Spiritual Life

Leap of Faith

This month we have a guest writer sharing her story. Shelly Miller tells about her biggest leap of faith and challenges us to take a good look at our lives and see if anything is keeping us from making a fresh leap of faith.

Diane

It must have been at least twenty minutes before my husband and I realized we’d been staring silently at strangers pulling carry-on luggage past us in the terminal. Seated against the wall, coats draped over our laps, we were waiting at the gate for an early morning departure from Dallas, trapped in a torrent of thoughts. While children were flitting through rows of seats to look at airplanes out a nearby wall of windows, we were making mental assessments, replaying the past 48 hours.

“What have we just done?” I said to him with a deadlock of focus on a piece of bubble gum stuck to a pillar.

He shook his head like awakening from a trance.

We were in Dallas at the invitation of my husband’s boss. He assumed we were coming to scout neighborhoods and schools for relocation, but we surprised him with some news after lunch.

We’ve sensed God is telling us this season of leadership in the church planting movement that we love is over. God is calling us to England.

Truthfully, that was the extent of our knowledge; we had no idea what that meant. For the first time in twenty-four years of marriage and ministry together, God was asking us to let go and take a leap of faith before knowing details and outcomes.
[Read more…]

Weathering Storms

Right now, storms dominate the news. All kinds of storms: weather, political, and international. As always, relationship storms and personal tragedies abound.

Recently our adopted country, Malaysia, has been rocked by several storms. One was the disappearance of MH370. People are still talking about it, puzzled about what happened to the plane and the people. Then, within months, MH17 was shot down over the Ukraine. There is a lingering sense of uncertainty about air travel here. Some have even tried to say that these two events are portents of spiritual importance.

All over the earth, perhaps even where you live, there are earthquakes, hurricanes, typhoons, droughts and forest fires. Everyone everywhere has been affected in some way by these destructive events.

Perhaps nature isn’t hassling you right now, and you do not live under the threat of terrorist attack. But I am quite sure that many of you are in the turmoil of personal storms: broken relationships, children straying from the faith, or taking up hurtful lifestyles. Perhaps even a loved one’s death.

Storms are not optional. They will come. How do we endure them? How do we survive them?

[Read more…]

Baggage Check

Let’s look back for a moment. Remember when you knew, deep down in your heart, that you were going to go and serve the people in a different culture? You experienced a whole range of feelings: fear, faith, joy, sadness – a little of everything.

Then came all the steps of preparation: training, raising support, learning about the field you were going to. You packed so much into every day, not wanting to miss anything that might be important to know.

Spiritually, you prepared. You read and studied everything you could get your hands on that would prepare you to grow in your personal relationship with God. You knew you should pack in all you would need to witness, to teach, to lead others in their walk.

Finally, you packed your belongings. You looked carefully at every little thing. Should you take it, store it, or give it away? How would it fare in the shipping? Would it stand up to the climate change? Would you need it there?

Now, you’re there. You’re on the field- just settling in, or maybe there for a very long time. And you discover that you brought a few attitudes and ideas that you didn’t need.

[Read more…]

Find Us Faithful

On Sunday evening, a few friends invited about 25 pastors from our area to a dinner in honor of our 30 years of service to our adopted country. What a lovely time we had!

It was an opportunity for friends from our different circles to meet each other and start some friendships. We shared great food and caught up on each others’ lives. We told our story of the miraculous way we came to this country. It was a huge witness to the owner of the restaurant who is getting closer to opening the door of her heart.

A good friend sang a song, the highlight of the evening. Since the room was filled with true pastors, the words echoed in all of our hearts.

[Read more…]

Please, No Running Allowed!

This month my husband and I are traveling back to the States for two months. Nairy Ohanian has sent an encouraging, strengthening word for all of us who are serving overseas.

Blessings!
Diane
____________________________________________________________

Please, No Running Allowed!

Remember watching a baby learning to stand? Hesitantly he grasps any steady object beside him and laboriously pulls his weight up to a vertical position. Wobbly and clumsily, baby slowly lets go of the props and in wonder, attempts to stand all on his own. Those watching this exciting ordeal hold their breath to see just how long the wobbly baby can stand before tumbling down like a tower of blocks. Upon falling to the ground, he gathers his courage and tries again, hoping to remain vertical just a few seconds longer than before. After endless hours of practice, standing becomes second nature and then walking becomes the next life hurdle to master. But standing tall and firm is the key to any further action. As adults, standing is an essential aspect of our spiritual lives as well.

One of the most well known passages concerning standing is in Ephesians 6:10-15 and the armor of God.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

Recently, my pastor preached on the armor of God and shed some fascinating insight into the armor covering the feet. The footwear was no ordinary Roman sandal but a leather half-boot strapped to the ankles. They had exceptionally thick soles, heavily studded with nails. As you can imagine it was nearly impossible to run with such footwear. Even if the soldier attempted to run, he would falter and fall with such thick and rugged soles. But the half- boots were perfect for planting his feet resolutely in the ground, and remaining balanced for fighting or to advance firmly without stumbling. Further, these half-boots were designed to bring him comfort as well as stability. Paul calls these cleated half-boots the readiness given by the Gospel of Peace. Readiness implies firmness, and peace helps us to keep our ground (Rev. Curtis J. Young, Maryland, 7/6/13).
[Read more…]