Regular people

Quite likely it won’t be until we all get to heaven that we can be together with ALL our family and friends.  We have spent time with MANY friends and family members over the past weeks while we have been back in the US and it has been a gift from God! 

The conversations over a meal or just a happenstance meeting have blessed us, refreshed us, and often challenged us to think deep into God’s desire and plan for our time and energy.  As we listen to questions and comments and thoughts shared, it is necessary to evaluate our responses and think beyond into the weeks and months ahead concerning the work God has laid out for us with Many Hand for Haiti.  Through these conversations we are challenged to think about strategies and action steps that are fully aligned with the Word of God. 

What a treat it has been to just be ‘regular’ people the past weeks…regular people finding joy in regular things such as writing down quotable words from Oliver, our grandson, 6 years old and in Kindergarten.  One afternoon Oliver was climbing on TOP of the monkey bars while playing at the park.  Grand Dad cautioned that he should only hang from the bars…”You might fall.”  Oliver challenged the remark, “Jesus would never let that happen to me.”  Is that the child-like faith God’s word says we can have?

                                                      A highlight is a family trip to Holland, MI 

                              to celebrate son Jonathan’s graduation from Western Theological Seminary.  

                                  We had the most amazing gift of staying in a house on Lake Michigan 

                                                           all together with extended family.  

                                                         Michael, Oliver, Ivy, Jennifer, Jonathan

     Again, finding the joy in regular things such as Oliver loosing a tooth 

DURING the graduation ceremony.       

Later the audience prayed the Lord’s Prayer with the graduates.  

After the AMEN, toothless Oliver said, “That’s different than what I say.”  

After a pause, “Why does it say ‘time travel’? 

  The printed prayer read ‘Save us from the time of trial'

                                                                    Jonathan with his wife Anna

                                                                            Toothless Oliver

                                                      Michael and Oliver after graduation

                       On our last evening at the house we watched the sun set over Lake Michigan. 

                                            “Good bye sun….until next time.” Oliver said quietly. 

    Another regular joy was being in Jonathan and Anna’s apartment 

where our 7 month old granddaughter sat up “all by herself” for the first time…

and the joy of another quotable remark from Ivy’s big brother,

      “She’s only being held up by the angels of Jesus.”

                                                 Tulip Time in Holland, MI was just a bit cold this year

As we pack to travel back to Haiti on Monday, May 18^th, we have much on our minds.  Excitement and prayers for our son Michael as he will be traveling soon with 2 friends to visit one of the guys parents in Dubai and traveling again on a college ‘study abroad’ semester September-December 2015.

Excitement and prayers for Jonathan and Anna as Jonathan will be seeking a career position in music ministry.

Excitement and prayers of Thanksgiving for our son-in-law John who has completed his Masters degree and for Jennifer and John as they follow Proverbs 22:6 and work to train their children to be Christ followers. 

  Jennifer and Ivy

Excitement and prayers for our return to Haiti and all the work that is ahead.  Plans for new buildings on new land for new programs to make a new difference in the lives of new people we will meet.  New people, including short term mission team members who will be visiting Haiti and serving God throughout May, June, July and August.  Excitement and prayers for MH4H staff, Haitian and American.

Relying on our own strength and knowledge would be sure disaster.  We know God is able to do great things if we move beyond our desires and focus on what God desires.   

Quoting “Possible” by Stephan Bauman…’The way that works involves both hard work and sustained surrender to God so that his strength, his power, works in and through us.  This principle acknowledges one of the great mysteries, and privileges, of our life with God: we are invited to be the hands and feet of Christ for others, be disciples proclaiming good news to the poor, offering the resurrection power of God to bring his healing, his solutions, his salvation to a broken world. A disciple is “anyone whose ultimate goal is to live as Jesus would live if he were in their place.”  The great mystery of following Jesus is that he lives his life through us. Don’t be tempted to work from your own strength as if everything depends on you.  That always leads to exhaustion, tension, and frustration.’ 

Paul said, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”  God didn’t say it would be easy, but he promised help along the way. 

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; 

I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 

and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; 

the flames will not set you ablaze.”  Isaiah 43:1-2

And from Luke 4:18-19… “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 

because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, 

to let the oppressed go free, 

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

So… Go and BE disciples.