Bringing More of Christ to....

Flushing of the Fruit

2010-04-07T23:18:00.000-07:00

So now, weeks after returning, I find my mind still filled with and touched by our time in Croatia. There still are things to do, one of them being working on some magnetic signs for Kent and Cheri to put on their cars as they drive around. These signs will advertise the school of English, the idea suggested by a few of our team to help them with exposure finding more students.

I drink my coffee out of a mug I purchased in Split (the suggestion via words on it works as a remembrance for me). On it (besides the name of country and city) simple fish painted in blue reminiscent of the sign of the early church. In it, sometimes my rationed Croatian coffee purchased there, and yes, I still miss the eggs! (see my earlier blog). As I imagine all that is happening there, it resonates with a distinct similarity to that which is here. The sole description and soul description is this sense is that both ministries are on the brink of explosion, a dynamic, far reaching expansion engulfing beyond what could be considered humanly possible.

On my citrus trees, there are beautiful, fragrant blossoms that hold the promise of fruit on it's way. There is an explosion of fragrance and flower that fills me with anticipation, and then after being infused with pollen, fertilizing the flower, they wither and die. The process seems to have failed. Next, a small bulb appears, and if watered well, slowly inflates, hidden amongst the color of surrounding leaves. If one were not to look close and examine the tree, one might think there is no fruit. But in time, little by little the branches become laden with dark green globes and growing anticipation rises in the soul of its consumers.

Here, is the stage of which, I find myself resting. With anticipation of fruit, for the fertilization has occurred, the infusion of fullness giving rise to the the abundance. Now is the time for water and final care if the fruit is to flourish, filling the tree. Now is the time for the presence of the fruit to become known.

As the globes bask in the sunlight, their color begins to give away their presence as they flush from green to orange (for my navel and cara cara orange trees), or green to yellow (for my meyer lemon tree). It requires patience, waiting for the fruit to fully ripen on the tree, for the flush takes quite a while, yet, when finally ripe, nothing sings of sweetness, as that of these oranges dripping with full, flavorful glory.

Could this be Inpirata? Could this be New Heights Community Church? Could this be our nation? Is the fruit becoming ripe? Is time pressing on toward harvest? God's word promises fruit for the faithful. Are we even on the path of the faithful? I believe many of us are, and now is the time. Tend to the trees, make preparations for the flushing of the fruit, the flooring flavor of the fruit, filling, yes dripping with sweetness of the glory of the Holy Spirit resting upon us, leading us to new heights in Christ's kingdom. Pray for our nation, our people, our communities, our churches. It's time to move ahead with Christ with the flushing of our fruit, declaring the glory of our God, taking back what is rightfully His, the enjoyment of the fruit of our Lord.

Singing in Strength in Struggle

2010-03-25T04:56:00.000-07:00

My internal body clock is stuck somewhere between Croatia and here, exahustingly seeking the comfort of my sheets at 8:30 pm then wrestling with alertness at 2:30 am. I always seem to have the greatest battle readjusting when I move east to west and this trip has been no different. What is more frustrating for me this time is that my intestinal clock seems completely lost in space, with intense pangs of hunger, indigestion at the wickedest hours, and, it feels like its seeking something I have yet figured out. One of the greatest 'comfort foods' is eggs and yet, the yolks are not as orange as those in Croatia, nor are they as tasty. None the less, they are a soothing balm to an out of sorts tract.

My mind rushes back to a time, when talking with Andrea, a caretaker at the hospital I provide musical therapy at, of her sharing that even after purchasing the coffee and the means to prepare it in Croatia, it just doesn't taste nearly the same. For her, it was the coffee, for me, it is the eggs.

It is impossible to 'explain' the difference, just as it is impossible to explain the delicate difference between a life fully submitted to Christ, and one mostly submitted to Him. I find myself now in a place where my experience in Croatia crashes into my daily experience here, and I mean crash at highway speeds. With my body clock rocked, my intestines a bit of a mess, I find that my work a day world is also filled with challenge as well. Now before anyone rush to my rescue and think I am falling apart, neigh, I am far from that. God is gently guiding me through all the twists and turns in a way I've never experienced before. He has given me a new calm, and an incredible peace as I walk with Him.

Just yesterday, I recieved a call from a mother of one of my past students informing me that her daughter had passed away the evening before. We all knew it was coming, those of us who knew this beautiful young life, was touched by her sweetness and zest for each day. Hardest of all was to watch the brain cancer and its treatment rob her of all we had come to see and love in her. Her mother gave me permission to share this news with the staff and with excruciating sadness, the wave overcame our school.

As I walked the campus, many young lives were sad, and God allowed me to come along side providing some of His comfort to them. It was as if He has prepared me for this part of my journey with His promise of hope, knowing that I will see KaSandra when He calls me home as He has her. It is an honor and privilege to walk in the comfort and grace of my Jesus, and I would be unable to provide strength in and of myself.

While watching people who knew her, and listening to the pains in their hearts, there is a distinct difference from those with a relationship with Christ and those whe have not yet found Him. We who trust His soveriegnty and fully know that there is an eternal life for us, while filled with emotion and pain, cling to the hope and promise of the life KaSandra now lives. We see her dancing in heaven freed from the anchor that weighed her soul as she valiantly battled her cancer here. If opportunity was taken, and careful observation made, one would see in her a courageous, noble heart, facing her struggles with dignity and incredible grace.

How interesting it is that one can learn volumes from such a young life. How to cherish each moment, live it with gusto and fill it with laughter, be a real friend to friends, a phenominal student to her teachers and truly the most beautiful of daughters to her mom; and yet, for me, all of this aligns with the deep and powerful work that is being wrought out in my life by the hand of God. He didn't allow me to say good by to KaSandra, but He has placed in me her smile, her zest for life, and most importantly her love for her Savior.

I found myself singing in strength in struggle while in Croatia, and it has come home with me here, back into my own world with verve and power. Drinking deeply in the pain of life, as well as feasting on the monumental joys I walk with Him knowing that He will provide all we need in and through every moment. An incredible peace washes over my soul every day and I know it isn't the jet lag, or my incoherence due to it. It is the gift of my Savior and the Holy Spirit dripping over my life with His love, now spread on those He brings my way to touch with His fingers, and hold with His arms. It is a gift each of us could have, could share, and could bless others with.

Will you join me in carrying the torch of Christ to the souls desperately in need? I feel its time to let Christ transform our world, in most of us, and as He continues to do humbly within me. Lets join Him in the cause of His kingdom and fan into flames the warmth of His glory.

Decompress Re-Compass

2010-03-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing it regularly, in just the past few days, flowing sweetly from the tongues of friends and strangers who have been following this blog about our trip to Croatia. There is a deep appreciation for the words chosen to post, connecting our souls together.

I always embark on my expeditions with my camera fully poised to picture the moments of magic and beauty of the experience, yet while I return with well over a thousand images, I find my heart and soul more drawn to my blog than revisiting the images. One of my dear friends familiar with my writing has told me that this trip has done something to transform my writing into something much deeper than before.

Decompression, required by the diver's body with the bends (caisson disease),takes time, tricking the body into thinking it is back at depth by increasing the surrounding evironment of air, back to the resembling the great pressure of the seas, shrinking nitrogen's bubbly balloons within the body. Failure to do so causes a rapid death. Once the body is 'back at depth' only a slow and lonely, time consuming process, gradually reducing the pressure will allow the body to deal with the excess nitrogen until it can remain in balanced levels within.

I found myself now in the throws of the bends without the ability to return to depth, until I finally remembered my many musings poured out onto my netbook as I was in the throws of the depths of my dive. My mind started diving into the many things I had captured, including a recording of the church service we attended the morning after our arrival. I need time to listen, time to decompress and re-compass my life following such an amazingly complex dive.

My compass for life was being set for personally uncharted waters with uncharted depths. The more I muse and munch on the morsels of my expereince, the more I find that my life has been re-compassed. My old compass was that of a seeker, looking and sailing towards God, yet it seems that He has given me a new compass, one that seeks the uncovering of His glory through the lives of the people He places around me. It is a refined compass calling me to a refined heart of service. All the waters before me now lie uncharted, as they were before, yet I have a new tool of confidence to move ahead. This new compass will lead me in new ways to see the hand of God no longer through His word alone, but through the lives allows me to share in this voyage, a sort of living word. Is not His word, the Bible, filled with the accounts of the interaction between God and His people and the people and their God? Did this testimony stop once the final pens were put down? Is not God at work today, in our lives as He was even then?

It may take weeks, even months for me to decompress and walk my re-compassed life. I believe my blog will be a vital part of this decompression time, revisiting, reliving, reexamining, all while continuing to explore the newly uncharted waters ahead.

My prayer for all who engage with me on this voyage, walk into each day, with a new sense of seeing, seeking, and serving our Lord of grace, compassion and majesty, as we walk together with Him.

Reentry, Rest and Revisiting...

2010-03-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

It will take time to reenter back into our culture and just the touching, seeing, and holding all the things that filled our lives before we left, brings great refreshment to a wandering, weary, wistful soul. For some of us, it will be a quick turnaround, back into the routine, starting off where we were when we left, but, we will be inserted into that routine with a piece of the transformation that has shaped our last nine days. As I said in an earlier blog, the tales, the purpose and the unfolding of the details to you, our dear prayer partners and friends, will slowly be consumed and digested much like a bagel, a bite at a time. For if we were to share with you by shoving it all into your mouths, you would neither enjoy or be able to take it all in, being choked by the overtaking fullness of salivary glands trying to catch up to an overstuffed mouth.

So, together, patiently, we will unfold with you, bit by bit, piece by piece, the overwhelmingly trans-formative power of the trip God has led us through. Even as I sit here drinking my cup of Cafe Hrvatska, I come to realize that though I purchased the exact coffee we enjoyed every morning, while drinking it here, on my dining room table, in what was my usual setting, the coffee does not taste exactly the same as it did in the quiet of the great meeting room alone with my Lord. His presence, is still here, but somehow, the different air, the lack of my Croatian surroundings recolors everything I do, remember and enjoy from our trip.

It was fun watching Kent and Cheri enjoy my Croatian beer battered fish taco creation with Mexican rice and attempt at refried beans assisted by sous-chefs Stuart and Lauri. The taste of home and something long ago remembered, brought a balm of comfort to weary souls (especially Kent and Cheri) who have given up so much of their comfort to enter into a whole other world in the name of Jesus Christ. Just as now my cup of Croatian coffee reaches into what was once my every day routine, both are relished with deep sweetness and an overwhelming sense of the cost of serving Christ.

Do you get it? Have you been hearing a tug from our Lord to open your eyes to see that the adventure with God is challenging? But nothing, absolutely nothing is more powerfully revealing of His hand, into and from our lives, into the lives of others on this blessed journey. I left a part of my heart there with Kent and Cheri, Jill and Hervoje, Niki and Trent, Denny and the rest of the church, the rest of the people, and the entire nation of Croatia. A part of their hearts are now found in mine, a transforming flame for the life that Christ has set inside me, inside each of us.

God reminds us through Paul that worshiping Him requires us to lay down our bodies as a living sacrifice in Romans 12:1. He states:

Ro 12:1 Therefore, I urgently encourage you, brothers, in view of the powerful transformation of God’s mercy placed into your lives, that you completely surrender your bodies, your beliefs, your expectations, your hopes and dreams, as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this being your spiritual act of worship to He who has redeemed and restored and even created all that you are. (emphasis added by author).

This trip was not only intended for the nine of us who physically stepped onto the airplanes, stepping off into a foreign land, living briefly there, meeting some incredibly faithful ones who have done exactly what Paul encourages all of us to do, but also for you; all of you who read this blog, and examine our hearts now having gone and returned as part of our team.

I pray that God will soon allow me to return, or that He might indeed ask my stunning bride and I to go into the ends of the earth for Him, but only time will tell if that is His will. For now, I have been given a glorious gift from those in Croatia, and from those who went with me, pouring themselves into my life as I walked a difficult road there, without my dearly beloved Carrie.

God has miraculously restored my nearly ruined heart of ten years ago back health. He has indeed healed my heart, both physically and spiritually. He has shaped this heart with a tenderness I often find uncomfortable as a man, yet I am grateful that I allow my heart to be moved, deeply moved, by the stuff of life and living for my glorious Savior. I am thankful that He continues to take me through very dark and difficult times, etching within me His fingerprints as I walk weakly through the turnstiles in life that He leads me through.

There is only one way to transform a nation bent on destruction. To be, live and do the life poured out before our Savior. It will cost us our lives, but in the end bring the restorative, absolutely transforming power of God into the hearts of many who are lost; looking for hope, looking for eternal rest and purpose. Looking for the kingdom that will not perish, though their bodies will.

It is time for all of us to stand and find courage to live, fully live, what we know is truth. Who we know will bring it to our world, and rescue those who we cross in our daily lives, not only on foreign soils, but in the hearts of people here, on familiar soils with hearts of foreigners for they know not of the kingdom where they belong. Before this trip, I could have gone through life, without a care for Croatia and its people. But I return knowing that God wants their hearts, as He does the hearts of my connections here in my community. The mission is exactly the same, wherever He puts us, wherever He takes us, with whomever He allows to cross our paths.

This journey was for you too. You who are now linked with our hearts. You who are our friends and now will be connected to Kent and Cheri, Hervoje and Jill, Trent and Niki, and a host of those who have been called to Croatia, as well as to the people. We took our trinkets of life here to the people and leaders God has called there. We brought home our trinkets as monuments of our time with the people, for as we reenter, rest and revisit from time to time our great adventure of bringing more of Christ to Croatia. Now the question remains...Where and how will we continue to invest the more valuable gifts of God into the hearts of those around us now, where we are, and as He leads us? As we reenter, find rest, and continue to relive all that has been revealed to us on this trip, our prayer is that all of Croatia, all of our friends and family here at home, will connect deeply to the call Christ has placed within each of our hearts connected along this journey we call life. For He is the life, and our lives are to be His.

Of Weaving and Leaving

2010-03-20T14:15:00.000-07:00

As we prepare to come home, our minds are flooded and filled with the myriad of experience, interactions, excursions, and living the life of Americans in Croatia, with an additional twist. And the twist is on us. Probably everyone of us came with expectations and dreams of what this week would be like, and most assuradly, very few of us have encountered the experience we expected. This process is so extraordinarily deep, so life changing that it will take a while to process, and a while to share with each of you, our individual journeys.

What can be shared in the brevity of a blog is that nine people shared nine days of their lives together, with many incredibly grace filled, God inspired people, who themselves have a heart of obedience to Jesus Christ. There is no other way to understand the heart of a ministry to a people than to visit and walk in the shoes of the called, even if only for a very, very brief time.

The complexities of life, living, and laughing and, yes crying are all part of the tapestry that is the journey. We have been the threads attached to the shuttle cock of the Master's loom. Examine it too close and you will not see the beauty of this part of the weave He has put in the tapestry, but understand that in time, all it's beauty, all its vibrant colors will remain as a testimony of the trip of a lifetime. Not because of the beautiful place our Lord has brought us to, not because of the wonderful hosts and leaders of His cause here, but because we each have allowed ourselves to be woven into this glorious part of His tapestry.

It is my belief that this blog will not end here. Neigh, it is just the start of what should prove to be a longer, more complete tapestry. Rest assured. Nine people have walked the sands of Croatian beaches, the cobbles of Croatian streets and walkways. Nine people have visited coffee shops, ate in restaurants, helped in English classes, walked and stood where believers were slaughtered as entertainment, visited with other believers, and worked with all their hearts as unto the Lord. And it is becuase He is faithful, He will reap the harvest of those He chooses to call. Our prayers are for the nation of Croatia, that hope will rise up in the hearts of its people. Not an empty hope, but one of eternal benefit, eternal peace.

Surely God is doing His great work here. Surely His glory shines on these people. We have seen it for ourselves, now being woven with them. While we are leaving, no one can take away the weaving God has worked into His tapestry for His glory.

Transforming Trip

2010-03-20T01:04:00.000-07:00

God has blessed me with eyes to see into the lives of people and honed these eyes while on this trip. I am not at liberty to share my understandings of Christ working in each heart, but you can speak to each of us to discover that which they percieve He has started within their hearts from this trip. What I am at liberty to share is my overall perceptions and thoughts as He has worked in me and through us as a team.

Steven Curtis Chapman sings a song about seeing the fingerprints of God on us, and nothing seems to say it better than that. On this trip, I have seen God's fingerprints covering the lives of our team, and I have seen each member of our team leave their fingerprints (who God has made us into) on this place and people, including the hearts of our host, Kent and Cheri.

We have come here to live and walk amidst the hearts of Croatians and our host, but mostly to do so along side of our Savior. When I spoke of the 'sweetness' of building a team, working as a team, coming as a team and living as a team, I have come to discover that the pastries here are not nearly as sweet and the ones we have at home, but the love of Christ rising in the hearts in each of us here has added incredible sweetness to our hearts as we work and live together. You see, sweetness comes in many ways, and there are many ways to 'taste' it.

How often, in the busyness of life, we relegate our lives to experience only the tangible, natural sweetness our tastebuds can experience. While it may temporarily satisfy our desire for such pleasure, it is only a temporary cure, even a mask of the true and deeper sweetness that our Lord wants to invest into us; the sweetness that can only be tasted with spiritual tongues, and enticed with spiritual eyes.

Can you see it? Can you taste it? Do you long for more of it? Again I say, oh taste and see that the Lord is good! There is NOTHING of richer sweetness than the presence of God, working in, amoung and through His people.

Partners in Prayer...

2010-03-19T04:45:00.000-07:00

To our dear sweet partners who have held us up this week, we have yet another favor to ask. Tonight we will host a party at Inspirata. It will be a coffee bar with light snacks, music and games! We are hoping that many here will want to spend a bit more time with us before we finish our week. The glory of our Lord has truly filled this place! Now we would love for His glory to fill the people with whom we've spent some time with here.

This is a mighty work! He is a mighty God. Please ask Him to bless our time together tonight and that people would strangely be pulled to and follow through on that pull to drive themselves here (and it would be a miraculous feat at over $4 a liter for lousy gas). None the less, we have seen plenty of miracles here this week, all of which were unexpected. How sweet it would be to have an large, unexpected crowd of curious Croatians here tonight.

Thank you again for your prayers and we'll watch as the glory of our Lord unfolds before us!!

Much Needed Update...

2010-03-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

I would like to appologize for not updating the blog recently. I have been violently intestinally ill and slowly recovering, finaly figuring out that it was the lack of protein in my diet and lack of regularity of eating that has set my body off. Finally, now, I am back on track.

I was unable to go to Bosnia because of my illness, but Stuart did an excellen job recording some images for me, and I will post them as soon as I find some time to edit them and place them on my Facebook or a few on the blog. I have placed numerous images on my Facebook page, and if you are not a friend of mine and want to see the pictures, look me up.

What has been fun for us, is trying to use our Croatian in the marketplace and in restaurants. Julie is by far the the most outgoing of our group and having a great time impressing the Croatians with her Hrvatski. It was fun to watch Peter (prounounced Pate-er) our waiter warm up to us as Julie launched in to her Hrvatski with me following suit. The restaurant was not crowded and Peter took the time to talk with us, as we found out more about he and the surrounding area. He went out of his way to give us excellent service and even calculated Julie's bill into U.S. dollars as payment for her check. Peter stopped by our table more often than he did the others and really enjoyed our presence there. It was warm, and engaging, especially with the heaters going in the cave like outdoor section of the restaurant.

While it takes time to build relationships with Croatians, some, especially the public workers seem to appreciate our being here, and go out of their way to make sure we are finding what we need. Whenever we get 'stuck' in our limited Croatian, they find one of the employees who can help us. Whenever we don't understand how the store works (like finding the 'number' of the fruit, veggie or nuts we are purchaseing, going over to the scale, typing it in and printing out the label) they gracefully assist us with it all.

Initially, it seems so overwhelming. Everything is new. Everything is different. We find ourselves trying to figure out which is the mustard, which is the mayonaise and catsup (they all come in tubes here). Foods and food containers are all different. Just going grocery shopping is a new challenge. But we are finding our way. We are learning much about Croatia and Croatian way of life. We are getting a taste of being a stranger in a strange land, and growing because of the experience. It will take weeks to process all that we have experienced in such a short time here.

Cultural Connections

2010-03-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

Our time together here passes slowly, much like the culture and way of the people. It is a refreshing change for those of us who usually have packed schedules and too much to do. Not that there aren't things to do here, but down time is available and today's walk around the island and wonderful gourmet lunch was incredible!!! For those of you expecting images of our meal, sorry, I didn't take my camera. Yes, you heard right, I didn't take my camera!

One of the things that has been impressed upon my heart is my need to 'let go' of some of the things which tend to clutter up my experience here. There is a time for capturing in more permanent ways trinkets to jog the memory and times to take and carry only the memories. What I found interesting is the whole time we were there, the experience was so rich, that I really wanted images and only images could do our experience justice. Yet I was relegated to watch others capture the time with their cameras. An interesting juxtaposition for me. In many ways, though, I was unable to 'hide' behind my camera and engaged in deeper conversation without the peppering distraction of 'photographic' moments.

What has been good for us is having the time to 'drink' in the culture, and build stronger cultural connections. It is amazing how, in such a short time, we have moved from wading in the pool, to swimming in the deep end. We are buying some of our food and cooking some in our rooms here, and that interaction has pushed us into the community, going through some of the same experiences Kent and Cheri went through when they were first here. Everywhere we go, we catch the gaze of the people around us as obviously we look like tourists. The good weather for the past few days have the people out and about with us in their midst.

Last night Lauri, and Jeanelle and Eileen worked with Cheri and three students in the school of English. Tonight, Brian, Eileen and Bob will work with Cheri and a few students. Stuart, Jen and Lauren will work in a later class with Hervoje. We are learning and doing, coming along side with them. Julie and Stuart are also meeting with Hrvoje to plan for working with college students in his English class.
He is excited to have native speakers working with him.

Tomorrow, some of us will be traveling to Bosnia where there will be snow and much colder conditins. We will be visiting with Trent and Niki exploring their work reaching out to the people with education in health and welfare. Stuart, Lauren and Bob will be leaving early to come home and help Dennis with a gathering of college students. He wants us to add our music talents with him, and have Bob share his testimony with them.

We are thrilled to be working together, meeting people and discovering more about their lives here, walking the street and eating in restaurants making wonderful cultural connections.

Touring Trogir

2010-03-15T10:44:00.000-07:00

A few pictures of Trogir.

Sweetness Still Swells

2010-03-14T14:32:00.000-07:00

If you can't sense it in my musings, I'm either not doing a good job, or you're not reading between my lines correctly. As we sit together, each of us have some point of struggle, many points of near overwhelming, tiredness, amazement, cultural drinking from a fire hose and and yet, one thing remains...the sweetness still swells!!!

There was an amazing moment in my heart when we Skyped in to church worship this evening. Yes,it was 7:15 pm and 10:15 when we called in. We heard familiar voices and saw 'resemblances' of our usual worship meeting place projected on the wall before us. The opening song refreshed us as we sang along with the congregation unaware that we joined in with them thousand of miles away! There was a link. There on the wall and coming through the speakers was the image and sound of our usual place and yet while we joined in, we were so far away.

I couldn't sit by my wife, we couldn't shake the hands of our friends and visitors, we couldn't even see very far into the congregation, but this was our second time of being in church for the day. As our planet turned, voices were rising to God around the world and from two different parts of the world simultaneously!

There was a sweetness swelling in the ears of our Lord as we joined together, for a brief moment to lift our voices up to the God that made all this happen...our trip, the technology working seamlessly (simply a miracle!) with our hearts joined together as a team, a part of this call to be here. Wow! We are tired. We are getting a bit silly from time to time (I haven't yet posted those pictures and most threaten me if I do...maybe I'll have to post the pictures Stuart has taken of me), but we know we are here for a reason. We know you are part of our team there for a reason as well.

Do you feel it? Do you recognize it? You are part of the Lord's kingdom here in Croatia with us! Tonight there is a strong wind call the Bog. Its as if the Holy Spirit is pressing in on us and whipping up a wind. Thank you all for your prayers and support. You all continue to be a part of the sweetness stills swelling here in Croatia!!

Skyping in to Church Worship Service

2010-03-14T11:35:00.001-07:00

Joining Worship at New Heights. We worshiped 8 hours earlier here in Split Croatia at Zive Nada (Living Hope) church. How sweet!

Sunday Lunch

2010-03-14T11:05:00.001-07:00

2010-03-14T11:00:00.000-07:00

5 am just before sunrise. See the sliver of the moon above the mountains?

Tour of Trogir

2010-03-14T10:05:00.000-07:00

Split Croatia our Sunday tour.

Worship Singing This Morning

2010-03-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

Dennis Leads This Morning

Varied Voyage

2010-03-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

Our trip from San Diego to Los Angeles was a pleasant prelude to the journey that lay before us. Our driver, Kenny, could have easily passed for chef Duff better known as the “Ace of Cakes” on the Food Network. What was amazing were the similarities not only in looks, but in mannerisms as well. His laugh, smile, and gracious wackiness were only missing the goatee and I guess a chainsaw or drill.

The voyage spanning the North American continent from LAX over Saskatchewan and Manitoba, over Greenland to London was LONG and the most taxing part of the journey thus far. Cramped, with seat cushions akin to slightly softened cardboard our seats took a toll on all of our tailbones. I suppose you could say that our seats taxed our seats. Mind you, I’m not complaining, just being frank. Our four hour wait in Heathrow airport started with a change in our ticketed travel, now stopping in Zagreb with an additional layover leaving at 9:40pm arriving at 11:00 pm, then after getting our bags another 40 minute drive to our residence. Again, I’m not complaining, as the group who came to Croatia before us with weather delays had a 46 hour trip to our same destination. Once again, I am just being frank. God knew all these things He set before us, and we are thankful thus far for safe fare.

Speaking of fare, our simple meal on Croatia Airlines was refreshing and absolutely AMAZING. Two small slices of chicken with garbanzos in a tomato sauce, with incredible feta cheese and sparse chopped green olives in olive oil. A roll, with sweet unsalted butter was delectable and the small pastry with some sort of slightly sweet nut mixture was WONDERFUL. The meal was simple and a taste of refreshment for weary souls. Anticipation rises in my soul as we make our near final legs of our trip. There is a sweet refreshment as we get a nibble of what awaits us.

Our final leg and arrival here was sweet and wonderful. Finally getting to meet Kent, Cheri and Herjove (pronounced Hervoy) finally finding our rooms. The SHORT trip to Trogir was a huge blessing after all the stuff we went through including an unexpected change with an additional stop in Zagreb before arrival in Split. If this entry doesn’t sound as crisp as my previous, that is because we are no crisp ourselves, but joyfully refreshed from within for the blessings of God, faithful to bring us here, safely, a bit sore but grateful. We have experienced many things, hard ones (like our seats) and an extra stop on our last leg of the trip. And blessed ones, building more teamwork and enjoying delicious, home made chicken noodle soup and final fellowship. It has been a varied voyage.

Swelling Sweetness

2010-03-12T07:35:00.000-08:00

There is something amazing that happens when we just take the time to encourage a friend, and something wonderful that occurs when a friend encourages you. Many of us choose to be encouragers, but often we feel a bit uncomfortable when we ourselves are encouraged. Encouragement, like forgiveness, is a powerful, beautiful, gracious balm that meets someone in their place of need; whether they realize the need or not. It is like finding the right medicine for an irritating ailment, soothing, calming, curing.

It is humbling to be the recipient of care and encouragement, for we often feel we do not deserve it. We struggle recieving it, and yet if we don't recieve it, we rob the joy of the one trying to encourage us. What I have found is that the more we encourage others, the more others long to encourage us. If we all were to become encouragers, there would be a swelling sweetness that would barrage and overtake the entire planet!

As we prepare to go, packing the last of our things of 'comfort' to take with us, I am glad that I have the greatest comfort of all packed in my bag, and in my heart. Knowing that Jesus Christ is climbing in my bags, will be with us on the shuttle to and fro, the jet, and in Croatia is really all the comfort I need. However, also knowing that all you are walking the trip with us, praying and holding us up before our Lord, adds additional comfort that will bring much peace in on a trip that will be filled with challenges and tests. Jetlag, exhaustion, being in a different environment with people who may or may not speak our language will all try to overtake us like a tsunami overtakes an island. Ah, yes, but we are not islands. We are an united continent. United because we all share in this trip together as a team; us going, God going before us and with us, and you holding the ropes for us at home.

You may not feel the depths of our gratefulness, but rest assured, we are sooooo grateful for all you have and will contribute as part of this trip. Stay tuned for updates and ready for 'the rest of the story' as we return. THANK YOU for being a part of the swelling sweetness as we press ahead on the adventure with Christ.

Meaningful Meeting

2010-03-10T21:05:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I met an amazing woman, Phyllis, who is in her seventh decade of life and went on her first missions trip last September to work with Kent and Cheri at the school of English in Croatia. She is missions director for her church and is a mentor instructor for student teachers at SDSU. She is also enthusiastic, endearing and engaging. I found myself looking into the eyes of a lady whom I believe, if the Lord agrees, will have another good twenty to thrity years of powerful ministry in the name of our Lord. How sweet to see such joy and enthusiasm for God and people rise in her heart. The love of Christ kept warming my cup of passion fruit tea as we spoke of God's work in and through each of our lives up to this meeting; our lives now crossing because the common call of the Holy Spirit to a people and a nation that needs the grace of Christ in meaningful ways.

I find myself now challenged to accomplish some additional tasks before we leave on Friday. I am also taking with me a lesson designed by one of her student teachers and Phyllis for the school of English. My mind now is reeling with ideas for things to present and do in Croatia. Which ones will happen? Only God knows. But for each of us on the team, we only want to be available and useable as God calls us. This meaningful meeting served many purposes, including raising my excitement level for our trip. But for all you who read this, myself included, let Phyllis serve as an example. We can never be too old to make a difference for Christ in another country, in another culture, as well as on home soil, with the tools God has given us to serve.

For now, we are called to go and go we will. God has provided our financial needs and done so above and beyond what we could have ever expected, but then again, He owns it all! All He asks of each of us is to go where He asks, when He asks, no matter what our age. God has meaningful meetings for us every day if we choose to look for them and pursue Him into them. If we are all doing what He calls us to, then we will hear the words: "Well done, good and faithful servant". But that cannot occur, unless we are 'good, faithful servants' of the almighty!

The members of our team have heard from God and we are going, but then again, we have also set our desires to hear from God while we are here, waiting on Him and in this case, when He told us to go, we are going. There may be others He might have liked to be a part of this team, or others for future trips. The meaningful meetings happen now, today. Our prayer is that we all, together, press ahead in the faith stretching ways He leads and challenges us. You join us in prayer and many with funding. For many, that may be all God is calling you to do, and that is good and faithful. For others, it may reach deeper. Where are you willing to go, and what are you willing to do for Christ? I look forward to the eternal meaningful meeting and the healing and refreshement we all will recieve when we get there. Thanks again for be a part of our team with your prayers! Croatia, here we come!

Disciplined Discipleship

2010-03-08T10:43:00.000-08:00

International travel is something no one should take lightly. We soon will be leaving our culture and all that is familiar, comfortable and known, to that where much will be unfamiliar, uncomfortable and unknown. We take for granted the health care and its availability here, the food and its variety here in San Diego, along with everything available to solve our simplest to most complex needs, culturally and 'normally' with the methodology to access it all. Our homes bulge with tools and materials that can be accessed when illness strikes, or when hunger strikes. The plethora of tools in my garage are regularly used to more readily 'fix' and solve automotive or living challenges that come our way. All these will be left behind, only to have what I take with me in my 'arsenal' of baggage.

There is an unique discipline to international travel, and preparation will forge success in most cases. The unexpected may and will happen, but because we will be with those who are and have been part of the culture for many years, as transplanted Americans, we should be fine in their care and especially in the care of God. There is a weight limitation on baggage and we only get to take one. I will bring my medicines and nebulizer (won't make the mistake of traveling without it again) for my rare illness induced asthmatic attacks, cordless table saw and drill (okay, so I won't be taking the last two items). I'll wash the clothes I wear every day, making room for 'other' tools (okay, just kidding here too).

One of the things I find most comforting is that my teacher and guide through this life, owns the whole world and everything in it, yet had no place to lay his head at night, carried no tools to help him solve His problems, nor did He even carry any money (though another disciple was in charge of some of the money they used). Now that is faith and trust. So, as I prepare for the trip, I find myself listening, more than doing, praying, more than talking, seeking wisdom more than scrambling, and just waiting for His nudging, His still, small voice. You see, I could pack a whole lot of things that I might not even use, and yet, that does not mean I am not to take it with me. I don't find my peace in my breathing machine, my tools, or my clothes, but by the provision God will give us in each moment.

One of my fondest memories was being a chaperone on a high school band tour. There were many 'problems' on this trip (not with students, but with accommodations and other things). Our bus pulled in to a restaurant for us to eat. As we boarded and prepared to leave, the bus would not start. No click, nothing. The bus driver was concerned and called his company, though we were several hours away from them. Meanwhile I asked him to open the compartment where the battery was. He did so and I didn't see anything wrong, until he tried to start the bus as I peered into the battery compartment. In there were a bank of batteries and as soon as he turned the key, sparks flew from one of the battery terminals. Apparently someone had not tightened the battery cable to the terminal so every time the bus driver would start the engine a chunk of the battery terminal was blown off by the electrical arcing with now only half of it remaining. It was Sunday and after calling his office, the bus company's only solution was to drive up a battery which would arrive in a few hours.

Well, that meant that we would miss our rehearsal time with other bands for the next day's performance. I can remember asking God for the wisdom He had often given me when I found myself in these kinds of situations, and my eye caught the red and white swirl of a Coke can in the corner of the parking space next to me. I had just happened to be wearing my Leatherman and the thought entered my mind. What if I were to cut a ribbon of aluminum can, wrap it around the battery terminal just enough to provide sufficient connection for our bus to start? Once started, the engine would no longer need the battery, we could get to our rehearsal, and maybe the replacement battery would arrive while we practiced. The entire bus cheered as the engine fired up ready to complete our immediate mission.

I wish I could say that it was my idea, or that I saved the day. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Sure, I understand automobiles, but certainly not busses! There were plenty of things that could have gone wrong with disastrous results. I usually blow a gasket when someone litters, leaving their stuff for others to pick up, yet, if it wasn't for that Coke can laying there, I don't know what I would have done...probably nothing.

Confident that God has called us to be a disciple of His, confident of His call on our lives and to Croatia, we step out on an adventure of faith. We trust in His provision, and His care in every situation that passes. The discipline part of being a disciple is making a choice to turn to Him, seeking His desire for the hour, the day, the trip, and each challenge that befalls us. I believe He sets these challenges before us to help us discern the discipline of being His disciple. Countless times, even in good times, I find myself turning my ear to Christ, the Holy Spirit and God, asking Him for His leading in my life. I know our team will be doing the same and has been doing the same since we all decided He has called us on this excursion of faith.

Those of you who read this and pray for us are partners in the excursion and without your support and the guidance of Christ, we would most certainly meet failure and insignificance, or worse yet, incredible disaster. Thank you for joining us as part of our team! Thank you for being a part of our collective sacrifice for His glory. Thank you for your disciplined discipleship into and through our lives. It is an honor for us, together, to serve the Almighty God!

Integral Integrity

2010-03-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

I start this story by saying that one must never be applauded or honored for doing what is right. Doing right is to be expected of a believer in Jesus. Because this story is directly connected to our trip, it is one that bears sharing.

Yesterday I went to purchase the sound system that we will be taking with us from my usual vendor. How usual? Lets just say that many of the sales staff know me by name. Probably because of my unique features, but they seem to know many customers by their names, so who am I kidding? Well, I purchased the equipment from a sales person who used to work there and always gave me great deals. It was refreshing to see Art back again. He shook my hand and told me that I must be loosing weight...ya, right (I didn't say he always told the truth). Needless to say, he came through for me again, selling the system for $100 less than I could find anywhere, on the internet, or anywhere I called. It was a 20% discount from an already less than retail price. We chatted while he finished my sale and he helped me out to my car with the sound system.

Well, today, after dropping my wife off at church for a trip with some friends, getting some gas and stopping at a local discount store to purchase a piece of luggage to take the sound system on the plane to Croatia (on sale for 30% off....trained well by my wife), I came home to a panicked phone call from Art, asking me to please call him back. It turned out that he had rung my sale up as cash and didn't charge my ATM card. I looked at my receipt, checked my online banking statement and it was true, no charge anywhere. I could have called him, told him that I had in fact paid him in cash (an outright lie) and he would have to have the sale taken out of his pay. I am also sure that if I had done that, my deals with him would be through.

He was incredibly relieved when I assured him that I have to sleep at night, believe integrity is an integral part of my life, and would be there in a half hour. He pontificated with a story about Karma and how he had found some money that a man dropped at the bank and rather than giving it to the teller to track down the man, put it in his wallet. That day, he lost his wallet and it was returned later without the found money and the other personal cash he had in it.

It just didn't seem the time to tell him why I try to be a man of integrity, at least not yet. When I arrived at the store, Art seemed really relieved that I really did come in, and his whole demeanor changed. He then told me that he would really give me a really awesome deal on some large purchase in the future, but, we'll see if I ever have the money or if he's around to complete his offer for me.

Why I share this story is because I know it is people and relationships above all else that count for eternity. I am praying that God will make it clear to me when I am to share with Art the reason (beyond his point of Karma) that I am the way I am. As a believer, I know it is important to share Christ with others, but I do not believe it is my goal to pressure myself or them into hearing the gospel. Don't get me wrong, it is imperative that we share the good news, but only when their hearts will be receptive, and only then, by the prompting of God. This is one of the main reasons I feel blessed to be able to go to Croatia in the first place. I am hoping to develop some new and wonderful friendships with people whom I'd never dreamed I'd get the chance to meet! I believe by living the life of Christ, being available, compassionate and by walking with integrity, only then, will we earn the right to share the powerful mystery and beauty who is Christ.

My prayer is that I be the 'real deal', and that God Himself will speak to their hearts and tell me when I am to share the good news of the gospel, with them recognizing the sweetness of Christ in me, along with the honesty of seeing that I am being transformed, and not yet perfect. We live in a world where honesty and integrity is loosing its grip with selfishness and gain at any cost taking its place. A place where 'stretching and bending' the truth for gain is seen as the norm, rather than the exception. When we choose righteousness and completely understand who is in charge and who owns all we have or ever will have, then, if we live with integrity, focused on giving rather than getting, will we have abundantly above and beyond what we could ever think or imagine.

I know for me, I am looking forward to going to a place where gold is nothing but pavement, and the richest of all things will be to sit at the feet of Christ, hearing him tell us about how He made it all, as well as enjoying it all with Him for eternity! For it is all His and He Himself is integral integrity.

Answer and Anticipation

2010-03-04T21:11:00.000-08:00

It is confirmed. I will be purchasing a small sound system to take with us, leaving it with the Pixlays for use in their ministry there. Thank you all who prayed and participated with me, confirming this provision for them!

It still seems surreal, as if I'm climbing into a Dali painting, with the trip being only one week away! It approaches like a bullet train and I continue listening to, and trying to speak with my Croatian language lessons, finding some comfort in knowing that most of the people speak and understand English fairly well. With a Cheshire cat grin I found it interesting to hear from Zdenko and Sandra that there are many Japanese tourists who visit Croatia, so my presence there will seem 'normal'. I chuckle whenever I think that I will be taking my Nikon digital SLR camera with me. Will I look like a Japanese tourist as I walk around with it hanging around my neck? Indeed I will be, except from America.

All the planning, all the preparation, all the expectations, hopes and dreams will unfold before us, some as planned, and probably most not as planned. No adventure is without its challenges and surprises. The term most commonly stated is flexiblity, and I believe we will need to have flexibility pasted to our foreheads, flexibility filling all our pockets and packed into our suitcases as we walk this adventure! The unknown, the surprises, are indeed the thing I enjoy about adventures; watching them arise and problem solving for the answers. Some of my sweetest memories of excursions are those that spontaneuosly appeared in the moment as I never envisioned such a thing was available or would happen. While we have our thoughts of what is to be, it will be interesting to see the truth of what is planned for us on our adventure.

Having traveled internationally before, and traveling on a regular basis for work and 'fun' in the past with groups (including week long trips with middle schoolers), I know that while some may question my sanity, I have and we will have a lot of fun getting to know one another. We will also enjoy getting to know the people we visit. Living and adventuring together will take us on an escapade that can not be accomplished in any other way. There is a sense that we will be a part of something incredibly larger than any of us could dream or imagine, because Christ has called us to go. So we wait. Wait for direction, wait for the days to pass, and wait for our shuttle to pick us up next Friday, and most importantly, we wait upon our Lord (Psalm 33).

Please continue to pray for our health and the wisdom we will need to step into and through this trip. It is a faith journey to new heights of service and growth.

Passionate Pastor

2010-03-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

Our team met with Zdenko (pastor of žive nada-hope alive), his wife Sandra and daughter Lara (age 6, 18 month old son, Philip,was napping with host family) in our pastor's study as we prepare for our trip to Croatia. Born and raised in Bosnia and Herzogvina (just south of Croatia) he had to flee his homeland because of the outbreak of war and settled in Croatia. There he met his wife who was led to follow Christ through a street evangelism outreach. She also told us that as a young girl she approached her priest to ask for a copy of the Bible and did not connect with it as she read so basically didn't believe there was a God, though she had been seeking Him for many years. They eventually connected with Kent and Cheri Pixlay (who we will be visiting with in Trogir, Croatia) and Kent invested his heart for God into Zdenko. Zdenko helped by leading worship (playing guitar) and in the youth ministry of the early church plant (by Kent and Cheri) after returning from a missionary trip to Livno, Bosnia. Since 2006, they have served as the first national pastors of žive nada church there in Split, Croatia.

Zdenko and Sandra are here looking for support to expand their ministry by purchasing some property to house the church They currently rent a 1000 sq. ft. facility (and are bursting at its seams) and start a private school there. The culture values organizations that have a place of their own like the Catholic Church so as not to be percieved as a sect or in a negative light.

What was great for me to see was their gentle spirits, compassionate hearts and passion for their call to serve Christ. They value all of the denominational evangelical churches there and speak highly of the 350 members (total) of all the evangelical believers in Croatia (a land with some 4 and a half million people). They readily confess they are inadequate to the task and vision God has layed before them, lacking administrative skills (and finances) to do so, and that too is quite refreshing. In such a brief encouter, their hearts connected with ours, their enthusiasm for our team going to his homeland was contagious. These shepherds have crossed the boundaries of culture to refresh and encourage our willingness to go to the people there and just be available.

It is our hope and prayer that we can be as they, generous, caring, available and with a passion to our call as God lays it out before us on our trip. Thank you again for your prayers and support of our team! You too are an extension of what God will allow us to do there in His name! All glory to Christ!

Speaking of Taste...

2010-02-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

For those of you who know me well, the addition of the new link was inevitable (http://recipes.wikia.com/wiki/Croatian_Cuisine). Our trip is almost upon us, and our hearts are filled with anticipation of adventure. In my preparations, however, there was 'something missing'. Ah, yes, what of the gastronomic delicacies of Croatian cuisine?!

My heart rate headed higher, and my eyes and dreams were met with delights as images and recipes of Croatian food filled my laptop! Vow! Da, Vow! My salivary glands were kicked into spontaneous secretion (sorry, but you know the science guy in me), and my eyes expanded from their normal oriental squint to those of a bug! I was clicking and reading as if the vortex of the blackhole was approaching. And then it stretched me like the spaghettification of being sucked into the blackhole...

In my last blog, I mentioned "Taste and see that the Lord is good!" Not only is our Lord good, the food there looks incredibly delectable to my eyes!!! God not only has not only provided my air-'fare', but called me to a place where I will not only enjoy the company of new friends, embarking on my new mission, but also take me to a place where my taste buds and stomach will be met with enjoyable, edible, fare! From my first bite, I believe that this scripture will take on new meaning with God taking me to new heights in my relationship with Him!

Can a man live a more blessed life than I? God has blessed me beyond what I deserve, given me a wife of noble character and incredible love, saved me from the wretchedness of my selfishness, thrown open the doors of heaven to me, calling me, and all of our team, to a place with sweet, flavorful and aromatic expectation. Nothing I could ever do deserves what I have and will have. All glory to you, God, all glory to Christ!

Bon Appetite! Again I say, Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!!!!!!

The Sweetness of Developing a Team!

2010-02-22T08:24:00.000-08:00

I must confess that I did not know all the members of our team well, and we still have much we will learn about each other as we work together, travel together and 'live together' for over a week. So, while updating the "Introducing our Team" blog, it hit me with a "wow"! The wow is that each of us, by our very nature and character have a heart of caring for others. We enfold, we endear, we entreat, we connect, and we are willing to learn and listen. While many at our church have these qualities, it is as if the sweetness of God has fallen upon us in a special way. There is an expectation, and anticipation that fills the the very air we breathe with a graceful fragrance as we meet.

Having been on many long trips with teams, I know that if everything goes smoothly, we would call it a miracle! But also miracles can be found in the testing of our faith, the difficult times that develop along the way, and the way they get solved. There is a team of people in Croatia this week and it took them 46 hours to get there because of the weather and all the delays associated with it! It was what appeared as a disastrous chain of events, but it happened for a reason (though only they can tell you why). Which brings me to the second point of this blog.

While there are things to do and people to care for in Croatia, it has been the getting there and all the 'growing' along the way, and will be all the aspects along the way to, through and in the return that will contribute to the overall reason for why we each are to go. We will be tired when we get there, we will be exhausted when we leave. There will times of sweet, beautiful things and the ugliness of "reality", and yet, I believe that we will see and learn more of the grace of Christ, and His power unleashed through us in ways we could not experience any other way! I will leave not only building a connection with the people in Croatia, but with the team with whom I travel. Our experiences will be designed for them...and us.

It all seems surreal, heading off to a land I didn't know existed, and have learned a great deal about in the past year. It will come and go like a flash, and yet, the memories we build there will last for eternity as God takes our feeble gifts and uses them for His glory. There is a sweetness in going as a team. There is a sweetness in and among our team.

Psalm 34:8 says:

"Oh taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him."

May Christ be our refuge and may all we do continue in His sweetness.

What I learned from this week

2010-02-20T11:59:00.000-08:00

A dear and wonderful friend posted this quote on her Facebook page.

“The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B.”
--James Yorke.

As I look back on a week where my teaching job would provide a hiatus and vacation, and I had plans for accomplishing some long postponed tasks, it was not a surprise that thus far, what I 'planned' for the week has yet to be accomplished. There were many other important things that did arise and as I contemplated them, they did need to be done. What is great too, is that my wife, who is my gracious partner in this life was okay with the 'derailment' of my week's planned duties and supported my choices.

While reading my friend's well placed quote on her Facebook update, it reminded me of a scripture that has become my answer for Mr. Yorke's statement.

Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD'S purpose that prevails.

Plan A was my misinterpretation of His plan...what I see as plan B was always what I believe He intended. I just didn't know about it until it happened.

I bring this up on my blog because as we prepare to go on this trip to Croatia, we will have our thoughts and our plans about what is to happen while we are there. We want to be prepared and take with us the things that will be of effective use, both personally and for those we go to share our love with, but they may be our plans and not the Lord's.

So as you continue to pray for us, we need wisdom; wisdom in what to bring, wisdom in what to do, and especially the ability to hear His voice and see His plans! Our team will be meeting before church on Sundays unitl we leave on our trip. We will be praying and seeking God's leading for our time there to Croatia, in Croatia and in the return trip. My plans for what I will take with me have changed from what I thought I should bring in the beginning. I, and I'm sure the rest of our team wants to know exactly what to bring with us to see how He plans on using us and our 'stuff' to encourage the hearts and lives of those we go to see.

Thank you for your prayers!!! Please continue to hold us up before our Lord that His glory will be revealed to all throughout this trip.

Coincidence? Not!

2010-02-17T20:20:00.000-08:00

While providing some musical therapy to residents at Edgemoor, I happened to be talking with them about my trip to Croatia. One of the amazing staff members was passing through the room (she had been in and out while I was playing my sax)and stopped in her tracks to tell me that she had been to Croatia,twice. We conversed about how gracious and endearing the people are and how wonderful the coffee is there! Sharing with me that she learned how to make it and even purchased some there to bring home, as well as the apparatus to make it, she also told me that it just wasn't the same when she made it here.

I spoke of a camping incident where Carrie and I purchased some chicken fried steak at Costco and ate it while camping thinking it was amazing, only to return home to make it and be thoroughly disappointed. The point? It was the ambiance of consuming it in that place, the magic of the being there that made both experiences so incredibly delectable!! So, while Cheri Pixlay (the wife of the couple we will be visiting with) speaks so wonderfully of the coffee there, I am yet blessed to have another person affirm the same and now am awaiting the experience for myself. Will it be so built up that I experience the ultimate cafe let down? I'll let you know when we are there. Guess you and I will just have to wait another month before this part of my blog gets answered!

How wonderful it is to find abundant confirmation that I am to go on this trip. How wonderful it is that even strangers can stir up my anticipation of what will be a difficult yet glorious trip of a lifetime, meeting some dear people and, as strangers to them ourselves, encourage their hearts! God is kind.

Additional Funding if God Wills

2010-02-16T09:22:00.001-08:00

Thank you to all who have helped me raise all my expenses for the trip. If God is laying on your hearts to continue participate financially, there is one more 'thing' I think He wants me to bring...a small sound system ($700) that would bless the missionary couple there. If God wants me to provide that for them He will send the money. Do as He leads you sending it to New Heights Community Church 10701 N. Magnolia Ave. 92071 earmarked for sound system. Thanks! It is tax deductible.

Introducing Our Team

2010-02-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

"Dobar Dan" (dough-bar don)!

Good day! We are indeed gearing up towards our trip to Croatia and slowly, ever so slowly, I am working on learning the language. Croatian (Hrvatski) has many sounds we do not have in our language and some of the guttural sounds are challenging at best. I wanted to send you all a photo of our team and hope that you will continue to pray for us as we prepare and then head out from Los Angeles March 12^th. As with many such trips, there are many unknowns. As we head out, we are confident that God has unique and challenging tasks for us to undertake, many of which will develop while we are there. How often it is that we make plans for tomorrow and they don’t happen as we thought? What I find amazing is the diversity and skills each member brings to our team!

Brian, our pastor was once a paramedic, is very handy in construction with a plethora of practical skills and a compassionate, servants heart.

His wife Eileen is a Registered Nurse, has a beautiful singing voice, and connects with people in caring and meaningful ways with compassion as well.

Stuart, a high school student has musical talent as well and will be bringing a djembe with us to add percussion to our times of worship. He too has a spirit of graciousness and friends of all ages.

Lauren, another high school student, is the daughter of Julie, creative and enthusiastic about learning the language and being available to the people we will be meeting. She has an endearing and caring heart as well and loves kids.

Julie is our Children’s Pastor and has a heart for teaching kids and anyone about Jesus, leading a club on one of our local public elementary school campuses in Santee. Her sweet joyful spirit in the midst of difficulty will be appreciated by the team.

Lauri is director of our preschool and she too has a love for integrating scripture and life lessons into young, developing hearts with joy and enthusiasm. Flexible and caring, she too has a heart for people.

Jennifer is our church secretary and extremely gifted in administrative, detail oriented tasks, yet she too connects with people in fun and meaningful ways.

Jeanelle also is detail oriented with practical insights of applied life skills and organization of events. She also has a heart for people and a generous spirit.

Bob has musical talents and is a teacher. He co-leads the GriefShare ministry at New Heights and has a heart for people enduring hardships.

In short, our pastor has told us that he is excited that God has raised up a team of leaders with an diverse group of talents too long to mention here. But most importantly, while we go there to work, our real desire is that we listen, hear and do as our Lord leads us; to be servants to those we are off to meet. For it is caring for people, and not doing tasks that compel us to go. Not that the tasks are unimportant, they are important only as they help others do and see the grace of Christ poured into their lives.

As our time unfolds, it is my hope to keep you updated with a blog or via Facebook if you choose to look me up and be a friend.

Thank you all for your prayers and financial support!