of the last families was a mom and her three young children. The youngest child was Christelle. Mom then told us that the baby was born on the streets of PAP the day of the earthquake. She named her daughter Christelle because it means "Jesus is here."

Even through all the devastation, the people believe that God is faithful and He is here.

Haiti Update, #2

2010-02-23T11:39:00.001-06:00

Dear friends, we are so grateful for your support. I have passed along your thoughts and prayers to Pete and I know he and his teammates are appreciative.

The past 24 or so hours brought several measurable aftershocks to Haiti. In the early morning hours of yesterday and today, Pete was awakened by trembling. According to the US Geological Survey both quakes registered 4.7. It was enough to make everyone spring from bed, and their Haitian roommates chose to spend the remainder of the night's sleep in the yard. I cannot imagine the fear they must feel with each tremor.

I have two days' of emails to share with you; I will post each separately. As you read Pete's comments, please do not take offense to the things he is beginning to question. I think it is natural for most who visit a third-world country to return with an altered perspective on their own life. We will be the first in line of those who may choose to do things differently. From Sunday:

You can't come here and return to the lives we lead and be satisfied with the status quo. Putting a premium on material items, winning ball games, treating as many people through the day as possible, planning for retirement; these are concepts that don't exist here and it is a relief to leave them behind. We are focused on helping people here find their next meal, next pain medicine, next house. Each one is looking for God, looking for Him to deliver a sliver of promise and hope to them. God is faithful. He is showing himself and it is a joy to be a part of that.

Random thoughts:

I wonder if my 78 year old woman is still alive?

If she dies I wonder where her daughter will go and where her next meal will come from?

We go to Church today. Without speaking the language this service will have profound impact. Something will be different. God is wonderful in how many ways he shows His face.

Being down here I have met some incredible people, people who have given up everything at home to help the Haitians. Selfless is the word that comes to mind. People that want to and DO make a difference. So many times I have wanted to make a difference but didn't have the courage. Nelson my interpreter, Martin pharmD - Godly people.

The 78 year old woman was a patient of Pete's at the hospital. Hospital admission guarantees a place for mother and daughter to sleep. Each receives one meal a day. When the mother dies her bed will go to the next patient, and the daughter must leave. She has no home, no family. Where will she go? It is a problem faced by many.

I leave you with a picture of a precious baby girl who was treated in the clinic for scabies.

Haiti Trip Update #1 -- Thank You, Smyrna!

2010-02-21T21:20:00.012-06:00

My husband, Pete, left for Haiti last week with The Chadasha Foundation. He is working in both a clinic and a hospital alongside an incredible group of physicians and nurses, trying to make a small difference in a country with great need. Before he departed, he was overwhelmed with support from the community of Smyrna: the Rotary Club, StoneCrest, friends, his office staff, numerous pharmacies and medical equipment companies, even people whom he had never met (and more -- please tell me who I am leaving out. Pete has the list). Donations came in the form of money, supplies, and equipment. When I spoke to Pete earlier today, he asked that I let each of you know that your donations have made a significant impact already. Let me explain.

Saturday, the team went to work in a local hospital. These are Pete's comments about the hospital and its patients:

Today we embark for the local hospital. Thirteen bed hospital that has fifty plus patients, most of whom stay in tents on the outside. Post-op patients that are still trying to learn how to walk after amputations. No prosthesis, no handicap parking, no jobs, no house to go home to - they lost their families, most of them. Their homes fell on them. I will be looking at the pharmacy to see if they can use some of the drugs we brought in. They will be a blessing and relief, though be it a short one, to many patients.

This hospital has a working operating room. The operating room has not been able to serve patients because there was no available pain medicine. Today, thanks to the generosity of many of you, that operating room is working. Pete delivered to the hospital pharmacy the medicine you graciously provided and it allowed doctors to resume operations. Praise God for meeting this need and thank you, thank you for your part in His plan.

Following are excerpts from another email. They are simply his impressions after his first day.

We got off a plane yesterday that cost about the same as it would to provide clean water for the entire city for years.
The stars here are beautiful.
Just downstairs last night looking at the vast amounts of medicine that the people of Smyrna helped to provide. Incredible. Not one wasted penny. Hitting the streets running>>>>
Today we will likely see 200 people between the three of us - scabies, "everyone has worms", post-traumatic syndrome, abscesses, HTN, DM, just to name a few.......
Tap-taps are awesome. It is the local, colorful buses that the people ride. they are fuller than the halls at a titans game.They are tap-taps, because that is what you do when you want to get off the bus.
People urinating on the streets - there is nowhere else to go.
Why do I feel so sorry for the dogs down here. Their bones so prominent. Tell Lulu next time she complains how lucky she is.

And finally, this one after his first day in the clinic:

Most of the people I saw complained of "my stomach hurts", "I have anemia", "my child has a cold" and in general were not a sick as i thought they would be. Yet a couple were very sick. To the point that on Monday when I have follow up with them I dont know if they will be back. Ever. Didnt know what they had. Helpless feeling. How do you treat an 11 year old girl with a mass growing out of her temple and a fever of 104. You give her a shot of antibiotics and 4 pain pills and you pray you see her again. CT scan of the head and bloodwork sure would be nice right now.

My last patient of the day was a 70 year old man who has a chronic indwelling catheter. He came to us wanting surgery on his prostate. He cannot urinate if he takes the catheter out. We were able to arrange for him a ride to the local hospital to meet a urologist. He said that he had been praying six years for this moment and he was just rejoicing in how faithful God is. Wow. Haitians are a patient people. I have already learned a lot from them and I know they will teach me a ton more.

The gentlemen in the top photo with Pete will be riding to the urologist tomorrow. I pray he finds the answers he needs.

More photos:

Remains of church. Notice beautiful arches inside.

Beautiful young girl with her father. She is an amputee. Pete got to hang out with her and her dad for awhile and he fell in love with her smile. He made up for the scary, bald/goatee look by giving her candy and a bracelet. :)

I will post more as I receive it. Thank you to the many who continue to pray for this trip and for, most importantly, the Haitian people.

Go

2009-05-05T14:19:00.002-05:00

God continues to weave recurring themes throughout my quiet times and devotional and has therefore given me plenty to ponder. Twice, now, a passage from Scripture that weighs heavily on my mind has popped up into sermons. It's as if I was NOT getting the point so, God generously spelled it out for me from the stage. I'll think twice before taking a seat next week.

Several weeks ago LifePoint Church rolled out a new missions strategy based on Acts 13. Last year, following the Sacred Gathering, God led me to learn everything I could about the first missionaries. Is studied the life of Paul and started in the book of Acts. A story in Acts 10 stuck with me: Peter has a vision of something like a large sheet being led to earth by its four corners. It contains all kinds of animals. Then he hears a voice, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat." Peter replies, "Surely not, Lord! I have never eaten anything impure or unclean." The voice replies,

"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

This happens three times. As Peter considers the meaning of the vision, three men arrive. The Spirit tells Peter to go with them because, "I have sent them." The men ask Peter to accompany them to the home of a Roman centurion, Cornelius, a good man but a Roman nonetheless, who has requested his presence. Cornelius heard word from the Spirit to send for Peter. He obeyed. Peter did too. He goes with the men and arrives at Cornelius's home.

And now they sit together. A Jew and a Roman. Brought together by the Holy Spirit. Wondering why.

P:Why did you send for me?

C:It was the man in the shining clothes. He told me to. And now we are ready to listen to everything the Lord commanded you to tell us.

So......a high level Roman soldier, placed in Israel to keep the peace, just so happens to love God. He is well-respected by Jews and actively seeks the Lord. He has a vision to send for Peter. But he is a Roman, there are Gentiles with him and for that reason, Peter should not go into his home and share a meal. Rules, rules, rules. Fortunately Peter is focused on the ways of the Lord, not the ways of men. Fortunately he obeys the Spirit. He goes.

And what does he find?

A captive audience. And a life-changing lesson.

Peter's first words after Cornelius invites him to speak:

"I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right."

I wish I learned my lessons that quickly. Peter immediately connected the dots between "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean," and his call to visit a God-fearing Roman and some Gentiles. So he does what the Spirit brought him to do: he shares the gospel. Verses 44 and 45 continue,

"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles."

Wow. What a testimony of obedience. And the blessings that follow obedience. It is a testimony that Good News is for all men. It speaks to our prejudices and our contrived rules, and to the boundaries we set up between ourselves and others. Are we the ones to determine who is worthy of Christ's love and who is not? Do we withhold the Good News from those with whom we do not identify? Do we think they don't want it.... or won't accept it?

This story reminds us there are people everywhere eager to believe. Some of them need only to hear the story. Are we brave enough to identify those we deem "unclean"? Do we have the strength to defy society's rules and share the Good News with them? Is God calling us to do just that?

I've thought about that question too often. Who have I labeled as "unclean"? Thinking can make me stagnant, and it has, so the Good Lord delivered Acts 13 to me a few weeks ago. I bogged down in the details of that passage. I knew it was connected to my lesson from Acts 10 but I could not figure how. Finally, it hit me. Look at the big picture. Peter learns in Acts 10 that "God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life." He identified the group with whom he needs to share the Gospel. And what happened soon thereafter? Enter the church at Antioch. They also identified a need to share the gospel, and.....

They went.

There's the lesson. Maybe we go next door, or far away. There are people everywhere who want to know Him. Our man-made boundaries and prejudices should not keep us from following God's call to share our faith with them.

We just need to go.

Doubt

2009-04-22T11:27:00.004-05:00

God's call to action in our lives is invigorating. There is no stronger pull out of bed and into the cold morning darkness than a day of pursuing His work....and knowing what that is! The emotional high that comes from connection with God and the pursuit of His plan is extraordinary. We move with laser-like focus and assume we always will. Then, out of the blue, it hits.

Doubt.

Oh, how I thought the hard part was determining what God was trying to tell me. If I can only hear Him clearly, I'll know what to do. Then I'll do it. The End. Yeah, right.

For several months I have pursued God's vision of establishing a school in Africa. I've done it cautiously and at a tortoise's pace, but I have moved. I have not doubted.....until several days ago. The process of thinking through the details had me second-guessing myself over and over again. That old saying, "The devil is in the details," comes to mind! My passion suddenly gave way to planning and practicality. Yes, I know those are vital components to a well-run project. But there are times we have to balance faith and control. We have to walk without clearly seeing the path. We walk by faith, not by sight. It can be hard.

I sat with my devotional and my Bible in front of me. It was one of those doubt-filled mornings and I needed some inspiration. My devotional has relentlessly inspired me for months, and I was certain this day would be no different. I read the day's words. Nothing. I pored over the day's Scripture. No sparks. All I could do was share my heaviness with God, and wait. I prayed. Father, I am not at all feeling good about this. Is this really what you want for me? Do you want me to pursue this school in Africa thing? Did this vision come from you or am I making it up? Are these doubts and distractions an attempt to throw me off course? If they are, Lord, please continue to confirm I am doing the right thing. I just don't know. Please show me.

I continued to sit, devotional in hand, my heart stuck in the mud. I thought, Well, maybe I'll flip through last month's lessons. They were really good. I grabbed a chunk of pages between my thumb and fingers and flipped backward through the book. The first place the book fell open was February 29th. It says (and I am NOT making this up):

You are on the right path. Listen more to me and less to your doubts. I am leading you along the way I uniquely designed just for you. Therefore, it is a lonely way, humanly speaking. But I go before you as well as alongside you, so you are never alone. Do not expect anyone to understand fully my ways with you, any more than you can comprehend my dealings with others. I am revealing to you the path of Life day by day, moment by moment. As I said to my disciple Peter, so I repeat to you: Follow Me.

Uh, God, this really doesn't cut it, but......thank you?

Doubt throws us off course so well. Maybe it is also an indication we are headed in the right direction. Whatever your path, wherever God leads you, and whenever doubt strikes, there is a set of directions that never fails. You won't find them on Mapquest, but commit them to memory because you'll never be lost.

Follow Me.

Paradox

2009-04-14T14:18:00.001-05:00

Lyric from Chris Tomlin's "I Will Rise":

Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

A paradox. It seems self-contradictory but expresses truth. Nowhere else than before God can we simultaneously fall and rise. We fall on our knees, or surrender our lives to Him, and rise. We rise on eagles' wings. A steady, graceful rise, propelled by God.

As we sang "I Will Rise" on Sunday, it occurred to me how often the Bible expresses paradoxical statements and ideas. We find truth in unlikely statements. Look at the following:

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 10:39

"One man pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth." Proverbs 13:7

"Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: ...... genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and not yet killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything." 2 Cor 6:4, 8-10

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ." Philippians 3:7

Outside a Christian walk, these make little sense. Only through the love of Christ do we find meaning. And what is the lesson? There are many and I will miss most! But here is the one that reaches me: each verse calls us away from those things deemed important by the world and toward life through Christ. The world tells us to control our lives, to find happiness in money and possessions, to be strong and independent, and to take pride in our accomplishments. Scripture tells us otherwise. There is an antidote above for each of these wordly "treasures." Consider how they apply to your life; I will be doing the same.

It could be no accident that Scripture uses paradox to teach these messages. Living a life committed to Christ often means we live against the way of the world. Scripture trains us accordingly by using lessons that contradict themselves, yet speak truth.

Your walk with Christ may run contradictory to the world but you, too, can speak truth through it.

"Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a 'fool' so that he may become wise." 1 Cor 3:18

Time to get smart and be a fool.

Qavah

2009-04-07T09:19:00.000-05:00

"Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord."
Psalm 27:14

"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.'
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord."
Lamentations 3:24-26

The Hebrew word for "wait" in both passages is qavah. It is not simply the passage of time. Its definition is "to wait, look for, hope, expect."

If you wait, then wait and look with hopeful expectation.

What a gift it is that as children of God, we don't have to wait without knowing. We know he is with us. We know he is working. We know he waits alongside us.

If anything makes the wait easier, He does.

Pure and Faultless

2009-04-03T12:23:00.004-05:00

Last month I posted about my dream to establish a school in Africa. It is a desire born from a passion laid on my heart by the Lord. I cannot explain it any other way. The pursuit of this dream is a real test of obedience for me because, hey, does this make ANY sense?, but God continues to affirm the call. I am grateful that my God not only understands my need for encouragement but so freely gives it. He provides it in the tiniest details of every day life: the excitement and support of this endeavor from friends and family, the connection with hearts similarly aligned, and the steady unraveling of a plan before my eyes...His plan.

I have to go on record to say this: if there is a day when this school opens its doors, ALL praise and honor and glory go to God. This is His plan. He is reaching out to the people of Africa and calling them to Him. He wants them to know they are His children. He wants them to know what it is like to abide in His love. He wants them to know freedom and have hope. And He want us to know that He loves them JUST AS MUCH AS He loves you and me. The parable of the lost sheep ends with this: "In the same way your father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost." He wants them to be found.

The Bible also instructs us to care for widows and orphans. James 1:27 says, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Wow, that verse packs a double punch when I think of how it applies to Africa. War and disease are rampant in Africa. A heart-breaking result are the number of orphans and widows left to fend for themselves. Our offering to them is accepted by God as pure and faultless. He also accepts as pure and faultless when we keep ourselves from being polluted by the world. Does anyone else wonder why these two, seemingly separate ideas are placed together? Is it possible that scripture is nudging us to realize how service to widows and orphans cuts down on our "pollution"? Do we make ourselves "pure" and keep ourselves from being polluted by the world when we serve the widows and orphans? I also consider how the pollution of the media and our American lifestyle leads us to believe that Africa is a far-off place, too dangerous, too dirty, with too much of nothing.

It is a lot to think about. Service to Africa is an opportunity to introduce the lost to a life in Christ. It is also a chance to live out James 1:27. I would like to offer something pure to God. I want to avoid the pollution of this world. Or maybe, by looking into the eyes of "the least of these," God will show us purity. And as they look into ours, pray they will see His love.

Patience, NOW!

2009-03-31T00:03:00.006-05:00

Are you waiting? I am. It seems like there is always something I am longing for, looking toward, or praying to completion. I can find myself so engrossed in the future that I forget about the present. Today. Now. This beautiful day created for us by God, a day we can look to him and follow his will, a day where we should walk with him moment by moment. It seems simple, but too often our gaze is so firmly fixed on the future that the present slips by unnoticed. But back to the future. :)

Why do we want tomorrow's blessings today?

Beth Moore gives some great words in her Esther study, and here's one: it's hard to balance passion with patience. Think about that. Those things about which we are most passionate are the very ones we long to see complete, the ones for which we petition God, the ones that drive us to dream about tomorrow. These are the things that make us forget who is in control.

I guess I've grown a little impatient lately, because the Lord has bombarded me with scripture and studies on patience. It amazes me how God works! He has shown me time and time again that He is in control and I just better not forget it. Having said that, let me allow him to work through His word. Consider this:

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

Here is something I learned. This blew me away. Look at the words I put in italics. They are THE SAME word in Hebrew. The Lord longs to bless us just as we long for him to do it. The Lord waits to bless us but those who wait will be blessed. We wait together! How incredible is it that we share this with Him! OK, but He is God. He doesn't have to wait.

So why does He?

God sees everything. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. We are told in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything." And there is. There is a time for God to bless us. He longs to bless us now, but He knows our future and He will not act until the time is perfect.

So we wait. Here are scriptures to ponder today (got to make the most of it!) while you wait for your time to come:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:3 (italics mine)

We have joy set before us, don't we? Are we willing to endure our cross until the time is right for our joy to arrive? Phillippians 4:19 answers to those who wait:

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

He will meet all your needs, according to his riches in Christ. Worth waiting for, isn't it? Poor Lazarus had to wait. He waited two days for Jesus to come and heal him. Lazarus died. But his death wasn't without purpose:

"Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. Then he said to his disciples, 'Let us go back to Judea.'" John 11:5-7

When Jesus arrived in Judea, Lazarus had died. And that was perfect. Jesus knew when Lazarus' death would take place and waited for it to pass before he returned. The wait presented the opportunity for Jesus to perform a miracle greater than healing disease. It gave him the opportunity to raise Lazarus from the dead. By doing so, he showed the disciples his power over death. He performed a miracle central to our faith, resurrection from the dead. I am sure Lazarus and his loved ones longed for his healing. The disciples surely raised eyebrows when Jesus chose to wait two days after hearing of Lazarus' sickness. Why not now? they thought. In the end, Jesus blessed Lazarus with healing. And by waiting, he accomplished much more.

Finally, lest you fall captive to weariness and lose sight of God, read the words of Jeremiah 29:11-14. They give hope for the future, and a plan for now.

"'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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord, and will bring you back from captivity.'"

A fresh perspective

2009-03-24T14:29:00.000-05:00

The Bible amazes me. This morning I read a familiar story and its effect reminded me of a hymn I sang during childhood:

"Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me."

The words of the Bible, although unchanging, are able to fall afresh on our hearts. Each time we study scripture, there lies the possibility of unearthing buried treasure. This morning I read about the miracle of Jesus walking on water. It has always been just that....the miracle where Jesus walks on water. But today I read the passage differently. I focused on the disciples. Have you ever wondered why they were so scared when Jesus appeared to them on the water? They thought he was a ghost! The very one who already performed miracles before them, the one they laid down their lives to follow, it was he who shocked them by showing up on the water. I'm sure the sight of a figure walking on water made them jump, but was it really such a surprise? Are we surprised when our Lord shows up? Should have the disciples, in their faith, called out to him? Should they have expected him?

Do we?

This fresh perspective confirmed the day's words of my devotional: God is a God of abundance. He doesn't run out of miracles, or answers, time to listen to requests, or ability to answer prayer. He is a God of details. He is everywhere. We can expect Him to be with us always. But the disciples didn't expect Jesus to show up. There are times I haven't either. This is not the faith that says, "He won't come." It is not the faith that says, "He will come." It is the faith that has not yet grasped how big our God is. We believe, but we don't yet expect.

And the disciples? They fought strong wind and rough waters in their attempt to row to shore. Then Jesus came aboard, and "immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading. "

Expect God, in His abundance, to help you reach your shore.

Prayers for Africa

2009-03-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

Africa is a continent in need. There exists war, hunger, and disease, which lead to war atrocities, starvation, an orphan crisis, homelessness, slavery, and corruption. This is a partial list. The bottom line is simple...Africa is a continent in need.

There are videos and stories that will break your heart. Children left to starve. Women used. Young boys forced to fight and kill. Death due to preventable disease. Unimaginable situations are common. I don't know how I ever looked past the plight of these people. It is devastating, yet it was once so easy to look past it as someone else's problem. Now, it is my problem. It is our problem. These are God's children, and they suffer. What will we do?

God is moving in Africa. I despair over the pain and suffering and hopelessness and heartache that continue, but I rejoice because I know He is there. I watch Him use His people to introduce hope. Hope comes in many forms. It arrives through gifts of clean water, orphan care, mosquito nets, adoption, medical care, church-planting, and refugee assistance. The greatest of these is the Hope found in Christ. Africa needs a Savior.

I am privileged to know a few of God's people who serve Africa. Following are links to their blogs and websites. I also will include others I follow. Please take a moment to read their stories and learn how God is using them to reach the people of Africa. Please pray for them. As you become more aware of the needs in Africa, please pray for your role. Each of us may not be called as missionaries or to adopt, but we all are called to serve those in need.

Servants:

Missionaries to W. Africa

Adoption: Hood Family

Oatsvall Family

Organizations:

Amazima Ministries -- orphan care and sponsorship program

Blood:Water Mission -- HIV Prevention, Well Project

Articles of Awareness

warning: content may be graphic

War in Congo and crimes against women

Danger for Refugees in Darfur

Story of a Child Soldier

Two Vandy med students build clinic in African hometown

This list is far from complete. Please send me your ideas and I will include them!

Please continue to pray for the African people and thank God for the work He is doing.

Surrender and the Church Lady

2009-03-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

God's call to wholly surrender my life to Him came several months ago. I shared the experience here. Surrender is not an isolated event without lasting consequences. It is a long-term deal that continuously calls us to release control to God. I withheld pockets of my life and in spite of the ones I surrendered, the few I kept were thorns in my side. He allowed me to release them and, WOW, do I feel free. The release allows Him to move freely within, around, and through us. I want to share with you His movement in my life since I "let it all go," with the hope it might encourage you to do the same.

My children are a source of struggle for me. Hang on, that's not what it sounds like! I have a plan for their future, and it is hard for me to imagine anything different. God's call to surrender demanded change and coincided with some decisions we faced regarding our children. Nice timing, isn't it? I couldn't help but notice how tightly I held the reins of their future. Thankfully God intervened. He allowed me to more fully understand several things, which consequently provided the peace I needed to let go. First, they are His children, entrusted to my care. He knows what is best. Second, He sees their lives from a much greater perspective than I. He knows their future; I imagine it. Finally, their lives were created to fulfill His will, not mine. Is that not what we hope and pray for, that our children will pursue His will for their lives? Then we, too, should pursue His will for their lives. It begins in the decisions we make for them every day. And what became of the decision we faced? I tried to beat down the door I wanted opened to near exhaustion. I finally gave it up and handed it to God. It took a lot of prayer and determination to "walk by faith," but I released. Enter God. Within weeks, He graciously opened the door I tried many times to beat down. I had the most joyful run of my life (with what seemed like endless energy) after the door opened and could think of nothing to offer but, "Thank you, Father. Thank you! Thank you!" God is so good, and so kind. He gives far more than I deserve.

Our Father places ideas in our minds and passions in our hearts. It is one of the Spirit's ways of accomplishing His work through us. Of course, we must listen. I allowed numerous ideas to wither and die. The call to surrender challenged me to follow His lead when His inspiration strikes. The blog is one example of listening to Him. Another is my post about my passion for Africa and dream to establish a school there. I walked far out a high limb to place into public view a dream of mine for which I had NO PLAN. How many times did I think, What if this doesn't work? How stupid will I look if this never happens? The fear of failure can be a huge stumbling block, but I've seen God shine through other's weakness and I have faith He will do the same for me. So I put the vision on the blog. Enter God. I received an email from a friend who had read the post. She has ideas..... and contacts. Suddenly, out of the clear blue sky, my "no plan" vision is taking shape. It is a plan that could really make this happen, Lord willing. It was as easy as starting a blog I didn't want to start and sharing a vision I wanted to keep secret. Thank you, Father!! He is all about the details.

There is one other side-effect of surrender that I experienced. I will again, for sure. This one needs a warning, so here's a clue:

Put on your church lady face and say it with me: "Could it beeeeeeeeeeee.....Satan?" Yes, it's true, surrendering to God's will is a tried and true method of inviting in the Enemy. It just happened to me. First, please believe me that I am not an angry person. I can't remember the last time I was burning mad about something. Surprise, surprise, I recently felt anger take root in my heart and grow like kudzu. I was so mad I could have spit fire, blown steam out of my ears, and worn a path around the house from stomping my feet so hard. I did not know how to handle it. It never happens to me. Why now? Only when I noticed the "coincidental" timing between my surrender and my festering anger did the fighter in me come to life. I remembered a recent lesson from my bible study, and please take note because I don't want to scare off anyone from surrender! Here's the good news:

The Enemy never wins.

God reigns supreme over everything. There is no victory to be had for the Enemy, but there is distraction. Distraction disables us. Anger took my focus off God. If it consumes me, I will slowly withdraw from pursuing His will, and the Enemy wins. The Lord showed me that I needed simply to refocus.....on Him. Sometimes I have to be very deliberate in directing my thoughts. The spiritual weapons found in Ephesians 6:13-17 are invaluable when we sense the Enemy lurking. The following scripture, too, encourages us as we fight:

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (italics mine)

Our Father wants to accomplish His purpose in our lives. I felt God pulling at my heart, asking for every bit of it. I experienced the peace that accompanies surrender. I marvel now as He accomplishes His purpose in a way that brings me great, unexpected joy. I watch as He attends to the tiniest of details. I praise Him because I am overwhelmed.

Father, reveal to us the reins still clenched in our hands and give us the strength to release them to You. Help us demolish the stongholds of the Enemy as we take captive our thoughts and make them obedient to You. Open our eyes that we may see you at work around us. Help us focus, Lord, that we may be the vessels You use to accomplish Your purpose. Thank you for the joy we find in You.

What's Your IQ?

2009-03-06T10:50:00.000-06:00

There is an advertisement online that challenges us to a battle of IQ's against a celebrity. Picture an image of Simon Cowell with a "122" over his head (we're supposed to believe that's his IQ) and the question, "Think you're smarter?" I've never clicked the ad. I can take one look at the photo and give a yes or no, although that may be a bit shallow on my part. However, I can think of one reason I might take the challenge: Simon Cowell is a huge, international star. I am not, and for the sake of argument, say that bothers me. I'll feel better about myself if I take the test and somehow, my IQ is higher than his. He may be rich and famous, but at least I'm smarter. I can forever look at his photo and say (think in your best Simon accent), "You are horrrrrendous!"

Why do we try to measure the intelligence and worth of those around us? Why do we compare? Why do we do whatever it takes to make ourselves look good? Why do we slip negative comments about others into conversation? There are many answers to these questions. We feel inferior. We are insecure. We put too much stock in other people's opinions. We feel threatened. We want to be better than everyone else.

We miss the point of who we are in Christ when our worth resides outside of Him. Ephesians 1:4 states,

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight."

He chose us to be forgiven through Christ so we can be holy and blameless in his sight. We will always find someone smarter or richer than ourselves but we will never find one who values us more than God. We also miss the unique destiny He created for each of us.

"'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.'"

He values us, He has plans for us......why shouldn't He be our focus and why wouldn't we want to find our worth in the One who holds us in such high esteem?

Our worth in Christ and our destiny in Him is not lost due to our weaknesses. He accepts our weakness, but we point out each other's and find shame in our own. The Lord said to Paul in Second Corinthians,

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

His grace fills the gap of our imperfection. He can use us for His purpose not only in spite of our weaknesses, but because of them. Society mocks weakness and finds fault, but even the most weak and faulty vessels can be filled with His light and used for His service. Second Corinthians 4:7 claims,

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

Do not be caught in the snare of "other people." The disappointment that awaits when we live our life in comparison to or guided by others is great. Go to the place where every IQ is high, every profession is worthy, and every weakness can be strength. It is in Christ.

Happy weekend!

Courage

2009-02-28T16:44:00.002-06:00

A side note: This post was inspired by the courageous women in my bible study and the great conversations we have. Beth Moore's video lessons are usually the topic of conversation, although we occasionally discuss flying garbage.

I am in the middle of Beth Moore's bible study on Esther. We've arrived at the point in the story where Queen Esther's destiny, and that of her people, hang on one decision: Will Esther summon the courage to appear uninvited before King Xerxes, a choice that could be her death sentence but could save the Jews of Persia, or will she chicken out?

Esther didn't want to put her life on the line. She probably preferred her plush palace lifestyle to the king's sentence of death (yes, the king is her husband). One couldn't request an audience with the king of Persia in the mid-400's BC; one had to be summoned. The penalty for violating this law was death. It didn't matter that Esther was queen. She, too, had to be summoned. Esther's surrogate father, Mordecai, told her to go the king and plead for the life of the Jewish people, who were marked for annihilation. Esther balked. Her first reaction was, I can't go before the king. He hasn't asked for me! He could put me to death! Mordecai reminded Esther that she, in addition to being queen, was also a Jew. She could be put to death for that reason alone. Or she could choose courage and go before the king. She would risk her life, but could potentially save herself and her people. What's a girl to do?

It wasn't luck that crowned Esther as Queen of Persia. An orphaned Jewish girl doesn't get chosen randomly out of hundreds to be the next queen. Her Heavenly Father placed her there to save her people. Mordecai said, "...and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this." (Esther 4:14) And she had! Esther realized she must go to King Xerxes. She accepted that which may transpire: "And if I perish, I perish." (Esther 4:16) She entered the King's presence, he offered her the gold scepter in his hand (consider it a pardon for appearing uninvited), and he eventually agreed to help her. Esther's courage sealed her destiny.

Now imagine the story differently. Imagine that God put all of the pieces of the puzzle together except one, the piece He gave to Esther, and imagine she kept it. She could not place the final piece. She chose the path of less risk; she forgot to trust God; she acted selfishly. She chickened out and failed to plead with the King. Her destiny, and that of her people, would forever change.

We encounter many decisions each day and most aren't life-changing. Paper or plastic? Regular or decaf? To shower or not to shower? (ok. maybe that's just me). What will you do when the next big one comes along? Will you choose courage? Esther did! Consider that your decision could unlock the destiny your Father has planned for you. I learned this week that the most frequently given commandment in the Bible is: be courageous. (Thank you, Beth Moore!) What does this tell us about our lives and God's plans for them? We should expect to encounter choices that require courage. We should pursue God's Will courageously. And when faced with difficult choices, we should remember the blessings that await when we live with courage.

It may not be long until someone says to you, "...and who knows but that you have come to ________ position for such a time as this." When that time comes, and it will, be courageous.

Flu, Day 11

2009-02-24T09:47:00.001-06:00

Yes, that's correct. Over each of the past eleven days, at least one person in our home has had the flu. One day there were four of us. I guess it would have been too easy for everyone to get sick at once. We had to spread it out. My husband had the flu shot so he was safe but, not to be outdone, he came down with strep. Here are some random thoughts and photos from the past few (or eleven) days.....

1) Injured on the job? Involved in an automobile accident? Watch Family Feud. There were approximately seven dial-a-lawyer commercials during one episode. I couldn't believe it.

2) Home with sick kids? I found the bright side: I cleaned an entire room, all at once. That never happens.

3) Drake and Josh is really, really funny. Or was it the fever?

4) Balloons are entertaining, especially when they reveal hidden talents. See (very amateur) video:

5) A daughter willing to make up some fun for her younger sister, while I lay in bed, is a treasure. Thank you, Taylor!

Pics from the fashion show:

The stylist

6) It can be hard to get warm when you have the chills.

I was desperate a few nights ago, so I grabbed our dog. That girl can put out some serious heat. I give her a ten hot water bottle equivalent. She doesn't get as high a rating for good looks. (Sorry, Lulu. It's just the truth.)

7) Let me turn this into a public service announcement. The flu is everything it's cracked up to be. Do what your doctor suggests. Which leads me to this, because I know what you're thinking:

8) Yes, I'll get a flu shot next year. (if I had a dollar for every time...)

Origin of a Call, Part III

2009-02-21T20:15:00.000-06:00

This is what can happen when I get a "big idea": I get excited, motivated, and if it doesn't materialize right away, I lose interest. My desire to support the people of Africa has not waned. I have been patient as the idea takes shape. It may take five or ten years to develop, whatever "it" is, and I am happy with that. Several times I have thought to myself, and laughed, "Why am I being so patient?" It is a direct result of God's lessons on timing. I cannot will something to happen if it is not His appointed time. I can be diligent and obedient as I prepare, but those ideas that originate in Him will come to fruition by His hand, not mine.

Soon after the fast I was in a bookstore with my daughter. We spent the entire visit in the kids' section. As we walked to the checkout, we passed tables stacked with non-fiction books. One book caught my eye:
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace.....One School at a Time

I read the back cover and took it straight to the counter. My awareness of the plight of many in Africa, although limited, led me to consider how education might help change the course of the next generation. Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea, establishes schools in remote villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan, with an emphasis on girls' education, with the hope of giving these children a brighter future. The genesis of his organization, Central Asia Institute, is an amazing story. Mortenson attempted to summit K2, the second largest mountain in the world, and as he descended, he took a wrong turn. The path he chose led him directly into a remote village in the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan. The villagers befriended him and nursed him back to health (the summit attempt drained him). During his stay, Mortenson came to love the Balti people but was concerned about the absence of a village school. He promised to one day return to the village and build a school for its children. He did. He has since established over 78 schools that have educated more than 28,0000 students.

Mortenson's book is inspiring. It is a lesson in the importance of relationships. It is proof that one person can make a huge difference. It exemplifies the impact of culturally relevant education for people who have never been promised such. It could not have been placed into my path at a better time.

I attended an all-girls' school. I still receive its quarterly magazine. I remember reading an article about the students' desire to devote proceeds of their annual fundraiser to an organization that establishes girls' schools abroad. I received it before I read Three Cups of Tea. The next issue of the magazine, which was published after I read the book, had a larger article that detailed the results of the fundraiser. In it was named the recipient of the money, Mortenson's Central Asia Institute. I saw the article and began to cry. Why? Three Cups of Tea weighed heavily on my mind over the weeks I prayed about specific needs in Africa. I wondered if education was the issue to which God was leading me. Should I attempt to establish a school as Greg Mortenson did? Then the magazine arrived and it just seemed like confirmation. I cried. I read the article and learned the students raised $60,000. It was enough to fund a new school. I really cried.

I have learned a great deal recently. In addition to the books and organizations already mentioned, I have found many others that teach invaluable lessons about Africa, its history, its people, and its challenges. I'm sure you've heard the saying, "The more you know, the more you realize you don't know." That applies to me! But it drives me to learn more, which I love.

This is where I am today.......still learning. My dream is to establish a Christian school in Africa, one that serves the many needs of its community: to teach children, promote public health education, train young leaders, and share with young and old the knowledge of a life in Christ. They need hope, in Christ.

But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish. Psalm 9:18

Origin of a Call, Part II

2009-02-16T08:23:00.006-06:00

The days of the second Sacred Gathering were intense. Fasts can be that way. I had a great deal on my mind and searched God's heart for answers to several questions. The search drew me closer to Him, but I did not receive emphatic statements on the issues I hoped He would address. It is funny how we sometimes go to God with an agenda, isn't it? He spoke about HIS desires during those days.....not my "needs." That was a lesson in itself! The passion He laid on my heart was for the people of Africa.

The first evening of the fast I sat in silence, as we often did during our directed prayer time, to allow myself time to listen to God. At that point in my life, I never sat and listened. Doing so would have been unproductive! I could sit and read, or sit and pray, but to sit and listen? It never crossed my mind. Time spent sitting was time I should have been "doing." Now you know this about me, so it will come as no surprise that I was overwhelmed once I sat and listened. (If you are not able to do this, train yourself! You will be blessed.) I sat with my eyes closed and allowed God to direct my thoughts. Suddenly, images of precious African children flashed through my mind's eye. They were smiling, joyful, even hopeful, but there was no doubt they were the faces of children in need. I remember thinking, OK.......that was pretty clear. Mission trip, anyone?

The events of the following two days confirmed the call to serve the people of Africa. They also broadened it. This was more than a call to go on a single mission trip. I flipped through the mail on day two of the fast and noticed our college's quarterly catalog. The cover story? Davidson's medical mission trip to Africa. I eagerly read and acquired a more in-depth knowledge of the health issues faced by many Africans. They are numerous and in many instances, preventable.

The week coincided with Spiritual Life Week at our children's school. Students attend a weekly chapel throughout the year, but during this week they attend daily. Each morning they are treated to a program that may include a special speaker, musician, skits, and more. I received an email about one of the programs on day three of the fast. One of the members of Jars of Clay, an incredible Christian rock group, was on campus to introduce students to an organization the band supports, Blood:Water Mission. The organization promotes and establishes programs to facilitate clean blood and clean water throughout, of course, Africa. Between poring over their website and giving my kids the great inquisition about the program, I continued to learn in greater detail about the needs of the African people. I also began to loosely shape my vision for making a difference.

That ended my three day fast. I emerged with a passion placed on my heart by God. He allowed me the opportunity to feel His call to the African people and learn more about their needs in the same three days. His Providence is amazing! He began to refine my vision not long after the fast was complete and continues to do so today.

I'll spare you those details until Part III. :)

Origin of a Call, Part I

2009-02-10T11:39:00.001-06:00

David challenges us in the book of Psalms to declare what God has done for us.

"I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips,
as you know, O Lord.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and salvation.
I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly."
Psalm 40:9-10

I want to share with you a story of God's faithfulness in my life. The story has just begun. I cannot yet see "the end" but I feel Him at work in my heart, and therefore I know this story is His and worth sharing. I do not need to have an end. I know He will get me there. With God, the journey is just as important as the destination. He calls each of us to something great and it is during the "finding out" that He shapes us for His service. I expect that when I am ready for His calling He will lead me directly to it. In the meantime, I seek Him, He prunes me (OUCH!) and together we walk the path He has set for me.

It was approximately four years ago when LifePoint Church, our incredible church home, led its members to a Sacred Gathering, a fast. We fasted for three days and met each evening for a time of prayer and worship. I specifically remember sitting in my chair during the Gathering, talking with God. I felt His call to something but literally had no inkling as to what. I wanted to know it and do it....right away. I begged Him, "Please, Father, show me where you want me to go. Show me what you want me to do." He answered clearly and somewhat unexpectedly: you're not ready yet. That was a large and needed blow to my plan but it was clear, so I set myself about the task of preparation. I spent more time with God.

Last February, three years after our first Sacred Gathering, LifePoint held a second. The first fast was obviously a success. God blessed us through it. The second fast was so well attended that our Multi-Purpose Center overflowed. We moved to the larger, Worship Center. It was quite a sight, the mass of hungry people walking together to be filled by God. What a moment. The feeling of unity was strong. Everyone was clearly excited and filled with anticipation as we wondered how God would use the fast to guide our church and her people. It was an amazing experience I highly recommend to those medically able to fast (have to throw that in there!). Hunger has a way of breaking down the walls we place between ourselves and God. It intensifies our focus. Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights. I was lucky to get through three.

Prior to the second fast, I was told our church was establishing a partnership with missionaries in Africa. I was very excited. I thought about it occasionally and knew I wanted to visit one day. Then, the second Sacred Gathering commenced and the floodgates of all things Africa opened. They haven't closed.

OK, my time to write for the day has officially ended. There are two precious five-year-olds who want lunch. Now.

Timing

2009-02-09T13:17:00.000-06:00

I thought it might be nice to explain my blog title. Timing is everything - as long as it is God's.

God's timing is often a mystery. We wait for answered prayer or events to unfold. We wait and we grow weary and impatient. Do you wonder if He hears you? Take refuge in knowing that our God "searches minds and hearts" (Psalm 7:9) and therefore knows every thought in our mind and desire of our heart. He often calls us to wait, but consider the promise for those who do:

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
He set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God."
Psalm 40:1-3

One recent day, after waiting patiently for several years to hear from God on a matter I committed to prayer, I began to see God's will take shape. It was a bad day. It was absolutely not how I wanted that prayer answered. We talked, God and I, and although I didn't confess these thoughts, God knew the reality of what lay in my heart: I've been SO patient, God, aren't I supposed to be rewarded? My way?

The answer is yes....and no. I will be rewarded. He will pull me from the mud (I think I'm about half out), He will set my feet on a rock, and He will put a new song in my mouth. He will do those things at His appointed time and, to answer the second question, in His way. If you are sick, do you want a doctor who will make you feel better or one who will make you well? In this case, my way makes me feel better. God's way makes me well. What will you choose?

Surrender

2009-02-03T12:29:00.003-06:00

Have you ever been brought to your spiritual knees?

I have. Several times. Several different ways. Same lesson each time.

Surrender.

God has been so good to me lately. I have felt His presence more often than any other time I can remember. He is right here being the perfect God He is. Several times recently I have been overwhelmed with His presence. I mean overwhelmed. I dropped to my knees, I gave thanks, and for a minute I thought, "Why? Why would God show up in such a powerful way when I sit alone on my couch, reading His Word, just trying to be obedient? Why would He do this for me?" The answers came within seconds and it is so simple. He just loves me that much. He loves all of us that much. And he wants us to surrender.

The call to surrender is powerful. For those of us who hear it, then dig in our heels more firmly, the message is this: you won't get the call if there isn't something to surrender! It can be hard, but the benefits are plentiful because surrender brings transformation. The transformation in us takes place in a way we don't often notice, but others do. It begins when we enter the process of surrendering our lives to God, piece by broken piece. We let go of worldy desires and focus on the desires of the Lord. The transformation begins.

My husband, Pete, and I discussed this several nights ago. The next morning I opened my devotional. The day's lesson referenced two pieces of Scripture. One of those was Romans 12:2. It says:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you
will be able to test and approve what's God will is -- his
good, pleasing, and perfect will."

I guess it's time to pull my heels out of the mud.

At Your "Service"

2009-01-30T10:21:00.003-06:00

I created this blog, quite simply, to be obedient to God. I'm not a particularly "public" person; a journal is a more comfortable, safe outlet for my thoughts. But did God promise that our journey with Him would always be comfortable? Did He promise not to push us into unchartered territory when we turn over our lives to HIm? We know the answer and I know what you are thinking.......it's just a blog! You're right. It's not like He called me to Africa. At least not yet. :) (Pete, you're supposed to laugh.) For now, I jump into the world of blogging. It is my prayer that I honor Him with my words and learn from Him throughout this process.

God created me with a passion to serve. I love to volunteer. It brings me great joy to help others. Why, then, must He teach me eye-opening lessons about a subject I thought I knew well? He's God and I'm not. I am human and although I know the teaching in James 2:26, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.", God reminded me what comes first: faith. He reminded me over several days in His perfect, subtle way. I walked to a water fountain in my daughter's school. Posted over it was this:

"Jesus answered, 'He who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks the water I give Him will never thirst.'" John 4:13-14

I thought about that as long as I could before I went to do something else. No problem. The next day I stood in line to vote -- in a church, in a long, slow-moving line -- and the same passage hung framed, on the wall. It was the wall along which I stood with nothing to do but consider that God was indeed telling me something.

I quickly realized my lesson. Too often, I filled myself up with "doing." Yes, they were good things, helpful, kind. I did not do them at the expense of prayer and studying God's Word; I spent time with God. But I still felt empty and God's voice was clear: it's not enough. You feel empty because the time you spend with Me is not enough. Slow down. Be with Me. I will fill you in a way nothing else will.

He has filled me in a way I did not anticipate. God's love for us is so great that no matter how deep our devotion to Him, He can take us to a place of greater depth. And contentment. And peace. He continues to speak, and this morning addressed what we do first for those in need: we pray. God's power to provide exactly what is needed beats my pot of soup any day. James 5:16 reminds us, "The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." My lesson I share with you is this: take the time to be with God in a way that fills you completely, first lift up those around you in prayer, THEN turn on the stove. That soup won't heal, but it certainly doesn't hurt.

2009-01-27T13:17:00.003-06:00

Almost ready........blog should be up and running soon!