Why Not Here?

Response to an article in the London Times reads:

"One of the most fascinating articles I've read in a while, impressing me for its honesty. We so easily see what we *want* to see, not what is actually there; a flaw in Christians and non-Christians both! One question: if we are prescribing Christianity as the solution for Africa, why not here?"

Link to article: timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnist/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece

Sarah

For Such a Time as This

The Lord has called. I have answered. The journey is just beginning.

This November, I was appointed to a career assignment that will take me back to South Asia, the land of so many who are finding themselves on a spiritual journey. They are looking for hope in the midst of absolute darkness and the Lord has called me to join him in shining his light in such a dark place. This is the call of a lifetime. What could be better than following wherever He leads?

The Lord is good. I stand in amazement as I look back. He works all things together for good, all things. During my first term (approximately 3 years) in South Asia, I will be working to empower nationals to craft and learn the stories of God's word. These stories will then be used for sharing and discipling. So many of those in South Asia do not read and write. It is through stories that understanding is gained. I have great anticipation of the days that the Lord will draw nationals unto himself, through his stories.

I will not be tackling this task alone. The Lord has provided a partner, Cathy. We have only met on a few occasions, but trust that God has great plans in store for us, as we join our forces with Him in sharing his story in a dark land.

The Lord continues to prove himself faithful. I seem to see and understand a little more of his plan each day. I will spend some time in Virginia after the first of the year, and will say my good-byes the second week of April, heading to South Asia.

...for such a time as this.

~Heather~

In the Midst of Darkness

"When you are depressed, because it feels like everything is going against you, you are almost always unable to see signs of hope... God has ordained that hard times are to come into your life, and your emotions are sinking lower and lower, your vision is becoming very impaired. Naomi could not see signs of hope... that's what happens to you, by the way, which is one reason why you need each other, why being together in ministry is so crucial. You try to go off by yourself and do ministry you're gonna crash... if you don't have somebody coming in your darkness, and just gently, not in a cavalier way, saying 'Praise God anyhow,' but in a deep, strong, earnest, biblical way, take you by the neck and say, 'I know you can't see hope right now, but I can, and I am with you, you will see it soon.' That's what has to happen." --J.Piper, Ruth: Sweet and Bitter Providence

He's Still Working on Me, to Make Me What I Ought to Be...

Sarah:

“A man’s steps are from the Lord; how then can man understand his way?”
– Proverbs 20:24, ESV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I did not plan this route. I did not draw out a map that would get me here. Nowhere in my five-year plan did I allot for graduate school, let alone seminary. By now, I should be moving into phase three of ‘Total-Revolution-and-Eventual-Domination’ of the music business. Alas, that dream is different now. No, I did not plan for the days I have now; however, I would not trade them for all of Music Row.
In the summer of 2006, I moved back in with my parents. I, a college graduate, for a year, was also unemployed for the same year. Getting a job in the music industry is much like joining the Mafia. One either knows someone who has an opening or makes an opening for themselves. So, this self sufficient, stubbornly independent woman went home. Dinner seemed to consist of crow for weeks.
After much prayer, I knew the move back to 1619 Highway 96 North was the direction the Lord was leading me. I did not realize it then, but I needed to learn to call on Him for purpose. My attempt to create my own purpose He could find pleasure in was not exactly the order of business He chose to pursue.
Riding the coat tails of a cousin, I landed an interview at a local middle school. Little did I know, this job would change me. As I walked into the principal’s office, I knew I had the job. Not because I was qualified, not because I convinced them of their need for me on staff, God was giving me this job because He wanted to work in this principal’s life.
The day I met her she was confident and scarred. In an instant, my heart committed my head to a job I did not want. God has always spoken profoundly to me in relationships that He has orchestrated. This time would be no different.
The more I came to know this friend, the clearer a picture of brokenness became. While I helped her hold her piece, my own brokenness took center stage. I learned about freedom in Christ, as I watched her drag her chains up and down the mountain, time and time again. I became convinced of a broken heart and crushed spirit’s need for the Gospel, for relationship with God, for healing found in Christ, every time she rejected my Gospel presentation. After reading the following words in Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;” (Isaiah 61:1, ESV) I knew my life was no longer about selling records. God gave me a burden for joining in purposeful relationship with spiritually bankrupt, brokenhearted individuals held captive by this world.
God has called me to the dynamic process of counseling. He has blessed me with the opportunity to study at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. And, just when I did not expect it, He has remembered my love for the music industry. After seminary, I will be headed to Nashville, TN, to counsel within the entertainment industry. Our God is a great god and the marvelous Author of Life.

Heather:

One Sunday night, I heard a worker share of all that he had seen and done, in Africa. I was mesmerized. I had to go to Africa. I was a teacher, I had the summer off and knew I just had to go to Africa. I found a group who would be visiting Africa the upcoming July and hopped onboard. Needless to say, I had a miserable time. God definitely wasn’t calling me to work overseas.

Several months later, however, God began to speak to me. He showed me that what I didn’t like about Africa, was that he used that time to discipline and mold me. He had great plans in store.

Shortly following, I applied for, and accepted, a 2-year term in South Asia. I actually stayed almost 3. It was the hardest and best thing I have ever gotten to do. Days seemed to drag; living conditions were sometimes incredibly difficult, but I was blessed to get to see God move in ways beyond imagination. He taught me to value others, relationships. I continue to stand in awe of all He has allowed me to see and do. I am humbled that he would choose to use me.

God speaks to me in so many different ways. These ways include His Word, His voice (sometimes it is so clear it seems to be audible), His church, and circumstances. Sometimes when He is drawing me close to Himself to make a big decision, like returning to international work, it is almost as if I physically struggle with the Lord (as Jacob did at Peniel). I often stay awake to converse, or struggle, with Him. I am unable to sleep until He has given His Word to me and I have accepted it.

Even as the Lord was calling me to return to South Asia, I struggled with Him for a number of days and nights. My only reservation happened to be that I felt that committing myself to fulltime overseas work meant that I was committing myself to a life of singleness. I long to have a family of my own. I cherish the time I spend serving families, especially those with children. God has given me assurance that His plan is perfect for me and that it is something greater than anything I could plan for myself, no matter what it does or does not entail. This has certainly always been the case, as I look back over the years; He continues to be so faithful, even when I have been faithless. He kept calling me to a place of commitment to Him. As soon as I surrendered to Him and His plans, it was as if instantly, those worries were lifted. Certainly I hope and wonder about His plans, but I have found an amazing peace and strength in knowing that His plans are perfect and He wants more for me than I can even want for myself.

As soon as I had made this commitment to Him, the Lord insisted that I share it. That evening, I was having dinner with friends and shared my decision with them. One of those girls is my current roommate, an amazing sister in Christ, one by whom I have truly been blessed. Her first reaction was of confirmation. She explained that she had been watching my struggle with the Lord and praying for me and knew He had a big decision with even bigger plans for me. My family and friends are encouraging. Certainly my family is sad that I will most likely be far away. My mother dreams of me having her grandchildren and living just down the street for her to watch grow up. However, she encourages me to follow what the Lord calls me to do; she says that I always have. My family knows that the Lord has given me perseverance to do whatever He sets before me, no matter the cost. Many friends, especially those who are also involved in overseas work understand the cry of my heart and often give an encouraging word and confirm that they only knew it was a matter of time. So many were convinced, even when I left South Asia the first time, that I would be back. I was skeptical, to say the least, so they just have a playful, “I knew it,” or “It was only a matter of time.” The encouragement of my family and friends and the continued confirmation from the Lord has only spurred me on, toward all the amazing plans that He has in store!

What You Bring to the Table

Heather's Home

~We ate at our favorite Tex-Mex spot.
Sometimes it is as though she never left. There is no need for reorienting, reintroducing. It's as though the women we are becoming, these ever changing blocks of clay on the Potter's wheel, know one another, invariably.

~We went to church this morning.
I listened to her sing.

~We drove, from downtown Dallas, all the way home, with the windows down and Jeff Johnson on the radio.
We both enjoy Metro, in Dallas. It was so great to spend an hour in worship and take communion with Heather -- to witness five new believers follow in baptism, to hear her pray in our group. As she drove us home, and the night air filled her Jeep, I thought to myself "it doesn't get better than this."

~We will do some many other, little things.
It is my prayer that this time is a time of significance, in so many ways. It's as though David has come home to have dinner with Jonathan.

~We will say goodbye, for a little while, and hope to do this all over again.
There will be tears.

What makes a home?

I've recently been pondering ideas of what makes somewhere in particular home. We often ask those we meet, "Where are you from?" Is this question asking where we live, where we grew up, or something entirely different? It seems that at least for me, this is a loaded question these days. Where did I grow up? Montgomery, AL. Where have I spent most of my adult life? Mobile, AL. Where do I live today? Charlotte, NC. Where do I wish I lived? Fort Worth, TX. How should I answer a simple, "Where are you from?"

The Lord recently used a friend I greatly respect to remind me that this world is merely a temporary home. It is with him in heaven that those of us who trust Jesus as our Savior will find our eternal home. May we rest in knowing that Jesus has gone before us to prepare a place for us and may this knowledge compel us to share the Good News with others.

Listen, Let Marinate, Apply

Hello Friends,
I hope everyone is well. I wanted to take some time to share with you a podcast I have recently been listening to. I have to admit I listen to a lot of stuff, mostly good, but this is probably the best message I have heard in a long time. I am getting ready to listen to it a third time and thought that this must be something I need to pass on. Dr. Russell Moore is a professor at Southeastern Seminary, in North Carolina. He speaks with great intention.

Fair Warning: This message is about marriage and about the biblical roles God has established for each person, male and female. This is a big sore spot in the Christian community. But, I think after hearing this message your hearts, attitudes, perceptions, thoughts, judgement, opinions, and feeling toward the matter will be changed, soothed, and all together spoken to.

Please listen. I don't often urge messages on friends. I know I am in a category all my own when it comes to consuming podcasts of particular varieties. However, this podcast should not go unshared. I have been convinced in the last week that the area discussed in this message is an pertinent one. I have come to see the avenue Satan can take in this area and believe he is working it within the hearts of God's children. So find some time to grade papers, pay bills, clean out a closet, iron next week's clothes, clean out the garage and put this on while you work.

Here is the link: http://dbcmedia.org/podcasts/1309-062908.mp3

If the above link doesn't work, click here:http://feeds.feedburner.com/dbc_recent_sermons Then choose "06/29/08 - Eph 5:15-33; Manhood, Womanhood And The Mystery Of Christ"

Recent Memories

My best playmate.

My Presley followed the Lord in baptism.

A sweet little boy continued to capture my heart.

God changed my life's direction though a friendship.

First signs of the future Brad Paisley.

Kimberly came to Fort Worth.

Greatest trip to Austin -- ever.

The Greatest Kind of Happpiness

Everyone seeks happiness. Through some means, everyone wants to become, be and continue to be happy. Some seek fame and fortune, some faith or family and some incredibly selfish, sometimes horrific, attempts. Where does that desire come from? What makes us want to be happy? This may seem like an absurd question. After all the pursuit of happiness seems to be at the root of all our desires, it is as common to us as breathing. But why do we want it? What drives us to pursue happiness?

I think what we really want is peace. Peace with ourselves, peace with others and, though some would not admit it, peace with God. That is what we mean by happiness. We want a calm assurance that things are good, more than good, that things are great. So, where do we go for that calm assurance. Again, some will seek selfish means, some ideals and some will try to reach outside themselves.

I have come to know this happiness through my relationship with the Lord. Through a continual strive for obedience to Him and always finding Him faithful. This doesn't mean life has always been easy or full of events that lack all discouragement or hurt. This means that through it all, through everything life has, my God is in control and His love, His strength assure me.

More than that I have learned to find joy in seeing the Lord love on others around me. This week, Heather's friend had her first child. Heather got to be there. She got to help out and serve the ones she loves. And she got to meet this new life, this little girl that God created and purposed in this world. She got to see a dear friend become a mother. This is the greatest kind of happiness - to see someone you love enjoying the blessings of the Father, to see them happy and to be happy for them. My heart is full of thankfulness and happiness for Heather.

~"A happiness that is sought for ourselves alone can never be found: for a happiness that is diminished by being shared is not big enough to make us happy. There is a false and momentary happiness in self-satisfaction, but it always leads to sorrow because it narrows and deadens our spirit. True happiness is found in unselfish love, a love which increases in proportion as it is shared." - Thomas Merton~

That Spot

My move from Fort Worth brought upon Sarah and I the first time we would not be living together since the time that the Lord allowed our paths to merge. Location is the essence of every relationship. However, the Lord is teaching me that physical location is not the only aspect on which we can rely to bind our relationships. The last weeks have been rocky. There have already been those dreaded difficult situations in which I desperately wanted to be able to sit with Sarah, and she with me, just to talk, or cry, or be. I certainly don't think that those times are over, but I do know that the Lord has and will faithfully bring us through them. It is the most difficult times that we look back upon and cherish as growing times. It was so easy to forget to treasure each moment together, before they became so few and far between. The Lord has given me this amazing friendship; one that, I pray, will stand the test of time; one that I will always be willing to struggle for. It is my desperate cry tonight that the Lord be glorified in every aspect of who we are. I praise him for the ones that he has for us to become.

Tired...

Tomorrow is our final day in London. It has been a long week. It often seems as if the Lord decides to discipline me each time He takes me overseas. Or, maybe He takes me overseas each time I reach the point of needing such discipline. Either way, it has been a difficult week, to say the least. He has allowed me to fall, literally. (Yes, I fell down the stairs at the East London Mosque. It seems as though I survived with only a sprained / bruised right ankle and another reminder of who is in control; and it’s not me!)

It has been an absolute joy to have the opportunity to encourage others in their work. I have loved every moment I have gotten to spend with women from my old home. The twinkle in their eyes when I attempt to speak their heart language makes it all worthwhile. However, I desire each day to get to share with those the Lord places on my path. I get so discouraged when it seems that my conversations are always interrupted by something. It is my prayer that they will often remember our short conversations in their heart language and that the difference between me and the others with whom they come in contact with, is Jesus. What a difference He makes. I pray that difference is evident each day, in every circumstance.

One Foot Then the Other....

I sit in the Riley Center working on an endless mound of assignments and reading. Two men walk the building sharing with one another their life's checklists, their call's demands. One says to the other, in his small town southern way, "It will all get done, one step at a time, it will all get done." The other, with an English accent, says "You are such an encouragement."

Indeed, they were.

Should be studying

I love school. I know, I know -- dork. But it's true. I enjoy learning. Seminary has provided so many opportunities for great discussion, lecture and thought. Scripture is amazingly rich. Our Christian stance, our faith, is a vast depth that requires great contemplation, equal trust in our Authority and responsibilty to show the world what wisdom truly is.

This semester I am taking Philosophy of Religion. So far I love this class. While I cannot quite give a synopsis of the content thus far (my brain is pending complete comprehension), I do know that God is teaching me. He is teaching me to love Him with my mind.

We are commanded to love God with our mind. Far to often, we over look the mind and instead focus on loving God with our heart, our soul, our strength. What does it mean to love God with your mind? There is the obvious choice of a pure mind. Putting away lust, malice, gossip, judgement and the like is always a way to present our mind to the Lord in an act of worship. But, what if we dare to love God with more than avoiding sin? What if we dare to love God with something that might cost a little bit more? What if we actually believed Scripture's claims so strongly that we actually found ourselves thinking about them?

I mean, who is God. This God, who created a brilliant universe. Who felt so inclined to glorify Himself by creating a human race - by creating man and breathing life into Him. This God, who is not removed from His workmanship; rather, intimately concerned. You may be thinking "we can never know." This is true, we can never know completely. But we can seek after this God, the One and Only True God, with our minds as passionately as we aspire to seek Him with our hearts.

Adventures, indeed!

The adventures, indeed, have begun. We finally reached our destination and it was time to sleep after a couple of days of going without. Who can have a positive outlook on things without sleep? Not I! I have now had a short night’s sleep and we are off to have our first day in London. I just know God has amazing plans in store!

It is a bit chilly here. It is so great not to sweat by merely walking out of the door! We got to leave that Alabama heat and humidity behind. It is my prayer that we will be found faithful today in each task He lays before us. It also a great desire for us to be an encouragement to those who are here for the long haul.

I’m not sure how my first nights without my daily conversation with Sarah will be. That daily assurance that she was well and managing, has been a comfort to me. Without it, I have to trust that God is caring and providing all that she needs.

It is the start to a brand new day and I am having incredible difficulty arousing the troops. After the hour of pushing and nudging and calling out their names, the women have arisen. We have 15 minutes until breakfast. We’ll never be on time. I’m not sure time is of the essence right now. May God grant me patience. We are down to just over 10 minutes to go! Oh, let the good times roll!

And now, just for an update, 5 minutes to go and no one is dressed. They are not sure what to wear. I just have to laugh. I told them I was going to get a pot and a spoon for tomorrow morning’s wake up call!

Cooler Days

It feels like Fall today. Cooler temperatures remind me of my time in Nashville. Nashville has a great Fall season.

I think Fall is my favorite season. It is such a time for reflection. The leaves are turning, days are getting shorter, holidays are approaching. All these elements of a Fall day welcome gratitude.

It's only September, and I hear that tomorrow will be another Texas summer day. So, for now, for today, I will think of a time to come and hope to relish the time that is.

Adventures

The Lord takes us on adventures. For me, these adventures have included quite an array of things. It is His hand that brought Sarah and I together. I stand in awe of how perfect God's plan proves to be, over and over again. There is no one I would rather embark on the adventures that lay ahead with. May the words you find here be an encouragement to your spirit.

A new adventure begins today! I leave in a matter of minutes to begin a journey that is to take me to East London to serve amongst the South Asian population there. I will be accompanied by four Senior Adults. This is bound to be a trip to remember! As the baby of the group, I also serve as the team leader. We'll have to wait to see how that turns out! The Lord has used the past weeks of transition to bring me to a place of total surrender to Him. (I'm not sure I am there quite yet.) All He requires, or even wants, is our humble obedience. Why is that so hard? I pray that as I embark on this journey that He will guide each step I take, and each word I speak. I am anticipating an amazing week of walking in His presence and getting to share that with others who have yet to experience his grace.

Welcome!

Thanks for stopping by. The Lord has done so much for us, and through us, in this friendship. Heather and I truly feel as though He as knit us together in a way only a wonderful Father can.  We have learned so much this past year(we should have started blogging earlier) and know He will continue to teach and mold us. We hope you find encouragement here. We hope you can join in praise with us, praise for a Father who delights in relationship.