The 7 Experiment

I wonder if I should point out that my last blog posting was 5 months ago.  Bringing that fact to your attention is probably poor blogging strategy. But since I obviously am neither an experienced nor consistent blogger, I will start there because confession is good for the soul (if not the reputation).

The honest reason I am writing today is because I am spending this week on a media fast (no TV, Netflix, Facebook, Words with Friends or extraneous internet surfing). I have shut down the cyber world except for family and ministry related communication, and I have realized that I miss staring at a screen. Sad, I know.

I have decided to use the freed up free-time for some other more noble activities, like turning the pages of an actual book, memorizing Scripture, taking my mother to lunch, prayer walking through the neighborhood and playing a game or two with people who are physically present in the room with me.

Why the media fast? For the last few weeks, I have been engaging with some church members in The 7 Experiment by Jen Hatmaker.  The tagline of her book reads, "staging your own mutiny against excess." She and her pastor husband identified 7 critical areas of life where we as over indulged Americans are tempted to, shall we say, over indulge.  Food. Clothing. Possessions. Media. Spending. Waste. Stress. Anybody see a personal pattern of excess in any of those areas? I see those hands!

We are only 4 weeks in, but each week of our study, we have participated in a fast of some kind.  The first week, I "fasted" from grocery shopping for 7 days and used up what we had in the fridge and cupboard.  It was amazing how creative I got in making do.  I also realized that I waste way too much food.  I tend to buy more and shove it in the front of said food spaces while the back row goes bad or expires.  (I pulled out a can of pumpkin to make a pie for our home Bible Study group and noticed that it had expired in 2011.  Oops.  Plan B was substituted.) I was able to give away the money I saved from not entering my usual stores and help some precious children in Uganda who live on one meal a day.

The second week involved taking a look at my clothes closet. I honestly don't buy a whole lot of clothes as a rule.  I gladly receive people's cast-offs when they are offered to me and I would rather buy other things when I have the money. However, I have still managed to fill up my closet. So, in week two, I chose just 7 items of clothing and I wore them all week (not including underwear...just because I knew you were wondering.) One t-shirt, 2 sweaters, 2 pairs of pants, a skirt and a pair of shoes. No accessories. And you know what? No one even noticed my repeating outfits.  And when I say no one, I mean even my fashion conscious daughter or my own husband.  I know because when I asked them if they were tired of seeing me dressed in the same clothes, they said. "Why? Are you wearing the same clothes?" What I learned was that I can get by on significantly less and it doesn't affect my ministry or "reputation" one bit.

That leads me to the week 3 challenge of taking stock of my possessions. I chose to give away 7 items a day. 49 things in a week.  I could have come up with so much more if I had had the time to deeply purge every closet and storage space. However, since I knew I had surplus in my own clothes closet, I chose 49 clothes items to give away.

Almost all of these clothes were things I didn't wear anyway, but while I was picking through the surplus, the Holy Spirit whispered that He wanted me to give away that new outfit that I had just bought to wear to church. (Remember when I said I rarely buy new clothes? Well, that's true.  So yeah.) A sweater, a skirt, a belt and even the matching necklace.  Really, Lord?  Sigh. I knew that our women's ministry was collecting clothes to give to a low-income apartment complex in town where we had served every Wednesday night this summer with cook-outs and games for kids and get-to-know-you conversations with adults. The Spirit informed me that there is someone there, size Cyndi, that needs it more than me.  So, I carefully hung it separately from the rest of the boxed items and delivered it the church for give away.  I did not die.

This brings me to the 4th week where we left off most recently, the media fast. I am on Day 3.  I'm not going crazy or even missing it all that much.  Last night I talked Janae and two of her friends into forgoing Friday movie night and playing Catch Phrase with me.  We actually had some hilarious fun! I might be itching for a peek at Facebook if we get an ice storm as predicted and I am stuck at home for the next couple of days. but I will survive.

I am learning that the premise of the book is accurate, "If we are willing to offer these blind spots--indulgence, extravagance, greed, excess--to Jesus, we can believe Him for freedom on the other side. There is a bigger story to live, and God is drawing us into it.  It is thrilling and good and radical; the gospel life has no equal."

3 weeks to go after this one.  But something is happening in my soul.  I am able to pray with more faith, speak truth with more boldness and hear God's voice more clearly.  There really is more with less!

I want to begin with a report on my last blog regarding Carl. Happily, we are now a couple weeks post surgeries and Carl can see, better than ever!  In fact, he said to me just last Sunday morning as he sat on the couch and looked out the window into our back yard, "The colors outside are beautiful...I had forgotten how colorful the world is! I am so thankful that I can see!!" For all who prayed for him,  thank you so much.  

photo by Jamiriquai

Blessed are the pure in heart...for they will see God. (Matt. 5:8)

Recently, I had a discussion with some friends at church about the beatitudes.  In Hebrew, the word "blessed" (from which the word beatitude is derived) means "to be envied with desire". In Greek, it means "happy, approved by God."

So what did Jesus consider enviable? Certainly not what we tend to envy.  (Hint: money, beauty, athletic ability or intelligence are not mentioned.) No, Jesus said, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the gentle, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemaker, the persecuted...these are the truly blessed.

For instance, the pure in heart are promised that they will see God. Our discussion focused on why Jesus coupled that trait with that particular blessing. It occurred to me that Carl and his cataract surgeries illustrate the answer.

An  impure heart is like a cataract. Carl's had been coming on for years, so gradually, in fact, that he wasn't even aware it was happening.  It was just that one day, he couldn't see anything but cloudy images anymore. 

Similarly, when we let sin have its way in our lives, when we live for self and and follow the world's prescription for happiness, our vision of God fades. It may be so gradual that we don't even know it is happening until one day we feel totally disconnected from fellowship with the Father.  We can't see Him at work in our lives, and we certainly don't see Him in the pages of Scripture.

The only option becomes "surgery"of the heart to remove the cataract of sin and self-will.  This is done primarily through humble admission of guilt and agreement with God regarding our sin.

However, this alone does not cure the problem.  If the doctor had only removed Carl's cataracts and stopped there, not putting the new lens in place, Carl would have been worse off than before. In the same way, we need a new lens put in place or our confessions, no matter how sincere, will simply be an ugly reminder of our failures and we will be worse off than before too.

So, how does someone who wants to see God clearly receive a new lens?  The "surgeon" is God's Holy Spirit.  The lens He gives us allows us to accurately see God. First and foremost, the pages of Scripture provide this clear view. But we also see God in our circumstances, in the lives of His people and in the beauty of His creation.

I have been needing some spiritual cataract surgery myself of late.  I can easily slip into the slough of self-pity regarding my circumstances.  My husband has been ill for years with no hope of recovery, all our children have been struggling financially, our youngest has had a really difficult year in school, I have had back pain and headaches. When I wallow in that slough, I can't see God. My vision becomes cloudy.

But, by the kindness of God, He is helping me see life with His lens. In a recent quiet time I wrote:

Today, I have been overwhelmed with sorrow over life situations that seem so far beyond my ability to endure... And then I read these words in Psalm 118, "His faithful love endures forever." When I can't go on, God sets me free. I can defeat the enemies in my life with the authority of The Lord. He gives me victory. "This is the day that The Lord has made...I will rejoice and be glad in it."

So, how has your vision been lately? Are you blessed and seeing God? I am praying for you!

Update on Carl...

Some of you may be wondering what is happening with Carl since he was forced to retire from the ministry due to his illness. He is unable to write anymore, but he can still talk so I decided that perhaps I should interview him and have him fill you in...

Me: I bet some people don't even know or remember what the name of your disease is or how it is affecting you physically.  Want to fill them in?

Carl: It's a mitochondrial myopathy that is a genetic and progressive neuromuscular  disease.  The main symptom is muscle atrophy and it gradually affects eyelid function, speech, swallowing, weight loss (last time I checked, I weighed 79 lbs.) balance,  gait and probably other things I have yet to experience...basically everything that is controlled by a muscle.

Me: What is the prognosis and is there any treatment?

Carl: The prognosis is slow, steady decline and there is no known treatment or cure.

Me: Maybe you could let people know what you do every day, now that your physical activity is limited...

Carl: Much of the day is spent in taking care of my personal needs, like eating, cleaning myself, and dressing--each one is done slowly and methodically. I  spend the mornings in prayer.  Afternoons usually involve a nap and a 1/4 mile walk up and down the street in front of our house.  I still try to keep track of our finances, but recruit help in writing checks and paying bills online. I also supervise maintenance on our cars and mowers and house repairs but have to hire the work done.

Me: What is the hardest thing you are facing?

Carl: Seeing my independence and mobility ebb away.  It is also hard to watch my family suffer as they experience my decline.

Me: What is God teaching you as you walk this road?

Carl: He has used my illness to lessen the grips of sin patterns in my life, enabling me to focus on Him.  I have memorized several passages of scripture with Rev. 5:11-14 being one.

Me: Want to quote it now?

Carl: "And I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne. And the living creatures and the elders and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing." And every created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all that is in it, I heard saying, "To Him who sits in the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever." And the living creatures kept saying "Amen!"And the elders fell down and worshiped.
(Note: Feel free to check his accuracy.  I just typed while he recited. )

Another memorized passage that God has used to transform my heart is Psalms 9:1-4. It says, "I will give thanks to The Lord with all my heart.  I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and exalt in you.  I will sing praises to your name O Most High."

I have changed from being activity oriented to being more worshipful. It has increased my joy many fold.

Me: Is there anything you wish you would have done when you had the capacity?

Carl: Visited Alaska and bought a Jeep. (Haha). Seriously though,  I wish I would have memorized more Scripture when I could still see to read. And, I wish I had taken Janae camping. Oh yes...one more thing.  I wish I could have driven a NASCAR.

Me: Very funny. What is the greatest joy in your life right now?

Carl: Of course, my family. But Jesus Christ, who is a great King, is also my friend. When I call to Him, He listens. I have many stories of answered prayer. If you'd like to hear one, just give me a call!

Me: As your wife, I have observed your prayer life and I know that intercession is a regular and frequent activity.   If others want to, how can they pray for you?

Carl: Pray that I don't start feeling sorry for myself and that I apply Psalms 9:1-4 to my life.  Also on May 1st, I am having cataract surgery on one eye with the second to follow 2 weeks later. We are hopeful that it will restore a good deal of my sight. Right now, I see only cloudy images. Please pray for successful surgeries.

So...there you have it.  Sometimes people ask me how I manage to carry the extra load for the family that keeps increasing in pace with his illness.  Carl's attitude of gratefulness and his commitment to not being a complainer makes each new task he must hand me, so much easier. God's grace explains the rest.

Carl also wanted me to tell everyone that he is so grateful for all the faithful prayers and support that we have consistently been on the receiving end of all these years. I concur. Hoping this blog posting will spur you on to keep it up!

Disciples, make disciples...

I have a problem with focusing...my mind is always bouncing from one thing to the other. This age of technology seems to be the culprit...Facebook, emails, texts, and internet searches are calling my name. Its a blessing and a curse. Staying in touch with people has never been easier...and can be done with the least commitment of time or effort.  But the ease comes with a price. Communication is often reduced to a few words in a text message or a mass email that no one reads.

Probably not big news here, but Jesus had something different in mind when he spoke his final words to His disciples a couple millennia ago. He was commissioning His followers to undertake a time-consuming, labor-intensive commitment...called disciple-making.

In January, I gathered about 30 women together one Friday evening to hear a webcast from Francis Chan (Crazy Love) and David Platt (Radical).  My goal was to challenge each woman to embrace a fresh resolve to fulfill Jesus'  command to "go and make disciples" according to Matthew 28:19-20. David and Francis exhorted us to remember that a commitment like that is costly and it is not comfortable.  But if we are truly followers of Jesus Christ, it is what we do. Disciples, make disciples.

I didn't realize I needed to be challenged as well. I thought I had this disciple-making thing down.  I have been doing it for decades, after-all.  But what I heard that night was this: Disciple making is not about taking the typical American church-goer who has heard it all before, in a hundred different ways, and spoon feeding them one more Bible Study. It is about...well, making disciples!

For instance, when I say that I am making bread, you probably believe me to mean that I am going through the time-consuming, labor-intensive, but, oh-so-satisfying process of mixing bread making ingredients, like flour, honey, yeast, water, salt and oil, and then kneading, and baking them together for a tasty result. You probably didn't believe me to mean that I opened the already-made package I just bought at the store.

When Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples, I am sure He envisioned them taking the good news to people who had never heard and then laboring to help those who received it, to understand it and to follow Christ in such a way that they would commit to do the same. What if they had been content to stay in Galilee for the rest of their lives, hanging out in fellow believers homes, reminiscing about the miracles they remembered Jesus did. If they had, the message would have never reached my ears and I wouldn't be writing this blog!

The full process of disciple making must include finding someone whose heart is ripe to hear the good news, telling them, and then walking alongside them as they learn to obey everything He commanded...

Granted, I may not have the privilege of being a part of every stage of that process, since it is a long one.  But I want to be!  I want to be intentional about opening my eyes to see the needs of people I come in contact with everyday and asking God to help me respond with compassion and humility.  I want to be there when they ask honest questions and then be able to point them to the honest truth. I want to love them even when they don't get it and when they do! I want to watch, first-hand, the redemption and sanctification miracles take place in someone else's life.

If I have been guilty of anything in the past, it has been to be content with finding like-minded church friends to "disciple" when I know they will never challenge anything I say.  It's so easy to sit down with them with our Bibles and coffee and discuss principles that we are never pressed to live out.  I am asking God to help me change that mindset this year.  I want to love people who don't love Him and be there to watch when God wins their hearts.

One simple way I have begun is to start noticing people.  What do I mean? I realized recently that almost everyone who serves me, whether at a restaurant, a grocery store, a department store, or a Quik Stop is wearing a name tag. How hard is it call them by name, along with a smile and a thank you? Try it.  You will see people light up.

The other day, I was at Wal-mart and Michelle was my checker. I commented that she had a pretty name and I wondered if she knew what it meant?  She said she had no idea. I looked it up on my phone as I was leaving and decided to go back and tell her.

"Your name means 'close to God'".

She sighed, "Oh oh. I am not living up to my name..."

I asked her if she went to church anywhere because the church I attend would love to have her visit and we were located right behind the store. She asked me if that was the church on Old Decatur Road .

 "That's the one!"

She smiled as she said, "Well, some of your high school students were in here last week, and they invited me too.  Maybe God is trying to tell me something..."

I love it when God engineers "coincidences". But it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't taken the time to notice Michelle. It is a small step, but I am excited to see how God expands that first step into a marathon with someone. Maybe with Michelle!

How's it going with the disciple making in your life? What has been your experience as you have followed Jesus' command in Matthew 28? I'd love to hear from you!

(If you need a place to start, check out www.multiplymovement.com. David Platt and Francis Chan provide some free, downloadable material that will give you solid tracks to run on as you take Jesus command to make disciples seriously. Another resource is found on www.ministrycatalysts.com where you will find some more free, downloadable material titled "Launching multipliers".)

Africa-an unforgettable trip

18 Americans. 6 men and 12 women. One 17 year old, one 74 year old. Most over 40. Some lay people, some full time Christian workers.  Some on their first international trip, some old hands. When I think of who the Lord pulled together for this mission trip, I can't help but think of the verse in Acts 4 which describes the disciples as unschooled and ordinary, yet used by God to accomplish courageous, extraordinary things for His glory. With the help of 15 or so Baptist Churches in Freetown this group of ordinary believers saw 5,120 people make salvation decisions in just one week!! May God be glorified!

Jeanie Taylor (my friend from Fort Worth) and I were assigned to work with Victorious Christ Baptist Church, planted 4 years ago by Pastor Samuel Ojo and his family right in the heart of the city.  I was asked to share the morning message on the first Sunday in their new building. They had been meeting in a tent on the property for a good long while so the fact that the building was unfinished didn't deter their enthusiasm.

I shared from John 4, the story of how Jesus approached the woman at the well with the Good News. I  encouraged them to think about how they might reach out to a friend or relative in a similar way that week during our evangelistic outreach.        

Samuel and Dorcas Ojo are church-planters from Nigeria and their time of ministry in Sierra Leone is almost up. Samuel has trained Pastor Thomas (pictured in the suit) to take his place, so it is Thomas who is responsible for following up all the decisions that were made.  We gave him  contact information for 86 new believers.  He will be busy for quite awhile!

             

This is Jeanie with one of the first people we met who wanted to accept Jesus. Actually, we met very few who didn't want to receive Christ once we explained the gospel.  The openness of the people was astounding actually. It seemed as though everywhere we went, a crowd gathered to hear what we had to say and when we asked if they wanted to receive God's gift of eternal life and forgiveness of sins by following Jesus Christ, there was almost unanimous agreement.

I mentioned that our church was under construction, so one day Pastor Ojo gathered all the plasterers and had me share the gospel using the Evangecube (https://www.e3resources.org). That is what I am doing in this picture. Jeanie counted about 20 men. All were listening intently and most all prayed to receive Christ.  Can you imagine that happening here in the U.S.? Me either.

At the end of the week, a mass baptism was performed in a river outside of town. It wasn't the cleanest water, to say the least, but the result was just as effective! The participants joyfully sang "I have decided to follow Jesus..no turning back, no turning back..."

One of the things that gave me pause was when I learned that in this African culture, the day of birth is considered a sad day and the day of death, a day of celebration.  At first, it was hard for this American mind to understand such upside down thinking. But I think I figured it out. Our life in America is easy in comparison and rife with opportunity. Not so in a culture where the average wage is $1.25 a day. Life is hard and children, though everywhere, are a trial and burden to parents who can't take care of them.

The Good News of the Gospel says that both birth and death are cause for celebration because Jesus gives hope for this life and the next. That is the message we brought and the message that will be shining forth from the local churches we had the privilege of working with.  Will you join me in praying especially for Victorious Christ church and Pastor Thomas as they continue the work in Freetown? And a heartfelt thanks to all who gave and prayed so that I could go. I hope this isn't my last trip to Africa!!

Sierra Leone

The guest speaker at our church was talking about Sierra Leone.  I was immediately transported back about 30 years when Carl and I lived in our first home in California. It was before we had children and we both worked in the international office at Campus Crusade headquarters. The former president of this West African country, pictured in the uniform above, was introduced to us at work one day.

Andrew Juxon Smith had been in office for a year before a coup landed him in prison.  After a considerable amount of time, he was exiled and began seeking political asylum in the U.S. for himself and his family.   He somehow ended up at Campus Crusade for Christ headquarters in San Bernardino. We invited him to have dinner with us.

Andrew was very proper and well educated.  For some reason Carl and I decided to sing for him after dinner. (We used to sing duets, you know. But as I think about it now, I wonder how we decided he needed to hear us...) Anyway, we were singing "My Jesus I Love Thee" complete with back-up music and a rather big ending.  As we were approaching the final notes, I saw our dog, Dolly, tilt her head as if the music was less than pleasant to her doggy ears. As we hit the high E, she let loose with a loud, piercing howl.  Carl and I immediately burst out laughing and our poor embarrassed guest was left with the job of explaining to us the reason for the dog's outburst.  Yeah.  We knew.

But back to the guest speaker. He was challenging our church family to consider taking a trip to Freetown, Sierra Leone, November 1-12,  for the purpose of evangelism.  I was intrigued.  It seems like many short term mission trips are humanitarian in nature these days. The Baptist organization he works for, International Commission (IC), has been doing these type of evangelistic mission trips for almost 40 years.  Their strategy begins by partnering with Christian churches in various host countries.  They then ask church members to start praying earnestly for family members and friends they would like to have hear the gospel. Meanwhile, back in the U.S., IC recruits Americans to go, arming each with a tract containing their personal testimony and the gospel translated into the host countries' language. When the Americans arrive in country, they are sent out with church members who take them to the homes of the people who have been prayed for. The results have been pretty astounding actually. Over a million people said "yes" to following Jesus in the 40 countries visited in 2011.

I remember thinking that it would be a real adventure for some younger person who didn't have as many commitments and responsibilities as I did.  But, for some reason, I gave my contact information to the guest speaker.  And, every time I would get an email or a letter, something stirred in my heart.  The sad thing is that recruiting Americans for such a trip is not a breeze.  Apparently, the American church is not lining up to take the good news to the third world. But surely God was not asking me to go there. Carl, my mother, Janae...they all need me.

One day, after I read yet another recruiting letter, the Lord said to me, "Cyndi, why not you? You have traveled in the third world so you know what to expect. I have given you a job with freedom to arrange your own schedule. You already have a prayer and support team. You have a passport. You know how to share your faith. And, last but not least, you know in your heart that I want you to go. I can take care of things at home. So, will you go?"

You would think I would have said "yes" immediately.  But honestly, I struggled.  Sierra Leone is 180 out of 182 on the Human Development Index.  It is hot and humid that time of year.  Malaria and Yellow Fever are not uncommon. Even though team members would be staying in a hotel, electricity is iffy.   I didn't personally know anyone going.  It is an expensive trip...$3600 for 12 days. But despite this, the Lord seemed to be saying "Go".

After getting Carl's blessing, the first hurdle I faced was finding someone to stay with the family.  My older sister had to decline but 2 days later offered to send her 30 year old daughter from Chicago in her place.  Then $2000 had to be in by September 1st so tickets could be purchased.  I decided to go to the members of our new little church with that request.  I only had $900 three days before the deadline and, after having a very stressful day, I contemplated scrapping the trip.  But when I walked through the living room, I glanced at the mail on the table...where I found a letter containing a commitment for $1100.  Got it, Lord.

My primary purpose in blogging today is really threefold. Will you...

PRAY... The spiritual battles have already ensued. It seems like every person in our family has some large or small crisis they are dealing with. It would be easy to become distracted and/or discouraged. I should know by now that if the Lord is going to such great lengths to get me there, surely the enemy will go to similar lengths to keep me home. God is greater, but so is the need for supporting prayer.

GIVE... I also need an additional $1600 for traveling expenses.  If you feel like you would like to have a part with me in sharing the gospel in the country of Sierra Leone by investing financially,  you can give through our Campus Crusade account.  Just click the "Join Us" tab at the top of this page and then the "Give a Gift" box which will take you to a donation page on the Campus Crusade website.  I can reimburse my travel expenses through this account as necessary.  

GO...Would you pray about going with me?  It's not too late to sign up and I would love to have a friend join the team!!! They prefer to send 2 Americans to each church and there are 30 churches in Freetown who are requesting team members. Only 18 people have signed up to date. You do the math. Nationals ask why there are not more who come. What do you say to that? Americans are just too busy? The economy is on a downturn? Christians don't care??

Jesus observed the crowds compassionately and saw that though their hearts were ripe, there were not enough workers to bring in the harvest .  He pleaded with his disciples to "ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." I'm wondering...what is He saying to you?  I'll be waiting to hear. Meanwhile, anyone know where I can buy some good bug spray?

Are your lights on?

                                             

The lovely chicka above is our youngest daughter, Janae. She is almost 16. Our oldest was 14 when she was born.  Honestly, the parenting skills that we thought we had honed with the first 4 were challenged to the limit with her over the years. It all started when, as a baby, she stubbornly refused to go to bed without a scene. This strong will and determination resulted in hundreds of interactions that make us smile, now. Like the time I had to spank her (again) for disobedience and she came sniffling into our room asking in her little girl voice, "Do you think it would help...if we called...'Dr. Phil''? Or, when she was upset with me for making her get into her car seat to  make yet another trip to the high school to pick up a sibling. With paper and crayons poised, she defiantly asked, "How do you spell...'I don't love you, Cyndi.'"

I think because she has struggled against the flow, she has developed a tender heart toward others who are doing the same. Whether it's a gecko struggling to get out of a spider web,  a stray kitten fighting to find a way out of the garage, or a friend battling the consequences of bad choices, Janae shows up to help. 

                                                     

Meet Brandon. He was the kid in school that never seemed to care. At least on the outside. He was introduced to drugs at age 10. His mother died way too young.  He has a half brother he has met only once and several step siblings. He is a super star video gamer but doesn't like books. There's more but I think you get the picture.

Janae got a different picture though. She found him to be a good friend, who was kind to her and easy to talk to. 

Janae decided Brandon just needed to meet God. She told him God loved him and that he should come to church. He told her "No, thanks," but commented that she had a light in her that kinda baffled him. One day, the light won out and he showed up at youth group. The kids accepted him immediately and invited him to an end of school bash on the following Friday.  He came again. The evangelist made an invitation. Brandon accepted. He attended church camp and made further commitments. 

In the last couple of months, we have seen God faithfully at work in Brandon's life. The first book he ever kept in his room was the Bible he was given. He has been reading it. He has had questions. Good ones. He has felt guilty for doing things that before would have barely stirred his conscience.  He has respected our very strict parameters around his friendship with Janae.  He invited his whole family to come to church with him.  They came. He has done yard work for us a couple of times and worked hard and thoroughly.  We were impressed! And this week, he is going to start meeting with Carl for discipleship. 

Obviously, this is early on in the sanctification process. But God is great and good and we are asking Him to complete what He has begun in this young man's life. Will you pray for him and for his dad, Bill and step mom, Christine?  I am having coffee with Christine tomorrow.  I don't know where that will lead, but I am praying that I will be able to reflect the kind of Light to her that Janae has to Brandon. 

In Matt. 5:16, Jesus exhorts us to let our lights shine before men that they may see our good works, resulting in praise to the Father. I think that at times I am so fearful of the dark places in the world that my light  is barely visible there. Janae has challenged me to "let my little light shine." 

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus

My blog has been rather silent for the last few weeks.  But silence should not be confused with inactivity! As I have mentioned to many friends, my 88-year-old mother has recently taken up residence with Carl and me and it has taken lots of hard work to make it happen.  We had to sort and reduce a lifetime of pictures and memorabilia as well as a houseful of furniture and "stuff".   I am happy to report that she is 99% settled in her new space with us, though for some reason she is reluctant to let me change her address with the post office yet.  She may be secretly hoping we change our mind...

My 2 siblings, Linda and Steve (and Steve's wife, Sandie) spent a week in May helping me with the moving and sorting process.  Steve and Mom and Linda and I are pictured above.  It was so great to have the additional brain and muscle power since I had been working almost non-stop for 3 weeks prior to their arrival from Chicago and Portland and I was seriously running on fumes.

I know from the many emails I received that this process of moving an aging parent is not a new one and there certainly is comfort in common experience.  But, I also noted that no one said it was a breeze.  Difficulty apparently is part of the common experience.

My sister, Linda, is the oldest of the 3 of us. She is patient, nurturing, kind and understanding. She is a wife, a mother of 9 and a grandmother to 9.  And, she is most often the first to call us to prayer, not after we are in a pickle, but before. One morning, as I was climbing the ladder to delve into the attic, she sweetly reminded, "Would you like to pray first and ask God's blessing on the day?" I sheepishly climbed back down and said, "Sure."

"You know," I said, "you remind me of Mary...(the friend of Jesus who's first priority was to sit at the Savior's feet and listen to Him) and I am more like Martha (the sister of Mary who also loved Jesus but who couldn't relax when there was work to be done...the familiar story is found in Luke 10:38-42.)"

Just then, my brother, Steve, walked out into the garage and Linda quipped, "Oh, and here comes Lazarus!"

Okay, I don't normally like to explain jokes, but this may merit it.  Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha. Lazarus died and Jesus brought him back to life after he had been in a tomb for 4 days. (See John 11.)  Steve wasn't in a tomb for 4 days, but his heart had to be restarted 4 times on the way to the hospital after his recent heart attack, and he was definitely brought back to life! :) We shared a good-natured laugh over that. We needed some comic relief...

Honestly though, I have wondered a number of times why the Lord chose me to serve my mom in this way. My sister is way more patient than I am.  And my brother is a psychologist for goodness sake. Surely they are more qualified to give Mom what she needs at this time of life.  But every time I think, "I just can't do this...", God tenderly reminds me that He knows exactly what Mom needs and He knows me and He designed this arrangement for the greatest growth in both of our lives. Thanks to those of you who have assured me you are praying.

What is God doing in your life to cause growth? I would love to hear!

I love multiplication!

Well, actually math was never one of my best subjects.  I do better with words. But today, I love multiplication. Lisa, (the woman in the purple shirt), and I have been in a discipleship relationship for the last 18 months.  We have grown really close as we have walked through some tough life issues together.  I have seen the Lord lovingly work on Lisa and on me during this time and it has been an encouraging process that runs two-ways.

We finished today. I hate to see the weekly connection end (though, of course, the friendship doesn't). But since we knew this day was inevitable, I have been prompting her to begin praying for step 2 of discipleship...the one where she becomes the mentor/discipler/leading partner for someone else.

Someday, I want to share Lisa's testimony with you.  She came from a home with a father who was not her hero, to say the least.  And yet, God wooed and called and rescued her and became the Father to her that her heart  longed for.  Her road to maturity in Christ has had its challenges (in large measure due to her earthly father's weaknesses), but she is so teachable and so absolutely committed to being all that she is designed to be in Him.

So today, I wrote her an encouraging note and gave it to her along with a little gift as we sat in Starbucks.  In it, I reminded her of our prayer for the woman who would be her step 2 partner.  After she read the card, she looked up at me and said with a hint of nervousness, " I am having lunch today with Maira.  We became friends on the church mission trip. (See women in the blue shirt and hat above...) Do you think God wants me to ask her?"  

Maira has been in a couple of the women's Bible Studies that I have taught.  She has a beautiful heart to serve. Each week she would get to the morning studies early to put on the coffee.  And, she has been on several of those yearly church mission trips. During the Radical study, she confessed that though she wants to tell others about Christ, she feels at a loss about how to go about it.  I see in her a young woman with a heart to grow and reach out.  She just needs someone to come alongside her and show the way.

So my answer to Lisa's question was, "Yes! Totally!!"  Lisa invited me to come have lunch with them so as Lisa and I ended our meeting, I prayed...that Maira would be like an apple on a tree that was ready to be picked, with no tugging required.

We left Starbucks and drove to Panera Bread. (I like my office space, don't you?) I smiled as Lisa hesitantly laid out the offer and smiled even bigger when Maira responded with, "I can't think of any reason I wouldn't want to!"

Spiritual multiplication.  Yep.  I love multiplication. :)

God's Story

When I set out to write the "God's Story" portion of my personal tract, I figured it would be easy. I have plenty of resources at my disposal and after all, I know the gospel backwards and forwards. Right.  Trying to condense these glorious, eternal, and life-defining truths into 650 words is at least, daunting and at most, impossible. I guess that's why the Bible is 1200 pages, give or take. But maybe these few words will pique some interest or stir emotion in someone who is beginning to listen to the Holy Spirit's call. Certainly, I have the promise that the Scripture that is included will not return void. (Is.55:11)


Again, I invite a response from you. Is the message clear? Have I left out critical elements? I am open to suggestions. 

God's story is the backdrop to all others. 
He is the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe and He was there before it all began. The first verse in the Bible says: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

After creating the stars and planets and solar systems, the earth and seas and every creature in them, He fashioned human beings, male and female, making them in “His image.” The Bible doesn’t say exactly what that means, but to be made in God’s image apparently makes a human unique amongst all of creation with Spiritual DNA, so to speak. The world God created and the relationship he enjoyed with the first two humans was in a word, perfect.

The second chapter of God’s Story is, however, tragic.  Though People were created to enjoy the beauty, goodness, truth, and love of uninterrupted fellowship with God, humanity chose instead to go their own independent way by following self-will instead of God’s will.  As a result, fellowship with God was tragically broken.  This self-will, characterized by active rebellion or passive indifference is described in the Bible as sin and the Bible is clear: All have sinned. (Rom. 3:23)  And, sadly,  “the wages of sin is death.”  (Romans 6:23) 

*Note: Death is used in the Bible to refer to two types of separation...

• a physical death, where the soul (the spiritual part of man) separates from the body (the material part)
• and a spiritual death where man’s spirit becomes separated from God’s.

 Both are a result of sin and neither were a part of God's original design.

This broken fellowship with God, ultimately caused all of created order to become distorted. When sin and death entered the picture, beauty began decaying, goodness turned into depravity, truth became deception, and love became self-centered.

Fortunately, chapter three of God’s story brings hope to the middle of the mess created by sin.
God declared that the only way out would be through the redeeming work of His Son, Jesus Christ. To redeem means to “buy back”. It involves setting free through paying a ransom.

Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, never sinned so He was not subject to the penalty of sin and subsequent death.  But, (and this is huge), He willingly paid the ransom for us through His death on the Cross.  God’s Story explains it this way, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom.5:6)

The height of God’s story occurred when Jesus rose from the dead three days later, proving that death had no grip on Him. (See 1 Cor. 15)  Jesus' atonement (think..."at one" ment) is God's only provision for our sin. That which kept us from being "at one" with God was removed by His sacrifice.  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

When I personally chose to believe in Jesus and receive His payment for my sin, my story and God’s story aligned.
That day, I received eternal life (John 5:24), I became God’s child (John 1:12) and He made me a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). 

Jesus’ invitation extends to you as well. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

God’s story actually has no final chapter. 
World history as we know it will someday be complete. But God intends to fully restore His rule in the Universe when He creates a new heaven and a new earth. (See Rev. 21, 22) Incredibly, He invites you and me to enjoy Him and His new creation forever.   I am wondering…where is your story taking you?  Will it align with God’s as mine did?  I pray it will.

If you would like to interact further on this, my email address is: cyndisown@sbcglobal.net.  I would love to hear from you.

My Story

Last Sunday, a man from a ministry called International Commission spoke at our church. This ministry takes teams of people from American churches to partner with indigenous churches at locations around the world to do evangelism.  One of the tools that they give each American  is a tract with his or her personal testimony translated onto the front of the tract with the gospel on the inside in both English and the countries' native language. Each team member is trained to share his testimony as well as the gospel using the tract.

As he was speaking, my wheels were turning.  Hmmm. A personal tract....

I help each of the women I disciple to write out their testimony, but honestly, I wonder if they ever really get the chance to share it, at least, in the one page type written form I have them write it in. What if instead, I helped them produce a personal story booklet that would include their testimony in the front and the gospel in the back?  The two parts could be titled "My Story" and "God's Story".

I could think of lots of places where they could leave that with someone...a new neighbor, a hairdresser, a dog-sitter, a flute teacher, the McDonald's or Starbucks employee who serves them every week, a waitress, a bank teller, a band parent, the lady at the gas station convenience store, the dishwasher repairman, the insurance salesman, or just about anyone they have short conversation with.

They could say something like this: "This is my story followed by what I call 'God's story'. I think it's interesting how the two have intersected. Would you take a minute to read it sometime?  I would love your feedback. My email address is on the back..."

I decided to get the ball rolling by working on putting my own testimony into booklet form. Below is a first pass at my story.  And I really would love your feedback! (Next blog, I will share the God story portion of the booklet.)

By most standards, I had a great home growing up. My parents were loving providers. But life still had its challenges. I was a middle child with a very smart older sister who graduated at the top of her class, and a very athletic younger brother who gained a full ride scholarship to Michigan State as a baseball pitcher. I remember craving the approval that I saw my siblings receive and I wondered where I could find it. I went off to college in search of that answer.

One day, at the beginning of my freshman year, I was sitting in my dorm drawing a self-portrait for fun. Someone I hardly knew walked by and commented, “You ought to be an art major!” I impulsively decided that maybe I could find the approval I craved in the arts. As it turned out, I did seem to have a bent for artistic creativity and, occasionally, I found the affirmation I was yearning for. But every new art class put me smack dab in the middle of 30 other students who were vying for the same affirmation and I still had the sense that I just wasn't good enough.

When my professors or fellow students didn’t admire my artwork enough, I began to look for affirmation through a string of relationships. One guy after the other seemed to be telling me he approved…at least until I did something he didn’t approve of.

During the spring of my junior year, a friend, named Jane, invited me to a week-long conference for Christian students held in Dallas, Texas. I hesitated. I was raised in a Christian home with a strong sense of right and wrong and I felt pretty guilty about the way I had been living. I didn’t want a bunch of Christians making me feel worse about myself with their judgmental attitudes. Surely, they wouldn’t approve of me either. But, I decided to go, mostly out of curiosity but also with a small voice in my heart that said perhaps the acceptance I kept chasing just might be found through God.

While at the conference, I began to meet lots of students who seemed totally free to love God and to love me without shame or hesitation. I was immediately drawn to them. And the speakers kept talking about how Jesus was God in the flesh who had come to earth to demonstrate His great love for all people—no matter what they had or hadn’t done in life. I remember feeling wave after wave of warm and unconditional approval from God and from the others who were there in Dallas with me.

On the last night, we were asked to make a commitment to wholeheartedly follow this Jesus wherever He would lead us, saying what He would have us say, doing what He would have us do. Granted, I was swept up in the emotion of the night, but I decided to make that commitment to this God who was holding out His hands in compassionate acceptance of me.

That night’s commitment was tested from day one. I had to go back home and break up with the latest of my temporary boyfriends for starters, but I was beginning to see that God had a different plan for my life. His plan was not based on how I looked or how talented I was or whether I was good enough to gain someone’s approval. His direction for my life flowed from His love and acceptance of me just the way I was. And I made the exciting discovery that it is so much more fulfilling to live to satisfy someone who already approves of me.

I was faced with a choice many years ago at that conference and I chose to follow the God who tells me in no uncertain terms that He values me exactly as I am. And there is so much freedom in knowing that.

Not soon forgetting...

Take a look at this vintage photo! It was taken at a wedding in the 1980's. Carl, me, mom, dad, my sister-in-law Sandie, and my brother, Steve.  Notice anything odd?  How could you not notice.  Steve is, um, tall.

Krisi sent this into awkwardfamilyphotos.com where it was published a few months ago. We all got a good laugh at Steve's expense.  Sometimes I forget how tall Steve is, until I see a photo of him like this.  Today, I am praising God that I have the privilege of referring to him in the present tense. Just last Wednesday, he was seconds and a heartbeat or two from death.

A few days earlier, he had called his doctor concerning what was most likely a bladder infection. Since it was right before the weekend, he was given an antibiotic and told to come in the following Wednesday to get it checked out.  Normally, Wednesdays are Steve's day off and he is home alone doing paperwork.  Instead, after going to the gym to exercise, he drove to his appointment. When he got there, he was ushered into an examination room.  The nurse took his vital signs and left with the usual promise: "The doctor will be right in." She closed the door behind her.

Normally, Steve leaves the door closed. Instead, inexplicably, he got up and opened the door.  And that is the last thing he remembers. In the next moment he suffered a major heart attack. His heart just stopped. And, unless his heart had been restarted in about 90 seconds or less, he would have died.

The nurse heard something in his room (because he had left the door opened) and told the doctor he might want to check on Steve. His doctor found him collapsed on the table and immediately got him on the floor to start CPR.  He called for defibrillator paddles and told the nurse to call 911.  Because of his quick thinking (and the absolute sovereignty of God), the doctor was able to restart Steve's heart and get him to the hospital where they put a stent into his blocked artery.  The next thing Steve remembers is waking up in the recovery room and wondering how he had gotten there!

I didn't even find out about it until he was in the cardiac ICU post-surgery and by that time his prognosis was  good.  Even so, I couldn't help thinking of all the "what if's".  What if...Steve had been driving when it happened, or he had been home alone, or what if he hadn't had a bladder infection?  What if the doctor hadn't come into the room in time, or had a defibrillator or knew how to use it properly...what if Steve wasn't here anymore???

Steve is home now taking a few days off to rest and Sandie is loving being with him.  She said she woke up last night and heard him snoring and thought, "What a beautiful sound!"  (Your perspective on life sure changes when something like this happens, right?) In any case, we are all marveling at the kindness and grace of the Lord.

Psalm 106:7-8 says that the Israelite's "soon forgot His many acts of kindness to them...even so, He saved them..." My prayer for our family is that none of us soon forget!!

Radical Experiment

Last year, I taught from David Platt's book, Radical. 3 times. In it, David challenges the readers to take part in a Radical Experiment.  For one year, we are asked to read through the entire Bible, pray for the entire World,  commit to a small group of like-minded believers, spend 2% of the year ministering in another context, and give specifically and sacrificially to some Kingdom work.

You would think after teaching it 3 times, I would be all in. However, in all honesty, I hesitated making the commitment because commitments require, well...commitment! And, commitments mean consistency and sacrifice and hard work. Not that I am opposed to these things, mind you, but my life is already full of them and it seemed to me that I might just get myself "over-committed". But as the Lord prompted me and I evaluated all the other things that pull on my mind and heart and schedule, I realized I could let other things go, but this was, after all, what I am all about.

Soooo, Carl and I decided to take the plunge last December by sending out a request to a bunch of people we thought might be interested in joining us in our home on Sunday nights for a Radical Experiment Bible Study.  In 2012, we are reading the Bible through chronologically during the week and coming together to discuss it on Sunday.  We also spend a portion of the evening praying  for specific countries of the world as a part of the experiment. Our plan is to add some outreach times and targeted giving as well.

Guess what? I am loving it.  The people God has brought into our home each week are ministering the socks off of both me and Carl. So much wisdom, insight, and laughter. Yes, we missed the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards and I feel the need to keep the house a little cleaner on the weekends, but it is so worth the investment.

Cookie lessons...

Have you ever made a batch of chocolate chip cookies forgetting to add a tiny bit of salt? It seems like such a small thing compared to the rest of the ingredients.  But a pinch of salt brings out the flavor of the cookie.  It tastes even sweeter somehow.

My daughter, Krisi, and I must have been hungry when we were brainstorming a name for this blog, but sweet and salty made sense.  I am in ministry with Priority Associates of Cru Global (Campus Crusade for Christ).  I work as a teacher/mentor/Christian life coach. I love it. I get to spend my time sharing the truth, the "sweetness" of God's word with women who are hungry for it.

And, as a Christ follower, I have been called to be the salt of the earth. In other words, I have the opportunity and privilege of enhancing the truth of God's Word by living it out, day by day.  When I teach what God's Word has to say about prayer, the Spirit-filled life, or rejoicing in suffering, for instance, I add flavor to that truth when others observe it demonstrated in my life.

Sweet and Salty. A pretty good summary of my ministry with Priority Associates. And a pretty good summary of what I want to be recording here in the days ahead; sometimes, how God is instructing me through His Word; sometimes how He is empowering me to live it out.