Please pray for our brothers and sisters who attend one of the Gospel for Asia Bible Colleges in Manipur, India. They ask that we pray that their buildings and dormitories would dry quickly; and that they would not get sick from contaminated water.
Please consider giving to help them during this time. 100% goes to the field.
Click Here to Read More!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Technology is Wonderful!
We have figured out how to allow people to sign up on the blog for automatic e-mail updates!
If you are receiving this post in an e-mail, there is no need to sign up, you are already on the list.
If you are receiving this post in an e-mail, there is no need to sign up, you are already on the list.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Charlotte here we come!
The Lord has been gracious to have Bill accepted into Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Charlotte, NC!
It seems the Lord is putting everything into place for our move (his love and faithfulness to us are beyond my comprehension). And while we are saddened by having to leave our family in the Twin Cities, we are excited to see what he has in store for us and for them, knowing that it's all for our good and his glory. That is, it is all working together to conform his children into the image of Christ.
Four Prayer Requests:
1.) That we would continue to seek him and not rely on ourselves;
2.) That he would provide for us a place to live;
3.) That he would provide for tuition;
4.) That we wouldn't waste time in Charlotte, but start our ministry to the persecuted church as soon as possible.
It seems the Lord is putting everything into place for our move (his love and faithfulness to us are beyond my comprehension). And while we are saddened by having to leave our family in the Twin Cities, we are excited to see what he has in store for us and for them, knowing that it's all for our good and his glory. That is, it is all working together to conform his children into the image of Christ.
Four Prayer Requests:
1.) That we would continue to seek him and not rely on ourselves;
2.) That he would provide for us a place to live;
3.) That he would provide for tuition;
4.) That we wouldn't waste time in Charlotte, but start our ministry to the persecuted church as soon as possible.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Focus!
Pride and self-obsession. These seem to be a recurring theme in our hearts. Lately we're reminded how merciful and faithful our God is, to show us ourselves, then grant us the grace of repentance and faith.
We don't want to make this blog all about us - it is for prayer requests and personal updates, but more than that, we want it to be about God's power in the lives of his people - something we see manifested so clearly in the lives of people like brothers Pranab and Deenadayalan who have obeyed the call to preach the gospel in their homeland, and whom we have the privilege of partnering with.
See how you can come alongside of these men and others like them here.
We don't want to make this blog all about us - it is for prayer requests and personal updates, but more than that, we want it to be about God's power in the lives of his people - something we see manifested so clearly in the lives of people like brothers Pranab and Deenadayalan who have obeyed the call to preach the gospel in their homeland, and whom we have the privilege of partnering with.
See how you can come alongside of these men and others like them here.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Free Brother Gao!
"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body." Hebrews 13:3
The following is the story of a dear brother whom Megan and I have had the opportunity to pray for over the past 12 months. He is not the only believer imprisoned for being a disciple of Jesus, but he has been imprisoned in China for over a year and has been missing for months. It is feared that his life is in serious jeopardy. Please come along side Gao in prayer and by signing the petition to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC to let Gao rejoin his family in the United States.
http://www.freegao.com/index.html?refnum=
The following is the story of a dear brother whom Megan and I have had the opportunity to pray for over the past 12 months. He is not the only believer imprisoned for being a disciple of Jesus, but he has been imprisoned in China for over a year and has been missing for months. It is feared that his life is in serious jeopardy. Please come along side Gao in prayer and by signing the petition to the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC to let Gao rejoin his family in the United States.
http://www.freegao.com/index.html?refnum=
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
What Can That Buy, Really?
For a long time, my biggest excuse to hold onto things and not sell them was the knowledge that in this country, where items are mass produced, most people prefer to buy new, cheap things, rather than used cheap things. So, selling our stuff wouldn't really bring in enough profit to make it worthwhile - there just wouldn't be enough of a return to help anyone.
The ministry of Gospel For Asia, and especially K.P. Yohanan's book Revolution in World Missions has virtually eliminated that excuse in my mind.
If you go to the GFA donation page, you'll find that the price of goods and services is extraordinarily less in India and other Asian countries than one might think. A great example is the cost of gospel tracts. I found on the American Tract Society's web page, that I can buy one pack of 50 gospel tracts for around $8.00. On the GFA site, I can supply 200 gospel tracts to a native missionary in India for $1.00. Regardless of your views on the use of gospel tracts, this knowledge is, at least for me, transformative. Bibles can be purchesed for $3. Native missionaries and their families can be fully supported for between $120 and $210 per month.
This information really changes the way I view that cup of Caribou coffee that I love to indulge in.
The ministry of Gospel For Asia, and especially K.P. Yohanan's book Revolution in World Missions has virtually eliminated that excuse in my mind.
If you go to the GFA donation page, you'll find that the price of goods and services is extraordinarily less in India and other Asian countries than one might think. A great example is the cost of gospel tracts. I found on the American Tract Society's web page, that I can buy one pack of 50 gospel tracts for around $8.00. On the GFA site, I can supply 200 gospel tracts to a native missionary in India for $1.00. Regardless of your views on the use of gospel tracts, this knowledge is, at least for me, transformative. Bibles can be purchesed for $3. Native missionaries and their families can be fully supported for between $120 and $210 per month.
This information really changes the way I view that cup of Caribou coffee that I love to indulge in.
A Thought to Think About...
This blog posting from 'Knowledge is becoming your own person' (not quite sure I understand the title yet) is exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Maybe you do too. Click Here!
Monday, June 14, 2010
Hard Night, Great Day
Posted by Megan
God has really sustained us this weekend.
I'll just give you a brief rundown of what it felt/looked like for me, so you'll know how to pray.
Friday night, I went to bed feeling pretty discouraged, anxious, fearful.
Saturday, we spent the morning praying and again reading through the Scriptures that are closest to our heart and I was spurred on. Then, God blessed our sale so much, we were too busy all morning to really think about what we were doing. It was exciting though, when we got a minute, to think about how clearly God was blessing our meager efforts.
By the end of the weekend, I was exhausted and feeling pretty distant from Christ.
But, this morning the Lord blessed me from his word. He brought to mind Luke 16:19-31, the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
I posted my thoughts on a different page, if anyone is interested in reading specifically how the Lord encouraged me heart through this passage.
After all is said and done, we still have a few pieces of furniture that we'll put on Craig's list, and I think those will sell quickly.
God has really sustained us this weekend.
I'll just give you a brief rundown of what it felt/looked like for me, so you'll know how to pray.
Friday night, I went to bed feeling pretty discouraged, anxious, fearful.
Saturday, we spent the morning praying and again reading through the Scriptures that are closest to our heart and I was spurred on. Then, God blessed our sale so much, we were too busy all morning to really think about what we were doing. It was exciting though, when we got a minute, to think about how clearly God was blessing our meager efforts.
By the end of the weekend, I was exhausted and feeling pretty distant from Christ.
But, this morning the Lord blessed me from his word. He brought to mind Luke 16:19-31, the story of the rich man and Lazarus.
I posted my thoughts on a different page, if anyone is interested in reading specifically how the Lord encouraged me heart through this passage.
After all is said and done, we still have a few pieces of furniture that we'll put on Craig's list, and I think those will sell quickly.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Answered Prayer: Money for our Brothers and Sisters!
God is faithful. (What an understatement.)
After our first day of selling, he has been gracious enough to answer our prayers that people would come. And not only did people come, but before 9am we were up $200!
By the end of the day, the total was around $400. This will provide so much for our family overseas who live on an average of $2/day!
We have one day left. And although most of the good stuff is gone, we still have things to sell and are confident that they will.
Father, thank you for hearing our prayers despite our doubt. May you use this money to provide for your children.
After our first day of selling, he has been gracious enough to answer our prayers that people would come. And not only did people come, but before 9am we were up $200!
By the end of the day, the total was around $400. This will provide so much for our family overseas who live on an average of $2/day!
We have one day left. And although most of the good stuff is gone, we still have things to sell and are confident that they will.
Father, thank you for hearing our prayers despite our doubt. May you use this money to provide for your children.
Friday, June 11, 2010
We've seen a lot of peaks and valleys this week as we actually go through our belongings and put prices on them. Some of our things have a lot of sentimental value for me. Others, I just have a hard time imagining life without. In the midst of it, the Lord has been pressing on my heart the truth of his word, reminding me that he is a good Father who knows how to give good gifts to his children. Some moments, I'll look at something and think, I'm going to need that every day, why are we selling it? Then, I'm reminded that I only THINK I need it, and that if I truly do, the Lord will provide it for me. I'm really seeing the truth about how little I believe his word, then soon after, he gives me grace to believe it more.
It also helps to think about the reality of those in God's kingdom who have never had a bed, but have always slept on a mat on the floor. At least we'll be keeping our pillows and blankets.
And I think about families who have always eaten while sitting on the floor, and their children simply learn to stay put until dinner is done. None of what we'll be experiencing is new, or terrible, just new to us. It will be an adjustment, but God will give us grace.
One thing I hope my heart will be purged of is the subtle notion that happiness, tradition, family memories, all require lots of possessions and money.
Lord, help me to press hard into you during this time, knowing that you bore my sins on the cross, so that I might die to sin and live to righteousness - You are all the happiness I need, the only true and lasting happiness there is!
Please pray for us that we truly would have discernment about what we should keep - our pile of things to hold onto is getting bigger, and we'll be going through it repeatedly, removing things that our hearts are clinging to unnecessarily.
And please continue to pray earnestly that the Lord would send people to our sale this weekend, and that everything would go!
It also helps to think about the reality of those in God's kingdom who have never had a bed, but have always slept on a mat on the floor. At least we'll be keeping our pillows and blankets.
And I think about families who have always eaten while sitting on the floor, and their children simply learn to stay put until dinner is done. None of what we'll be experiencing is new, or terrible, just new to us. It will be an adjustment, but God will give us grace.
One thing I hope my heart will be purged of is the subtle notion that happiness, tradition, family memories, all require lots of possessions and money.
Lord, help me to press hard into you during this time, knowing that you bore my sins on the cross, so that I might die to sin and live to righteousness - You are all the happiness I need, the only true and lasting happiness there is!
Please pray for us that we truly would have discernment about what we should keep - our pile of things to hold onto is getting bigger, and we'll be going through it repeatedly, removing things that our hearts are clinging to unnecessarily.
And please continue to pray earnestly that the Lord would send people to our sale this weekend, and that everything would go!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Provisions already
God has graciously begun to provide for us in unexpected ways! What a kind and generous Father we have, who leads his people to be so generous toward one another. We shared our plans with our Shepherd Group, and Bill casually mentioned that he was planning to sell our computer and use the money to buy a laptop, since our desktop would be really hard to fit into our van, and we don't intend to rent a trailer or truck to move whatever remains of our belongings. At the same time, we know that a computer is indispensible to us for a number of reasons.
At the end of the evening, one of our brothers approached Bill and offered to give him a laptop.
We are rejoicing that now we can use the money from the computer to give to our brothers and sisters overseas!
What's more, earlier that same day, I had noticed that the crayons in the house were so broken that they were no longer useful. After Shepherd Group, without my asking, one of the other moms in the group handed me two boxes of crayons! It really felt like God was graciously building our faith and showing us how deeply he cares for us, and will provide for us, even down to the smallest details of our lives! What a loving God we serve.
At the same time we are somewhat sorrowed knowing that, while God is giving us crayons and a laptop worth hundreds of dollars, members of the Body of Christ are starving and suffering things that we couldn't even begin to imagine. May we not take for granted God's kindness and turn it into a curse.
Father, strengthen us that we would not feel guilty because of what you give us, and may we use what is given to us for the sake of our brothers and sisters, not ourselves. Give us discernment to obey and joy in our obedience.
At the end of the evening, one of our brothers approached Bill and offered to give him a laptop.
We are rejoicing that now we can use the money from the computer to give to our brothers and sisters overseas!
What's more, earlier that same day, I had noticed that the crayons in the house were so broken that they were no longer useful. After Shepherd Group, without my asking, one of the other moms in the group handed me two boxes of crayons! It really felt like God was graciously building our faith and showing us how deeply he cares for us, and will provide for us, even down to the smallest details of our lives! What a loving God we serve.
At the same time we are somewhat sorrowed knowing that, while God is giving us crayons and a laptop worth hundreds of dollars, members of the Body of Christ are starving and suffering things that we couldn't even begin to imagine. May we not take for granted God's kindness and turn it into a curse.
Father, strengthen us that we would not feel guilty because of what you give us, and may we use what is given to us for the sake of our brothers and sisters, not ourselves. Give us discernment to obey and joy in our obedience.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Here We Have No Lasting City
We find ourselves, once again, on the precipice of a great adventure in following Jesus. As detailed in a previous post, God in His kindness and love for us, compels us to sell our possessions (except what will fit in our van) and give to the poor brothers overseas, and then come and follow him. We do this with so much joy and anticipation, and a little hesitation.
At the same time, we are considering another move across the country, this time back east to Charlotte, NC - where Bill can earn a seminary degree for much less than the cost of a degree from Bethel Seminary here in MN, and in less time than it would take at Bethel.
We have no job there, and no place to live, but there is certainly precedent in Scripture for trusting God with these kinds of provisions.
We don't claim to know the mind of the Lord in this matter. We only know that he will never leave us or forsake us, and that if we seek Him first, He promises to provide for our needs.
So, as we've prayed, we've already begun to prepare. We've informed Bethel that we will not be attending this fall, and we've applied to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
And, after months of prayer and waiting on the Lord, Bill has finally felt freed by God to give his notice at work. His last day will be July 23rd. We are excited about this decision because we feel it is necessary for Bill to have more time to prepare for seminary, minister through Voice of the Martyrs and GFA, and spend more time ministering in whichever local church we join.
Our lease is up at the end of this month, and one of the first confirmations to us that God is with us and will provide for us is that some friends have freely offered to let us stay with them while we're waiting to hear from the seminary. So we'll be moving in with them for the month of July. We're praying that we will be as much of a blessing to their family as they've already been to us.
At the same time, we are considering another move across the country, this time back east to Charlotte, NC - where Bill can earn a seminary degree for much less than the cost of a degree from Bethel Seminary here in MN, and in less time than it would take at Bethel.
We have no job there, and no place to live, but there is certainly precedent in Scripture for trusting God with these kinds of provisions.
We don't claim to know the mind of the Lord in this matter. We only know that he will never leave us or forsake us, and that if we seek Him first, He promises to provide for our needs.
So, as we've prayed, we've already begun to prepare. We've informed Bethel that we will not be attending this fall, and we've applied to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
And, after months of prayer and waiting on the Lord, Bill has finally felt freed by God to give his notice at work. His last day will be July 23rd. We are excited about this decision because we feel it is necessary for Bill to have more time to prepare for seminary, minister through Voice of the Martyrs and GFA, and spend more time ministering in whichever local church we join.
Our lease is up at the end of this month, and one of the first confirmations to us that God is with us and will provide for us is that some friends have freely offered to let us stay with them while we're waiting to hear from the seminary. So we'll be moving in with them for the month of July. We're praying that we will be as much of a blessing to their family as they've already been to us.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Less of the World, More of Christ
How sincerely do we really believe the Word of God?
This is the question that has spurred us on in the direction of seeking to trust His promises, and striving to live radically for the sake of the gospel, and the good of our poor brothers.
For years now, the Word of God has been pressing us to sell all our possessions and give to the poor, in order that we may have treasure in heaven. To say that we've resisted this "extreme measure," would be an understatement. We have strained against it and made up for ourselves all types of rationalizations for why this would be impractical. And so we've carried on feeling mostly content in, and even smug about living out our simplified version of the American dream.
But, the words of Christ and the writer's of the New Testament have pressed into us, and it seems we cannot ignore the Spirit in us, who delights in the Word of God, and instructs us from it. We also cannot ignore the examples of other believers, such as those in Philippi, whose "abundance of joy and extreme poverty" overflowed in a wealth of generosity toward taking part in the relief of the saints; and our dear brother George Mueller who devoted his life to demonstrating to the church how faithful and true is the God who loves us, and how great is His power toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ultimately, we've decided that we want more power. We want to have victory over sin, and we want a deeper, more abiding intimacy with Christ our Lord. We have prayed for it, sometimes with tears. And in faithfulness He has shown us his path toward gaining these things. Specifically, we believe He is calling us to loosen our grasp on the world - if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him - to the point of literally selling all our possessions, which we have held so dear and in which, as we are finding out, we have trusted for our joy and satisfaction.
Our deepest desire and longing is to take the money from this sale and give to the poor brothers and sisters, especially those who are persecuted for the sake of Christ. Unless God clearly leads us otherwise, this is what we will do with the money we earn.
However, there is one potential hindrance to our plan - our debt. We owe several thousand dollars in college loans, and about $11,000 on our mini van. We are praying that God would somehow pay off these debts, thus freeing us to give more radically with a clear conscience.
Here are our prayer requests as we plan and prepare:
-That God would bring buyers to our "moving" sale, and all our possessions would sell quickly and at reasonable prices.
-We and our kids would find that God in Christ, is the supreme treasure of the universe, and be satisfied that we have already gained him.
-That we would be guarded against spiritual attack as we seek to live out the gospel in practical ways.
-That others would be encouraged, and even join us in laying down our American lifestyle for the sake of our brothers.
-That our debt would be paid in full.
This is the question that has spurred us on in the direction of seeking to trust His promises, and striving to live radically for the sake of the gospel, and the good of our poor brothers.
For years now, the Word of God has been pressing us to sell all our possessions and give to the poor, in order that we may have treasure in heaven. To say that we've resisted this "extreme measure," would be an understatement. We have strained against it and made up for ourselves all types of rationalizations for why this would be impractical. And so we've carried on feeling mostly content in, and even smug about living out our simplified version of the American dream.
But, the words of Christ and the writer's of the New Testament have pressed into us, and it seems we cannot ignore the Spirit in us, who delights in the Word of God, and instructs us from it. We also cannot ignore the examples of other believers, such as those in Philippi, whose "abundance of joy and extreme poverty" overflowed in a wealth of generosity toward taking part in the relief of the saints; and our dear brother George Mueller who devoted his life to demonstrating to the church how faithful and true is the God who loves us, and how great is His power toward us in Christ Jesus.
Ultimately, we've decided that we want more power. We want to have victory over sin, and we want a deeper, more abiding intimacy with Christ our Lord. We have prayed for it, sometimes with tears. And in faithfulness He has shown us his path toward gaining these things. Specifically, we believe He is calling us to loosen our grasp on the world - if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him - to the point of literally selling all our possessions, which we have held so dear and in which, as we are finding out, we have trusted for our joy and satisfaction.
Our deepest desire and longing is to take the money from this sale and give to the poor brothers and sisters, especially those who are persecuted for the sake of Christ. Unless God clearly leads us otherwise, this is what we will do with the money we earn.
However, there is one potential hindrance to our plan - our debt. We owe several thousand dollars in college loans, and about $11,000 on our mini van. We are praying that God would somehow pay off these debts, thus freeing us to give more radically with a clear conscience.
Here are our prayer requests as we plan and prepare:
-That God would bring buyers to our "moving" sale, and all our possessions would sell quickly and at reasonable prices.
-We and our kids would find that God in Christ, is the supreme treasure of the universe, and be satisfied that we have already gained him.
-That we would be guarded against spiritual attack as we seek to live out the gospel in practical ways.
-That others would be encouraged, and even join us in laying down our American lifestyle for the sake of our brothers.
-That our debt would be paid in full.
What 1 John Tells Us
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
(1 John 3:16-18)
This, along with many other scriptures, has been transforming our thinking about ourselves, our brothers, and our own possessions. We live in a time when the needs of our brothers across the globe are right before our very eyes.
There are native missionaries who travel throughout the unreached villages of India, crossing cultures in their own country and facing intense persecution, in order to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Men and women in Muslim countries, lose their jobs, their possessions, and very often their lives for the sake of Christ. In North Korea, God's children are the last to receive food rations, and are subject to the most extreme persecution perpetrated in the world today.
Thanks to ministries such as Gospel For Asia, Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors, and HeartCry Missionary Society, we have access to stories of great triumph in hostile places where the name of Christ is held in scorn. And we have access to the stories of faithful believers who do not earn a steady income, because it is more profitable to them to make known the name of Christ. So, after a day of laboring in the harvest fields, they put their hungry children to bed, urging them to drink more water as a way of relieving the pain of too little food.
We have come to believe the Word of God, and if we ignore these, the needs of our brothers, how can the love of God be in us?
(1 John 3:16-18)
This, along with many other scriptures, has been transforming our thinking about ourselves, our brothers, and our own possessions. We live in a time when the needs of our brothers across the globe are right before our very eyes.
There are native missionaries who travel throughout the unreached villages of India, crossing cultures in their own country and facing intense persecution, in order to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Men and women in Muslim countries, lose their jobs, their possessions, and very often their lives for the sake of Christ. In North Korea, God's children are the last to receive food rations, and are subject to the most extreme persecution perpetrated in the world today.
Thanks to ministries such as Gospel For Asia, Voice of the Martyrs, Open Doors, and HeartCry Missionary Society, we have access to stories of great triumph in hostile places where the name of Christ is held in scorn. And we have access to the stories of faithful believers who do not earn a steady income, because it is more profitable to them to make known the name of Christ. So, after a day of laboring in the harvest fields, they put their hungry children to bed, urging them to drink more water as a way of relieving the pain of too little food.
We have come to believe the Word of God, and if we ignore these, the needs of our brothers, how can the love of God be in us?
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