What are you Giving for Christmas?

So - I started this post before Christmas, but then everything got in the way - but not really in the way - I just decided that it was more important to spend time with kids and family than the computer. 

But here is what I was thinking before Christmas....



It was official – the last shopping weekend before Christmas – quick, 

get to the mall, or Target, or Walmart (or maybe not).

I can officially say that I had done all my shopping – except for the sewing part, I was done.  

(That means Howard is done too since I’m the official shopper in the family)

But there was only one gift under the tree at that point, from someone else to us.  

Our wrapping was still coming.

But wait…

…What am I giving Jesus?

One of my favorite children’s sermons from years past was when we brought all the kids forward at the Christmas Eve service 
and sat around the manger, right under the Christmas tree.  

I asked them if they were excited…you could feel that they were.  

Excitement was in the air for everyone.

Until I asked them if they were sure they had gotten everyone on their list a gift.

“What did you get Jesus this Christmas?”

I could see the looks of puzzlement and thought on their faces.

Long before God the Son came to earth as a baby, everything was his. 
The glory and joy of heaven were his. 
In heaven he was rich in his relationship with his Father and the Spirit.

“You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, 
so that by his poverty he could make you rich.” 
2 Corinthians 8:9

What do you give the person who has everything?

“What can I give him, give him my heart”

Have you given him your heart today? 

...and so, on the back end of the Christmas celebrations, 

staring the next year in the face, 

I can say that I did give Jesus my heart, 

and my time, and my family, and my hands.  

And

I plan to give Him those in the New Year also!

Blown Away!!

  The last week before December 25th! The busy-ness can be overwhelming but we have it mostly under control.

  Sandy got the yearly traditional cookies done yesterday just in time to take out for Caroling at church last night.

We picked up our grand-daughter Mary Kate and joined a few dozen other people at our church to visit members of the church family who don't get out of their homes often.

It was a blessing to the Carolers and the Carolees - we asked the people we went to visit what their favorite carol was so that we could sing that for them and the answer was always:

"I love them all!"

(although one gentleman at a retirement home really wanted us to sing "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer")

What a great answer, 

we love all of the songs that celebrate our Saviors birth.

- - - - - - - 

As we were reading our Christmas devotional this morning we came across this quote:

"The reason we celebrate Christmas is that 

we are still blown away

by the incredible news that 

God became a baby that night in Bethlehem."

In the midst of cookies, shopping, wrapping, caroling, we read a message like that and we stop and think and the wonder of it all 

BLOWS

US

AWAY!

"When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. 

I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. 

Yes, your joy will overflow!"

John 15:10-11

God, who said, "let there be light in the darkness," 

has made this light shine in our hearts 

so we could know the glory of God 

that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 4:6

STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING

AND TAKE A MOMENT

TO BE 

BLOWN AWAY!

Christmas Carol Challenge

Christmas Carols

 



     Did you know that there were 6 choral events surrounding Jesus' birth in the Bible?

    "A precedent was set for us to Rejoice in Song as we celebrate His birth."

    When I heard this on the radio this morning I was challenged - and so I challenge you! I think I found them all - but I may be wrong. So let me know the 6 that you find...

(I have given you some photo clues for the ones I found)

  1. 



  2.


  3.



  4.



  5.




  6. 

Happy Birthday Jesus

December - Time for Happy Birthday Jesus parties! 

       Amazing Kids Ministry held its annual Christmas party for the kids and their families. 
       Enjoy these photos of the fun that was had and we invite you to share your Happy Birthday Jesus party photos with us! 

December 25th

The Day We Celebrate 

When The Word Became Flesh

and Moved Into the Neighborhood.

Supporting a Missionary - 101

 

  You’ve been approached by a fellow worker in the Kingdom of God who has felt the call to share the good Good News of Jesus’ saving Grace - either locally or overseas – somewhere not in your neighborhood.  

 They have shared with you their mission calling and their excitement for the work they will be doing in their chosen location. Now…..How will they get there? – they need senders:

 Luke 8:1-3: "After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, an Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means."

  Your fellow worker asks if you would like to be not only a prayer partner, but also a financial partner with them in God’s work. 

What do you do now?  What questions should you ask?

How do you actually go about giving them the money they need?

Let us share our experience with you in a condensed version so you will be able to answer those questions.

   God gave us a clear calling to go into missions after doors kept opening.  We were invited to join a team already working in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, after we had visited the work there, and we accepted their invitation to work with First Nations people there.

   We went to a week of intense and very helpful training by Mission to the World at their headquarters in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

 We were given many helpful tools that would make it easier for us to raise the support we need to get to Canada and do our work there.  We found out why MTW requires their missionaries to raise 100% of their funds before leaving for the field: they want us to be able to do the work we are called to, instead of continually working to raise support while we are in Canada.

We then officially began our itineration* phase of mission work – go get supporters. ROAD TRIPS!

Support from churches, family, friends and possibly even businesses who caught the vision along with us and want to partner with us. A process that can take months or years depending on our work and our supporters.

*Itineration – a time of visiting new churches and allowing new churches and friends to join in prayer and financial partnership.

   So we came to you – letting you know that we will be bringing the Good News of Jesus into the lives of the Blackfoot people in Alberta. We are glad you ask us questions. We want to help you understand what our ministry will look like and how we plan to share.

   Some of you jumped right in and said –

YES, how do we send you support? (Thank you so much!) and we explained. 

   Some people we have had to ask them to consider supporting us both financially and prayerfully – and most of you did! (The first time we heard this during our training, we realized that we ourselves had never been asked by friends who were going into missions to support them, we just started doing it – it gave us a boldness to know that many people have just never been asked!)

Now – the nuts and bolts.

   Did you know that you can begin supporting us immediately - or you can wait until we arrive in Lethbridge?  

   Did you know that we also have one time costs that we need to raise before we get there? The money we get from those who begin supporting us immediately is being built up in our one-time costs account.

The different ways to send your financial support:

1. You can send in the prayer/support card tear-off section we should have given you and fill out the appropriate boxes.  MTW will then contact you with the next steps you will take, and they notify us that you have joined our team!!! Go Team Lethbridge!!  

2. You can log on to the Mission to the World website mtw.org and follow the DONATE NOW instructions.  You will create an account with MTW and then choose either the Donate Now, or the Intent to Give sections and follow the instructions.  They notify us that you have joined our team!!! Go Team Lethbridge!!

3. You can send us an email telling us that you want to support us financially and how much you want to send each month/quarter/year, including your contact information; and we will forward your email on to the Partner Financial Services division of MTW.   MTW will then contact you with the next steps you will take, and they notify us that you have joined our team!!! Go Team Lethbridge!!

4. You can randomly send in money to support us directly to MTW with our name and account number on it (#17971) and we will be notified and we will send you an AWESOME THANK YOU CARD!! 

   I hope this not-to-short, not-to-long Supporting a Missionary 101 guide has been helpful. 

BUT – feel free to ask questions if you need more clarification or want more detail!!

And please call us to come and visit you! 

We love road trips where we can share.

   We are still looking for more Partners and would like your help. If you are involved in a Bible study, church, or know anyone who wants to hear about what the Lord is doing in Lethbridge - let us know! We would love to meet with them, especially before the holidays get here!

December Musings - 23 days until...

 

December is here - the end of the year is near! Parties, programs, pastries, presents! 

All this busyness and running around just wears me out.

(I didn't go to a store on Thanksgiving or on Black Friday - it was really freeing.) 

  I found this great saying by one of my favorite bloggers this weekend:

"I don't want a Christmas you can buy.

I don't want a Christmas you can make.

What I want is a Christmas you can hold.

A Christmas that holds me,

Remakes me, revives me.

I want a Christmas that whispers, JESUS."

                          Ann Voskamp

That really sums it up doesn't it.

   I'm not cynical, I think I have come to the point where I see what is really important - thank you Lord for working on my heart.

So I am looking forward to the coming days that will help me see Jesus' name whispered in the events around me - 

   the lights of candles 

   the singing of carols 

   the giving of gifts 

   the excitement of children

   the snuggling in cold weather

   the story of the Shepherds

   the story of the Wisemen

   the story of baby Jesus

   the story of Grace!   

    

(This print was drawn by our good friend Emily Gruver and is available for sale - contact us if you would like to purchase one!)

Thankfulness - with a warm candle!

So, it's been a rough few days - but a good few days also.  

("It was the best of times - it was the worse of times")

 Last Thursday as that huge operating system on our computer decided to do 19 updates - it froze and crashed the hard-drive.  Just as we were preparing to participate in our churches 4 day Mission Conference. 

 Heart sunk, wallet emptied.

 Much thankfulness was felt towards the Mission to the World staff who during our training encouraged us to have stories to share with people - not just photos! 

 Much thankfulness that our daughter's computer was available for us to use. (Proficiency on a different type of system is being acquired!)

 Much thankfulness that there are computer geeks in this world who were able to rescue all of our data from the computer's hard-drive. Thankfulness that we purchased a plan a year ago that would cover this eventuality.

  Our heart was filled during the past weekend as we shared our calling to work in Alberta among the Blackfoot people and the people in the city of Lethbridge with our great church family in Chattanooga.

 

Thank you to all of you who encouraged us, asked questions, and promised to continue to cover us in prayer.

 As I sit here on a cold dreary day anticipating weather in the teens tonight - I am warmed by a great smelling candle I picked up and encouraged by the words I read in this mornings Bible Study.  A book called SHOW THEM JESUS.

  "Jacob's story in the Bible is a life story about God's goodness amid the mess"

   My heart is lifted  - even though I may be discouraged by a fallen world, broken things and broken people - including myself -

 I have a God who has sent a Savior.

We can share that good news in our home's, our cities and around the world!

God is with us as we travel - through life and on the road.

We have returned home to Tennessee after our most recent trip to raise prayer and financial partners.  It was a great time to be in Florida - October is always beautiful.

It is also a great time to be in Chattanooga - the end of fall and looking ahead to winter.

We had good times of fellowship with friends and family while in Florida - who do you recognize

We also had our first bit of car trouble - thankful that only a nail in the tire was the problem.  Even though we had to get a new tire instead of just a patch we were reminded of God's care and provision for us.

This support raising trip was a bit of a challenge for us and as we struggle with the work of asking for partners in our mission and at the same time dealing with living life in a fallen world. I was encouraged and challenged today by a good read that I found on Facebook post by a fellow church choir member.

A pastor from a church in Jacksonville challenged the saying

                   God won’t give you more than you can handle

 Howard and I would like to amend what he wrote. We agree with this pastor when he said the passage was about temptation not troubles.

  “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humankind.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

 But we should amend the popular saying to what is really going on in our minds:

                  God won’t give me anymore than I think I can handle. 

 That changes the dynamics a bit and really makes the statement false. Then I moved on to the verse used by the pastor that really brings it home. Paul was speaking to his fellow Christians:

   For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers and sisters, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 2 Cor 1:8,9

  The hard things that I don't think I can handle (afflictions) are the things that God is using to draw me closer to Himself (relying on God not myself).  He doesn't tempt us but He does grow us - with His goal for my life in mind, not what I have in mind. 

  So we will continue to move forward in our work of raising support, living life, and becoming more like His Son - Jesus. 

 All with the work of sharing the gospel in mind and the promise of eternal restoration with Him! 

  The Spring that will come after the long Winter.

Exciting things happening in Lethbridge!

As Howard and I continue to raise supporters in preparation for heading to Lethbridge we like to let you know what is going on there.  God is moving and working and preparing people's hearts to hear the Good News of Jesus.  Here is just a sampling of what is and has happened recently:

This Sunday, November 2nd, we're having Celebration Sunday!!! Professions of Faith, Baptisms, New Members joining Amazing Grace... It's going to be a great time at Westminster Elementary School Gymnasium!

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Our fellow worker in Lethbridge Rohan Crown received this award at the end of the school year - click on the link to read about how he is investing in the neighborhood.

http://www.amazingkids.ca/rohan-crown-receives-prestigious-friends-of-51-award/

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Most Exciting!  A new building for the Amazing Kids and Amazing Grace ministries to meet at is almost here.   Check out these photos of the building that Howard took while he was visiting last month. A large building right on the edge of the neighborhood were the Amazing Kids and Amazing Grace Community church minster to. Pray for this to become a reality for the ministries - it would be a great place to have to expand the work being done.

 Read this recent message from Rohan regarding the news.

To All,

   There have been many moments where I have sat back and stood in awe of what God is doing. This is another one of those times!!!
   Through the testimony of the work of God through Amazing Grace, Amazing Kids & AY we have had someone step forth and put in an offer on a facility for our use. This is an absolute huge and amazing blessing and gift. This building would allow us to grow and expand the work we are doing with kids and youth through Amazing Kids and AY and also give us a permanent place of worship for Amazing Grace.
    Over the next few months there is lots of work to be done before the deal is finalized. Obviously certain conditions have to be completed and their has to be a zoning change in order for us to use the facility for what we need it for. If by God's grace the conditions are all fine and the building is for our use there will also be costs to renovate and get the building functional. These are areas of prayer for us!!!
    So pray for us here in Lethbridge that we would continue to walk by faith in this process and for he guidance and direction as we move forward. Also give thanks for the graciousness that has been given to us.
    As we move forward I will keep you update to the progress of what God is doing with this!!!!
Thanks for your continual prayers for us and our ministry here in Lethbridge. Some of you have been journeying with us now for over 7 years in prayer. So thanks for persevering on your knees for our family and the work of the Gospel in Lethbridge.
In Christ,  Rohan