A Great Christmas

We had a great Christmas this year; lots of food, family, and fun. Most important of all, lots of love and lots of Jesus – I think I had the most spiritual Christmas I've had in years. Thank you Lord.

Here are a few of our photos…

http://picasaweb.google.com/doctorstevej/Christmas2010#

The Lonely Pine

In the small stand of trees
on the north side of my house
stands a lonely pine.

I just noticed it today.
I wouldn’t have noticed it
at all if the leaves had still been
on the hardwoods that surround it
and if the sun had not been shining
on it just the right way.

But there it was, shivering with all
the other trees in the frigid morning air.

The lonely pine is a symbol. It stands for
all those who, though standing in the
midst of a crowd feel overlooked or invisible.

We’ve all felt that way before: When you
want to be seen, known and loved.
Whether you're surrounded
by others, or all by yourself, these times
can lead to sadness and despair.

Even the name the tree bears, the “lonely pine”
is symbolic. The tree is lonely because
even though it is surrounded on all sides
it feels alone and forsaken. Pine
because that’s mostly what it does;
it pines to be understood – to understand
– to love and to be loved – to find its place
in a forest of other pines.

It pines for what is not
instead of what is.

I have felt like the lonely pine before. Have you?
I felt that way in Africa; a tiny speck of
white in a sea of black faces. Truth is, I feel
that way right now; lost, adrift, searching
and alone.

In Psalm 102:7 David compared himself
to a lonely sparrow. One that had lost its
mate or its young, or for some other reason
has become miserable, and now the poor bird
sits and pines away on a rooftop.

Lord why can’t the lonely pine simply be?
And why, Lord, is the lonely pine like me? 

Ode to a Number

Donna and I moved to Cumming on the fourth of July weekend, 1981. We bought a foreclosed house and an old high school buddy of mine, Mike Elder, helped us move north using a U-Haul truck.  One of the first things we did when we moved was arrange for telephone service from what was then known as Southern Bell. The phone number we were assigned was 887-0510.

That phone number served our family well, through seven different moves in Forsyth County, the birth of two children, and multiple career changes. Our daughters used that number for all the calling teenage girls will do; at least until they used the number so much we had to get them their own phone lines for a while. I got the call that I had been appointed to plant what would become Creekside UMC on that phone line. I made the calls that led to the start of NewSong on that phone line. I got numerous calls in the middle of the night to “come right away” to hospitals or funeral homes on that line as well.  

Many of the vendors we use as a family identify us by that phone number. I have out-of-state relatives that have that number memorized we’ve had it so long. Honestly, 887-0510 has been a pretty big part of our lives for a long, long time now.

But the number also represented about $60 a month that we don’t need to spend any more, what with cell phones, texting, email, Facebook, Twitter, etc…. And so yesterday I called the company now known as AT&T and I cancelled our service. The man I spoke to there said, “When would you like to discontinue your service?” I replied, “Any time is fine.” He gave me the “disconnect service” confirmation number and we hung up.

Less than five minutes later I picked up the phone…just to see, and there was absolute silence. The line was completely dead. Something, I’m not sure exactly what, but something made me very sad about the silence on the line. It was as if one more chapter of our lives – chapters which now seem to fly by at the speed of light – had ended. I'm pretty sure it wouldn’t have helped if Ma Bell had left the line on a few more hours, but there was something about the suddenness and the finality of the passing of 887-0510 into oblivion that made me feel gloomy and old.

So here’s to you 887-0510. You weren’t as famous or irrational as pi (3.14159), you weren’t as sinister as 666, or as lonely as the number 1 (one is the loneliest number); but you served us well. Rest in peace old friend, and may your next owner/user enjoy you as much as we did.

Levels of Good

Something has been rumbling around in my head lately; namely how there are so many levels of good. What I mean by that is with almost anything you can imagine: musicians, tennis players, writers, speakers, basically anything you “do” there are seemingly endless levels of ability or competency.

Take tennis for example. You can have a guy who is decent who can beat all his neighbors, but if he goes down to the local tennis center he’s a putz compared to the guys down there. Then take the best they have to offer, say the local “pro” who can beat anyone at the club, and send him to a tournament somewhere and he loses out in the first round. Take the winner of that tournament and send him to another tournament and he may not even qualify. See what I mean? Endless levels of “good.”

Or how about football? One team seems amazing; they make it to the finals of the playoffs beating great teams all along the way and they get whipped 35-0. They are supposed to be good. They are good, but there are endless levels of good.

The same thing holds for musicians. One guy knows all the chords and seems to be pretty good; then he meets another guy who plays a million times better, and that guy is put to shame by another guy who is in a “real band.”

What’s the answer to this? Is it that we shouldn’t worry about who is best? Should we just enjoy our level of competency (or our team’s level), whatever that is, and not worry about everybody else?  Or should we constantly strive to be better, always hoping we’ll someday be the best of the best? Or are categories like “better” and “best” not helpful to us, or even real?

The Bible answers a lot of these questions. It encourages us to always do our best, to do everything as “unto the Lord.” The Bible also teaches against envy and covetousness and against comparing ourselves against others.

Actually I wasn’t even looking for an answer. I was just making an observation. It certainly isn’t the greatest observation in the world (there’s always a better observation looming out there), but a plausible one nonetheless. Peace…Out.

Peaks and Valleys

I just finished reading “Peaks and Valleys: Making Good and Bad Times Work For You — At Work and In Life” by Dr. Spencer Johnson. Johnson also wrote the enormously popular “Who moved my Cheese?” a few years ago, a staple in leadership circles, so when I stumbled across “Peaks and Valleys” in the library I decided to give it a shot and ended up reading it in one sitting (it’s a short book).

The book is the story of a man who lives in a “valley” who one day faces his fears and climbs a “peak” and there meets the most peaceful and successful man in the whole world. In a series of conversations, the man on the mountain shares his “Peaks and Valleys” philosophy and the young man is never the same. There is a lot to like about this book. Although it has a kind of Stoic-Zen kind of vibe, it is also full of encouragement in these difficult days. For instance, the book teaches three important things: a) how to get out of a valley sooner, b) how to stay on a peak longer, and c) how to have more peaks and fewer valleys in the future. That’s something we could all be helped by knowing.

There are some great quotes in the book too. Things like, “Peaks and valleys are connected. The errors you make in today’s good times create tomorrow’s bad times. And the wise things you do in today’s bad times create tomorrow’s good times.” I also liked Johnson’s notion of responsibility when he says, “In truth, we actually create our own good and bad times, far more than we realize.” And finally, I loved his statement, “The secret to truly appreciate and enjoy each time for what it is while you are living it” (emphasis mine).

Like I mention above, there is the Buddhist slant, “The path out of the valley appears when you choose to see things differently.” And there is the Stoic angle, “You cannot always control external events, but you can control your personal peaks and valleys by what you believe and what you do.” You could also add a few Scriptures to what Johnson says and preach a sermon from his book (I’m sure many preachers already have). Thus, the book is worth a read, especially if you find yourself lost along the trail right now (as I currently am). Enjoy!

Peaks and Valleys: Making Good And Bad Times Work For You--At Work And In Life by Spencer Johnson. Atria Books, ©2009. ISBN 9781439103258 (hardcover), 112p. Book website: www.PeaksAndValleysTheBook.com

O Christmas Tree

Amy and Leigh helped with the tree selection.

Our Christmas tree is up. For the last few years we have purchased our tree at Bottoms Christmas Tree Farm here in Cumming and that's where this year's tree came from as well. Dennis and Sandra Bottoms are so nice and helpful and they have great trees (shameless plug!). At any rate, we got a beautiful 8-foot Fraser Fir and had a fun morning out at their farm which is less than five miles from our house.

Obtaining and decorating the Jackson family tree is a big deal. We've always had live trees and each year we decide that particular year's tree is the best we've ever had. This year is no exception; our tree is spectacular.

Now that the tree is up and the house is decorated it's time to enjoy my favorite time of the year. That includes good football games to watch, Christmas Specials to watch on TV, and catching up with friends and family since I've been out of the loop for a while. Looking forward to every moment of it.

Thanksgiving 2010

I'm so glad Thanksgiving is here. I've been looking forward to this for a long time; I suppose because I knew when the big day arrived I'd be HOME! After all, Thanksgiving is all about home, isn't it?

I woke up this morning thinking about all the different things people would be doing today. There are so many great traditions. I have friends who run the half-marathon every year. Others enjoy the tradition of an early morning hunt before the big meal. Some folks decorate their Christmas tree. Others go to a movie Thanksgiving afternoon. Still others go from one set of in-laws to the other, eating big meals at both.

As I've thought about this afternoon (we're having thirteen family members to our house), I am anticipating some of the conversations that will be held. Things like…

"What time does the football game begin?" "Who is playing today?" "Wouldn't grandma have loved this dish?" "I am so glad you made your casserole!" "How was Africa?" "You sure have lost a lot of weight!" "I can't believe I ate so much." "My eyes were bigger than my stomach." "Where are we going to have Christmas this year?" "I'm ready for a nap now…." "You know why don't you? It's that chemical in the turkey…" etc…

I will love every bit of the day, and every bit of the food, and every hug and every smile. I hope you do too.

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

No Place Like Home

Dorothy got it right – there truly is “no place like home.” After being away from home for three months I touched down in Atlanta last night around 10pm and was home in my own house in Cumming before midnight. I had a great welcoming committee at the top of the stairs at the airport. I got some great hugs and then we drove home and Donna, Amy, Leigh, John and I looked at pictures and caught up with one another’s lives.

Home, of course, is not really a particular place as much as it is a state of mind. You can actually be thousands of miles away and still feel quite at home. Familiar sights, sounds and smells all contribute to the feeling of being home; but home is mostly about relationships and people.

Still, I’d be out of touch with reality if I said that being back in your old environment contributes nothing to the feeling of home; it does. Tonight as I sit here blurry-eyed and jet-lagged trying to write, let me just say that I have the greatest family in the whole world and am so thankful they were standing at the top of those stairs. Secondly, let me say that as I was traveling this way for over twenty four hours yesterday (including layovers). I found myself very glad that I'm an American; I not only have the best family – I live in the greatest nation on the planet (que Lee Greenwood singing here).

Anyhow – today was a day of rest after attending Cumming First Baptist (quite a difference from last Sunday’s worship experience at Kpene). This week will be spent with family, culminating with Thanksgiving on Thursday. In the meantime, I will continue to process my teaching experience and to reflect upon it.

God Bless You! 

One More Night

The tiny plane I flew on today.

It's Friday night and I find myself still in Ghana instead of boarding a Delta flight for home. I was supposed to fly out just after midnight tonight, but my flight was cancelled, so I go out in the morning instead. That means I arrive in Atlanta late Saturday night instead of in the morning.

My flight from Tamale was interesting. It was on a Beechcraft 1900 which only had 15 seats. It had a narrow center aisle and one seat on each side of the aisle. The cockpit was open and since I was on the fourth row I could see all the instruments and look out the front window over the pilot’s head. It really felt like flying and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Am I upset about one more night in Ghana? No! What’s another night after three months away from home? Yesterday when I learned I got bumped from my flight from Tamale to Accra I was a little frustrated, but today I’m okay with whatever happens. God gave me a real peace about things last night. Perhaps it was some kind of breakthrough.

At any rate, I’m in Accra tonight, in room 209 of the Airport View Hotel and I’ve had all afternoon to sun by the swimming pool and relax, which is pretty nice considering it is almost Thanksgiving. Tomorrow – God willing – I will see my family again; so who’s complaining? Not me!

Kudos to my second born for her great job early this morning working the phone and Internet to get me rescheduled on another flight. It’s great to have kids who are travel-savvy and competent in so many ways. Without Leigh I would be headed over to the airport tonight for a non-existent flight and would have been sorely disappointed.

I'm still reflecting on the overall experience of this trip. It was definitely a great experience. I'm praying God uses everything about it - even the travel irritations - to speed the arrival of his kingdom. USA here I come!!

Bitter Sweet

Today I had to bid my students at the Northern Ghana Baptist Theological Seminary farewell. I must admit it was a bitter sweet moment. Bitter because it is “good-bye for now,” I’m truly going to miss the guys; sweet because I know how much progress they’ve made in just three months and sweet because I’m going home.

The faculty and students gave me a lovely good-bye fete today. We worshipped together followed by speeches, wonderful prayers, refreshments, and gifts. I received a large framed certificate to hang on the wall, a Dagomba smock, two shirts, and even a dress for Donna which was presented to me on her behalf by the director’s wife who came to the ceremony just for that purpose. My backpack and motorbike were loaded down with trophies as I drove home, misty-eyed, to Seed Ministry for the last time today.

Lately I’ve had a string of things in my life that didn’t end like I pictured they would. I’m sure you know what I mean; the “happily-ever-after” glow when something is done and done well. Teaching over here has made up for a lot of disappointment for me. I’m proud of this work – I’m not boasting; God did it all and to Him be the glory – but doggone it, this one turned out good! I feel totally encouraged by what has transpired. I also feel grateful to my family who permitted me to be gone so long and thankful for all the ministry partners who were with me in spirit, financially and through their prayers. This couldn’t have happened without you guys. Thank-you!

Early tomorrow morning I board a 15-seat plane here in Tamale to begin the long journey home. I’d love your prayers as I travel. I’m not sure if I’ll get the opportunity to blog again before I leave Ghana (late tomorrow night), so until then – thanks again for your readership. I will be posting pictures when I get back to high speed internet. God bless!

Don’t Falter

A proverb has been in my mind a lot lately. It's Proverbs 24:10, which says, "If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength." In some ways this proverb seems to go against much of what the New Testament (especially) teaches about us being strong when we are weak, and the meek inheriting the earth, troubles being our friend, etc… The proverb seems to say something along the lines of "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Odd how the Bible does that – it covers the entire range of human experience so well that there always seems to be something there for those who search its riches.

My teaching experience here in Africa has had its difficult moments – with sickness and discouragement cropping up. More than once I quoted this proverb to myself and was encouraged by it. Times of trial are the soil where strength and new life are born, grow and then bloom. All around the world right now different people are facing difficult challenges. The question before them is – will they falter, or will they become stronger and better because of the trouble facing them? Perhaps you are in that boat; if so, be encouraged, and know that God will not lay on you more than you can bear. What's more God has promised to make all things work together for good for his children.

Lord, grant us the faith we need to protect us from despair. Pour love into our hearts for you and for all people. And Lord, most especially in our times of trial, grant us hope. For without hope, no one can stand. Finally Lord, should our trials continue, help us to accept them as coming from your hand. Amen.

Kpene

This morning I preached at the village of Kpene (pronounced "Penny"). Rev. John Napadow, the director of the seminary where I have been teaching invited me to come and preach at this church, which Rev. John began under a tree many years ago. I really liked the village and the people in the church. Kpene is only a 20 minute drive from Tamale and we only had to ford one stream (always an adventure) in Rev. John’s car.

The service followed the tradition of most churches here. They have an “all ages” Sunday School class for an hour before the service where the pastor or caretaker of the church leads the people in a discussion of Scripture. I always enjoy that part, even though I only catch about every fifth or sixth word with my limited Dagbani.

After that the “emcee” gets up and starts the service by praying, or calling on someone to pray, and then one by one different people are called up to lead a song or prayer, followed by great singing and drumming and usually a little dancing. Kpene has no drums so they clap vigorously. They are also a little more reserved (and have less room) so there was no individual dancing, even though everyone was swaying as they sang and clapped. One man was playing a crude wooden instrument he obviously made that resembled a tambourine.

Finally I got the usual gushing introduction Silimiingas (white men – Europeans) always get over here. This one was especially profuse since Rev. John appreciates my coming to teach at the seminary. Then I preached and the people, including two completely naked children sitting on the front pew, were all very attentive. After the message Rev. John asked the people questions to see if they got what I was saying, and they remembered my sermon better than I did when I preached it.

The people of Kpene leaving the church building

One especially interesting thing about Kpene is that the chief died about two months ago. The village is in the process of selecting his successor and the church caretaker (similar to a pastor), a man named Zebulon, is the front-runner for the post. It would be wonderful to have a strong Christian as the village chief. At the close of the service Zebulon specifically asked me to pray for him that he would get to be the chief. And so I did. It will be interesting to keep up with that situation.

All in all it was a wonderful day of worship, and I am sad to say my last Sunday in Ghana for a while. As ready as I am to come home, I will miss people like those in the church and village of Kpene dearly.

Packing Lightly

Now that I’m down to less than a week to go in Africa, I’ve begun to do some preliminary packing for my return journey. Delta allowed two 50 pound suitcases to come over here, which I needed every ounce of since I brought a lot of extra items for Seed Ministry and for my students. I’m only bringing one suitcase and my backpack home but that should be plenty of room as I’ve given away much of what I brought. I plan to give away most of the rest of my stuff (clothes, etc…) before I leave. Everything you leave here, whether left with Seed Ministry, or else given to individuals, is greatly appreciated.

You learn on mission trips how little you really need to get by. Give me a few clean clothes, my Bible and a few books to read, and pen and paper so I can write, and I’m pretty satisfied. In a way I almost dread returning to the abundant possessions I have at home; I feel ashamed, especially knowing how little most of the rest of the world has in comparison to us in America. I really don’t need to bring anything home – I have more than enough.

I’m also going to try to NOT pack a bunch of “other stuff” I brought over here. I’m talking about attitudes, opinions and beliefs I know God is trying to break me of. In some ways I feel like a snake that has shed several layers of skin while I’ve been here. I have probably lost 15 pounds, mainly due to malaria, but I’m not talking as much about body weight as I am about mental/spiritual/emotional baggage I plan to leave behind. That is part of what my upcoming prayer and fasting time is about on Wednesday – that God will allow me to return lighter; free from some of the “inner gunk” that has been clogging my life.

I invite you to join me between now and Thanksgiving in taking an inventory of all the “stuff” in your life. You may want to simplify; to clean out a closet or two. You may also want to “detox” your system of a few things like anger or bitterness or disappointment you’ve been carrying around. As we enter the Christian Season of Advent, which is a time of waiting on God, it’s a great time to re-center and simplify. God bless you as you do.

Prayer and Fasting

Dear Readers,

Next Friday my 81 days in Ghana will come to an end. During these three months I have enjoyed partnering with others to help train an upcoming generation of Ghanaian pastors. God has also been doing things in my own life while I’ve been here, dealing with me concerning some things I need to learn and some things I need to change. I don’t believe God is done teaching me, in fact that will go on for the rest of my life, as I’m certain it will in yours. And yet I do sense in my spirit there are still some specific things the Lord wants to impress on me before I return home and “normalcy.”

With this in mind I have decided to fast and pray next Wednesday, Nov. 17 to seek discernment. I am hoping some of you will join me. I will be doing a 24 hour fast, spending my normal meal times in prayer. I will drink liquids because over here dehydration can be an issue. I certainly don’t expect anyone but me to do the complete fast all day, but I am in hopes that some of you will skip a meal and take time to pray. I have a few specific prayer points listed below you can join me in praying if you are willing. Of course, some of you know blind spots I have where you can probably pray for me better than even I can for myself. At any rate, here are the items I will be praying about:

 - That the students I have taught here will be strengthened to become strong pastors here in Ghana.
 - That the seminary I taught at will thrive and continue to produce good Ghanaian pastors.
 - For Seed Ministry where I have lived these three months. That God would bless the ministry and its leaders, Rev. Bob and Bonnie Parker, and that they would continue to bring light and hope to this area of Ghana.
 - For the pastors, churches, villages and individuals I have worked with during this trip, that God would bless them and that the seeds sown would grow and bear fruit.
 - For the fellow missionaries I have worked with on this trip and their endeavors all across the globe. That God would bless their efforts and bless the missionaries and their families for their personal sacrifices.
 - For God to reveal to me any disobedience, sin, or lack of faith I may have in Him. That He would reveal any areas of my life or ministry where I need to repent and begin following Christ’s teaching more closely.
 - For God to make it clear where He is guiding Donna and me in the future in terms of our ministry and calling.
 - For God to give me the wisdom, determination, courage and faith to pursue God’s highest and best for us, all for His glory and not our own.
 - For me personally to have a special sense of God’s presence as I return home. That I would purposefully, completely, and at all times rely on God’s strength and that I would trust His will and purpose and follow it wholeheartedly.
 - For a complete restoration of my health, especially against any lingering effects of malaria.
 - For traveling mercies as I return; especially favor with the airlines as many local flights have been cancelled or rescheduled. I will be traveling from 2:30am (Atlanta time) on Fri. Nov. 19 to 8:55am on Sat. Nov. 20.

Thank-you for your prayers, and for joining me to fast and pray if you are able. If you hear anything from the Lord during your prayer time and feel led to share that with me that would be greatly appreciated as well.

Another Day in Paradise

Those of you who know the fun conditions of mission trips – insects, lack of water, electricity, strange food, foreign languages, etc… might wonder at a title like "Another Day in Paradise," so let me explain what I mean. In Luke 23:42 Jesus tells the thief on the cross, "Today you will be with me in paradise." So logically you could say paradise is wherever Jesus is. We all know Jesus is in heaven ("seated at the right hand of God the Father,' as we say in the creed), and so I admit it is a stretch to say paradise is wherever Jesus is, or to even say that paradise might be somewhere else besides heaven. But…you could say paradise is wherever you experience the presence of the Risen Lord.

When I am in Africa, it seems like Jesus is right beside me practically all the time. I understand being on a mission trip is not the real world. Today I taught for four hours at the seminary; then I taught a music lesson for an hour and a half. The rest of the day was mine to do what I wanted. Not many of you reading this had the luxury of that kind of day today, I realize that. I won't either when I return (assuming I get a job!).

So what am I saying? I'm saying that anywhere can be paradise if we focus on the right priorities and make a conscious effort to enter into communion with the Lord. That place can be in Cumming, GA, or Kalamazoo, MI, or Poughkeepsie, NJ. The choice is ours to make. My prayer for you back in the States (and for myself when I return in a couple of weeks – is that we will seek him and not feel as though we have to travel to Africa, or Jerusalem, or anywhere else but right where we are at the present moment to find paradise. In other words, paradise is closer than you think; why not go there right now?

New Wineskins

Any time you see a white person here in Tamale, they are inevitably carrying a large water bottle. As hot as it is here, you don't dare go far without pure water to drink or you'll fry. Water bottles are everywhere. In Jesus' day goat skins were used to carry water. They were also used for carrying other beverages, such as wine. Wine in these skins continued to ferment and expand, stretching the wineskins. If you happened to use an old wineskin to store new wine, the old wineskin would eventually burst. Jesus taught about this one day (Matt. 9:16-17), but he was making a deeper point than be careful with your wine.

Jesus compared the message he was bringing, which he called the "kingdom of God" to new wine. He tried to explain that the message he was bringing was such a radical departure from the legalistic rituals of Judaism in his day, that unless the people were prepared to be stretched, the "wine" would be spilled. The Jews of Jesus' day were trying to live by an impossible legal code; they thought that keeping this code and following certain religious rituals would make them right with God. Jesus was trying to show that the Jews' categories of religious experience could not contain the living God.

Unfortunately we in the Christian church today persist in this error of our spiritual forebears. We continually try to interpret new spiritual experience using old categories. We spend our days trying to put God in a box – we try to explain what he is doing, and yet God defies "boxing." I believe Jesus would tell us today that we must be open to the new things God is doing – we must be flexible and supple with our religious categories (wineskins). If not, we'll miss out on all the great things God has for us.

I'm speaking mainly to myself when I say this, but be prepared to be stretched. Discard those old categories and ways of thinking and be open to the new things God is doing. Relax and follow his lead; I'm confident he can do a much better job than we can.

You Are Welcome

Dagombas (the tribe where I am in Ghana) offer a wonderful greeting whenever you arrive somewhere. They say "a maraaba!" [ah-mah-rah-bah] which means, "You are welcome." Since they recognize American/Europeans they usually go ahead and say, "You are welcome" to us in English. This greeting is given when you arrive anywhere – a store, church, school, or upon entering someone's home. The Dagbani response to this greeting is "n goya" [en – goine-yah], which means, "thank-you for your welcome." It's funny, but I've gotten so used to the greeting that I find myself offering it now when people arrive somewhere that I am. Even funnier is I usually say the greeting with the stilted English accent most Ghanaians use over here, "Y-o-u a-r-e w-e-l-c-o-m-e!"

Anyhow – hearing this greeting so frequently made me realize how much not being welcome is such a huge fear many of us have. I don't think we consciously think of this, but deep down inside I believe many of us carry a fear of not being welcome. Many of us feel unworthy, or like a fifth wheel, or even condemned. We suspect that when we enter the room, those already present are actually unhappy we have arrived. We fear we are a lot of trouble – we're a burden – and people would rather we not be around.

This fear of not being welcome can be paralyzing. The antidote, of course, is to know that we are unconditionally accepted by God; the God who calls us his beloved. Jesus wants us to know "You are welcome here – 'a maraaba'" – He wants his home to be our home. He wants to know all about us; our likes and dislikes, our happy times and our sad times. He wants to know our plans and dreams. We are always welcomed by him. What's more, He's even gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us in the life to come.

Today, if you are feeling unwelcome for any reason. Know that you have a friend; one who says "a maraaba!" to you each and every time you approach him. That, my friend, is good news!

How God Answers Prayer

Here goes Steve again!!!  Look out

For a number of reasons, my prayer life has deepened while on this extended mission trip. One aspect of prayer I've been thinking about lately is how God answers prayer. I realize prayer is about more than asking God for things; prayer also involves praising God, confession of sin, offering thanksgiving, and more. My comments below, however, are about the ways God answers petitions for ourselves and intercession for others.

God sometimes answers prayer by saying YES. This is perhaps our favorite way for God to answer. There is good biblical warrant for it as well. Jesus said, "Ask and you shall receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7). God's immediate "Yes" often comes when we pray for relief of sickness, for safe travel, for the healing of another, or for deliverance from danger. One of my favorite stories in the Bible is the story of Daniel in the Lion's Den (Dan. 6). In that story it was actually the king who threw Daniel to the lions who prayed that God would save Daniel, and when the king checked the next morning, Daniel was unharmed. Sometimes we need an immediate answer – like when we're thrown to the lions – and God answers, "Yes!"

God sometimes answers prayer by saying, "NO," but I believe God says "No" because he loves us too much to say yes. I recall when Amy and Leigh were little girls, every Christmas they asked for a trampoline. Trampolines are unsafe and so I never caved to their repeated requests and arguments that "all their friends have trampolines." I'm sure at the time my daughters thought me unloving and callous to not grant their request when it was within my power to do so. But I stood firm with my "No," because I love them too much to risk a broken arm or worse. There is a great illustration of this kind of "No" in the Bible. One day the mother of the Zebedee boys, James and John, came to Jesus requesting he seat them at his right and left when he came into his kingdom. Jesus' response to the pushy mom was "You don't know what you're asking," (Matt. 20:22) and her request was denied. I believe this was one of those "No's" because God loves us too much to let us fall prey to our own folly or ignorance.

God sometimes answers prayer by saying "LATER." In other words, you'll have to wait. The classic example of this in the Bible is Hannah, the mother of Samuel who prayed and prayed for a baby, but God had "closed her womb" (1 Samuel 1:6). Finally Hannah's "Yes" came, but only after she had committed her son to the Lord (should she have one). I believe God knew Hannah wasn't spiritually mature enough to handle the responsibility she would face as Samuel's mother. Honestly, this is the situation I am in right now. I think God is telling me "later" because I'm not ready to receive God's answer yet. The verse to remember for those of us in this situation is Proverbs 3:5, "Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding." This is very, very difficult.

God sometimes answers prayer by saying, "NO, I HAVE A BETTER IDEA." The issue here is whether or not we want God's best for our life, or if we want the best scenario we can think up. I can recall dozens of times when I was certain I knew exactly what I wanted or needed and I was praying like crazy for that job, relationship, or possession, but it just never happened and so I was disappointed with God. But then God orchestrated something else which, in retrospect, was a thousand times better than what my plan was. Whenever I think of this answer to prayer two Scriptures come to mind. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Uh-huh… And then there's Jeremiah 29:11 where GOD says, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." Oh yeah…I've had plans – great plans which I prayed earnestly for, but God said "No." Why? Because God had a better idea all along.

This last answer to prayer is best illustrated biblically by the cross. God's better idea was the cross. As Jesus began to wrap up his ministry he told his disciples three times he was about to go to Jerusalem to die and each time the disciples protested. They thought they had a better idea. Jesus himself even prayed to God to see if there was any other way, but there was not. The cross and the subsequent resurrection of Christ was God's solution to man's greatest problem. Ever since Calvary mankind has tried to come up with a better solution, but there is none. In fact, the Bible says that even the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom (1 Cor. 1:25).

What are you praying for today? Whatever situation you are in, know that God loves to answer his children's prayers; he delights in answering prayer. Trust God today to answer your prayer – fact is, he may already have.

Fond Farewell

The team from Fayetteville, NC left this morning. I got up and had breakfast with them because I've made some good friends. Bob Parker drove them over to the Tamale airport at 6am for their flight to Accra. I was in my room having my quiet time at 8am and I heard the drone of their airplane. I went outside and looked up to see their flight go directly overhead, headed towards the southeast.

As I watched the plane disappear in the distance I must admit I felt a little homesick; it was actually one of the few times I've felt that way. I've noticed that whenever a team arrives I get all excited about what they are going to do; and about what I'm doing over here. Then, over time, I settle back into my routine and things become "business as usual." Then, as teams prepare to return to the states I start wishing I was going home too. I suppose that's natural. Today I will be jumping right back into action helping with a Mega-Voice training event later this morning, and tomorrow I am preaching at B Dakpemyili. So it isn't like I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs feeling lonely or forgotten.

What's really going on, I believe, is a spiritual maturity issue where I am learning to find my joy and fulfillment in Christ alone. I was journaling this morning and realized that it really shouldn't matter where you are; whether you are at home, or thousands of miles away, or on the moon. It shouldn't matter if you have a lot to do, or if you are unoccupied. Christ is always with us and He wants us to turn to Him for everything. I think that's what David meant when he wrote, "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken" (Psalm 62:1-2). The little Hebrew word for "alone" or "only" appears six times in Psalm 62. I also think David was referring to what I'm talking about when he wrote "I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken" (Psalm 16:8). It takes a conscious effort to "set the Lord always before [yourself]."

Today, let's remember that the Lord is all we need. Wherever we go and whatever our situation, He is the answer to the question. Father, help this truth to go deep in my spirit today, and in the spirit of my readers I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Greeting the Chief

One of the things you do when visiting a village in Ghana is you go and greet the “naa” or chief. This is done out of courtesy and respect. When visiting the chief you typically do so at his palace, which is usually a simple round hut with a straw roof. When you get to his palace you usually find the chief sitting on an animal skin inside his palace with the village elders seated around him on the ground. When you meet the chief you are expected to bow to him and you’re not supposed to make direct eye contact with him. You also cannot speak directly to him, but instead must speak through his spokesperson. The conversation is usually fairly stilted, but most of the chiefs I have met have always been polite, and several have had a great sense of humor. As you greet the chief you state your business in the village and then ask permission to preach, or teach, or do a medical clinic; whatever it is you are there for. Chiefs usually expect a gift of some kind; a cedi or two, or perhaps a bench for his village. Chiefs also frequently ask for prayer, whether they are Christian, Muslim, or African Traditional Religion adherents.

The man pictured above is the chief of Gua. When we arrived in his village on Monday to do a medical clinic we didn’t have go to his palace to greet him – he was already at the place we were going to do the medical clinic waiting on us to arrive! We also weren’t required to speak through a spokesperson. He was quite willing to engage us in conversation through a translator. When we do clinics where we anticipate a large number of people like we had at Gua we hand out numbers to keep some semblance of crowd control. Each family gets a number and then we call the families up by number. In this case, the chief received number 1 and was very pleased.

Experiences like this are priceless, but it is all in a day’s work on the mission field. I’m hopeful that some of you who have followed this blog will perhaps join me on a future trip. If you feel God nudging you in the least, please let me know and let’s talk and pray about it. You will never be the same – I guarantee it!

Getting On Up There

“I have been young, and now I am old.” Psalm 37:25a

I’ve always liked the 37^th Psalm, but reading it today the partial verse above caught my eye. I suppose it did because I’ve noticed lately that I am definitely aging. My new room here at Seed Ministry has no mirror so I have had to resort to using the tiny 4x4 inch mirror in my toiletry kit to put in my contacts, comb my hair, etc… When I look in that mirror especially, I’ve noticed more lines, wrinkles, jowls and liver spots than I realized I had. Those aren’t my only signs of aging either. I find my energy levels are lower and I’ve begun to discover aches and pains in places where I’ve never had them before. Some of them in places I didn’t even know I had!

The interesting thing is I don’t mind it; in fact, I am enjoying getting older. I realize American culture is obsessed with youthfulness and we are expected to practice denial when it comes to aging, but honestly I welcome the autumn of my life. There is a certain peace and satisfaction that comes with aging. We are able to let go of some of the impatient grasping and constant striving toward goals we once had. Our vision clears and we are able to see God’s hand at work in places we never thought He was active. And as the fog of living clears as we age, we find God’s plans begin to flourish and our relationship with him and with a few others assumes a sweet intensity we could have never known as “young bucks,” eager to make our mark in the world.

I realize I sound like a broken record over here but God is teaching me that we each have a role to play in his plan; it may be a small role, or it may be a large one – but there are no unimportant roles. The object is to do your part, and to do it well in God’s strength and in God’s way.

Speaking of aging, one of my mentors from afar, Henri Nouwen put it this way, “When everything is put in its proper place, there is time to greet the true reasons for living.” Welcome to the “right now,” I pray your fog is lifting too and that God is revealing your “true reasons for living” like He is mine.   

Farewell Message

I am preaching in chapel at the seminary this Friday. Since I travel home later this month I will be using the occasion to give the students my "farewell message." I put together the message this morning and I chose 2 Tim. 4:1-5, Paul's charge to his student Timothy as my text. In these five verses Paul exhorts his protégé to do seven things: 1) Preach the word, 2) be prepared in and out of season, 3) correct, rebuke and encourage, 4) keep your head in all situations, 5) endure hardship, 6) do the work of an evangelist, and 7) discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Since I'll only have about 20-25 minutes for my remarks, I've summarized Paul's final words to Timothy, and my words to my students. I tell them that as they go out as new young pastors they must realize that:

There will be TEMPTATIONS. Not the usual sort of temptations though. The temptations facing a pastor are things like the temptation to be popular, which is what Paul is talking about in verses 3-4 when he says people will surround themselves with teachers who will say what the hearers' 'itching ears want to hear.' Pastors also face the temptation to be sensational; to try and make their ministry, and their church just a little more 'exciting' or 'relevant' than the next church. Still a third common temptation for pastors is the temptation to make something besides the main thing be the main thing. Among other idols, this "other thing" can be sports leagues, facilities, their worship team, or even the pastor himself.

I will also remind the pastors that when they get "out there" there will be TRIALS. This is what Paul is talking about when he tells Timothy to "endure hardship" (v. 5). Being a pastor is tough. Oddly, much of the strain of being a pastor often comes from one's own flock. Many times the congregation insists on keeping their pastor humble (translation "poor"). Meanwhile, each member considers him or herself the pastor's boss and many think he only works for an hour or two a week. They are also confident they could do a better job than the pastor and will often tell him so. Still another trial from within are those who pastors bend over backwards for who then turn and stab him in the back – et tu Brute? On top of all this are the difficulties and disappointments that come from outside the church.

My final reminder to the pastors is to be sure to TELL people about Jesus. The five verses from Paul mention this several times (preach the word…be prepared in and out of season…correct, rebuke and teach…and, most importantly, 'do the work of an evangelist'). All of these point to the importance of telling people about Jesus. The world's population recently topped the 7 billion mark, and more than half of them, 4.5 billion, are currently separated from God in their sin and will spend eternity that way unless someone tells them about Jesus and they respond.

My main concern in my sermon is not to come across negative or cynical. There is unspeakable joy in serving Christ and a local congregation; I want them to know that. But I also believe they need a healthy dose of reality. I don't want to curb their youthful idealism, but I would like to help them keep from getting hurt or from hurting others if I can. Pray that when the time comes the Holy Spirit have free reign to say what He has to say and that I will simply be His mouthpiece. The message will be delivered Friday at 10am my time, 6am Georgia time.

Galenshegu and Gua

Fulani family I met today

I went out with the team from North Carolina today to the villages of Galenshegu and Gua. The team split up and I went with the nurses and staff that went to Gua. There we ministered to the villagers for about 4 hours. We had an assembly line where the people would see a nurse, then come to my station where I shared the gospel with them. Then they went to a make-shift dispensary we set up and received the drugs our nurses prescribed; mainly vitamins, iron tablets, malaria meds, antibiotics, cough syrups, etc… We also had children’s ministry going on where the kids played games and sang and were told the story of Jesus’ love, along with receiving dum dum suckers, a book, stickers, etc.... The group over in Galenshegu mainly did sanitation training and Aids counseling. They also passed out soap and sanitation products, did evangelism counseling, and children’s ministry going on.

It was hot as blazes today, but I must say it felt really good to minister to the whole person today. It also was a lot of fun ministering with a team again. I have mostly been flying solo this trip so it was great to hang out with this team, which has really accepted me as one of their own. I especially enjoyed hearing the interesting stories of the other places some of them have ministered such as Uganda. It was also great to be with some first-timers who got their first big taste of being in a village for most of the day. No one ever forgets their first time in a village; there is nothing like it.

Fulani teenager at Gua today

The icing on the cake for me personally today was my first experience of being around Fulani people. Fulanis are very exotic-looking people, and I find them very beautiful. They are mainly herdsmen who live out in the country away from other tribes and villages, mostly keeping to themselves. The main difference I noticed between the Fulani and other Africans is the way they dress and adorn themselves. All the men today had on strange-looking hats and the women had beaded hair and a variety of colorful scarves, beads, and cowrie shells adorning their bodies and clothing. Many of them were also tattooed and wore beautiful jewelry.

The Fulani are mostly Muslims; in fact the majority of those I shared with today were Muslim, but they were all very gracious and all listened patiently, many of them thanking me profusely even though they had to wait hours in the heat to be seen. I was grateful for the team I served with today, grateful God allowed me to meet many new friends today and grateful I got to share the Good News of Jesus Christ face to face with some people I know God loves so much. I wish you could have been with me. You would have loved it! 

Utilities

As mentioned in an earlier post. We’ve been without water for almost a week. The Seed Ministry compound is on the local equivalent of a “county water” system here in Tamale. The pipe runs to the compound where Bob has a filter on the water as it enters, so we can actually drink the water right out of the tap. Bob also has a very large (I’m guessing 500 gallon) tank on a pedestal that stays filled in case the water company stops pumping. That is what happened last Monday. We suddenly stopped getting water and so we were on our reserve tank all week until it ran dry yesterday. Bob called the water company was told the guy who works on our area of the system is out until Monday. So yesterday Bob had a tank of water delivered (see photo) which was pumped into the baptismal pool outside. We are now enjoying bucket baths and bucket flushes for the toilets. Perhaps you’ve heard the saying, ‘If it’s yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown; flush it down.” That’s where we are right now – all 20+ of us.

As if that weren’t enough, yesterday afternoon the power also went off, and it has been off since then. Bob also has a generator, but it will only run lights and a few fans, so for now we are without water or power for all intents and purposes. Of course I’m blaming the new team that just arrived. I told some of them at breakfast that I’ve been here two months without any problems, and as soon as they arrive, everything goes haywire. Of course, I was just kidding and they knew it.

Their counter to me was that the Devil must know great things are going to happen through the group that is here now, that’s why he’s attacking us. I don’t know about that, but I do know this has been a great reminder of just how good we have it in 21^st century America with our running water, reliable power, and other resources. It makes me thankful. Perhaps we all need a reminder like this from time to time.

For now I see the wind rustling the leaves in the big tree outside my window so I think I’m going to go sit outside a while where it is cooler. It is currently 86 degrees and rising in my room.

Fourth Quarter

Tree just outside my window

Today marks the beginning of the fourth quarter for me here in Ghana. I'm starting the last 20 of my 81 days here. It's a beautiful day, full of promise and the compound is bustling with activity. The North Carolina team has arrived, the Seedlings are here, 8-10 workers are here cutting grass, cleaning rooms, and toting water so we can all get bucket-baths later today.

It is hard to believe I will be home in just three weeks. My time here, despite being sick, has been fantastic. I have learned so much about what God is up to in the world, and so much about what He wants to do through me. The main feeling I had when I woke up this morning was gratitude for our awesome Savior. It seems like just yesterday I was writing about only having 40 days to do; now that time has been whittled in half.

What have I learned? Among other things I've learned that malaria is not fun, that God is much, much bigger than I thought, and His workers are diverse and dedicated, but many more are needed. I've learned some Dagbani, all the greetings and a smattering of words; enough to at least know what is being talked about, although I am certainly nowhere near fluent. I have learned to be more patient. I have learned to be more compassionate. I find myself genuinely loving people in ways I've not felt before (or maybe I once did, but had grown too busy or self-important to feel or express that love). I'm still a pretty serious and intense person, but I find myself smiling more and being more in touch with my physical body, my emotions, and, most importantly, my spiritual health.

The greatest lesson I've learned, aside from how glorious God is, is what Rick Warren opens his "Purpose Driven Life" book with – namely, it's not about me. I realize it may not seem that way because I write a lot about me – but much of what I've written here in Ghana has been processing stuff I've been learning. I've come to realize just how "other-focused" the gospel really is. Once we take our focus off ourselves – off our comfort, and our wants, needs and desires, then paradoxically, we find true freedom and happiness. Jesus taught that only those who lose their lives for him will actually save them (Mt. 16:25); he wasn't kidding.

I'm sure more lessons are ahead in the next three weeks. I'm looking forward to each one. Tomorrow I am preaching at Lameshego Presbyterian Church, a place I've never preached before. Enjoy your Saturday afternoon America. I'll be checking scores later in the day, rooting for the Bulldogs to crush the Gators. Naawuni ni pahi ti alaafee (May God give us good health).

Moved Again

I moved again today at Seed Ministry. I am now staying in my fourth location since I've been here. Actually I am quite enjoying the moving around though. Unlike most people I love change. I suppose it goes back to my days growing up as a military brat when we moved practically every summer. The few years we stayed more than a year in one place I found it necessary to rearrange the furniture in my room. Sad but true.

My new room is in the main mission house where Bob and Bonnie live; yes, I've made it to the top! The Parkers added a new room onto the mission house because their son and his family are moving to Ghana. They arrive on Nov. 16^th, so I'll get to see them briefly before I leave. This also guarantees me at least one more move because I'll move out of this room and back over into the main guest house after a team that is coming tomorrow leaves.

Speaking of the new team, ten of them arrive first thing in the morning. They are a medical mission team from Fayetteville, NC. Assuming my own health holds, I will get to work with them in a few villages on my off days next week. I'm looking forward to that. Also, today Dr. Bob and Linda Stewart left us and Karen Walters, Jesse the God Story guy's wife arrived. Add in those already here and we're back up to twenty people again. It has really been exciting to see all the great work God is doing here – and such diversity in the work as well!

Please pray I keep feeling well, and pray that our water gets turned back on. We've been without since last Monday. Bob is really good about rationing our remaining water using a temporary storage tank, but if we don't get water soon, we'll be completely out. I will try to post a picture of my newest room soon. God bless you, and thanks!

Short Post

Okay...so I've had a couple of long posts lately. Sorry about that.

Here is a short one; a haiku

Fallen sick on a journey,
In dreams I run wildly
Over a withered moor.
                Oku No Hosomichi (1694)

The Will of God

I just finished a great book by Mark Devine about Dietrich Bonhoeffer called Bonhoeffer Speaks Today. Bonhoeffer was a German pastor who was executed by the Nazis in 1945 for his part in a failed plot to assassinate Hitler. He was one of the leaders of the Confessing Church, which dared to defy Nazi attempts to control Christianity in Germany.  Bonhoeffer has often been cast as a liberal but Devine argues that this German pastor and theologian has a few things to teach us Evangelicals.

Of particular interest to me was Devine’s exposition of Bonhoeffer’s position on the will of God and how God guides. Bonhoeffer did not believe in the immediacy of God’s guidance, but believed instead that God has already revealed his will for us and that he guides through his Word. Devine points out that “the daily quest for special, direct, individual guidance has come to dominate the Evangelical world” and that for many of us decisions ranging from who to marry, or whether to change jobs, all the way down to “the dilemma of whether to turn right or left on Elm Street” all stand open for direct input from God. Devine is not saying God never offers direct guidance. In fact, he claims to have received such guidance himself (as have I).  His point is that “waiting on the Lord” can result in a kind of paralysis that leaves us “surrounded by frequent claims of divine guidance and divine leadership by others while we ‘dull brothers and sisters’ are left to ‘pray harder’ and wait on the Lord.’”

The author asks, “What if God does not normally offer new, extra-biblical guidance in cases involving non-moral decision making? What if He is pleased to have us make decisions, obviously not disregarding the character and will of God revealed in Holy Scripture, but also without needing to claim God’s specific and extra-biblical sanction where he has not required it?” I can think of many times in my life where I prayed feverishly and never got “a word from the Lord” about a pending decision. Did that mean God was trying to be evasive or murky, or was playing hide-and-seek with me? As Devine points out, "God never seemed to have any difficulty making his will known in the past.”

Honestly, I think sometimes people saying, “I’ll pray about that” is little more than an excuse. For instance, many times I've heard people say, “I’ll pray about going” when it comes to missions. But hasn’t God already made it crystal clear in Scripture that he expects all of us to join him in his mission to reach the world? What is there to pray about? Or people say, “I want God’s best.” Of course you do; we all do. But does it really matter to God if you work for company “A” or company “B”? Yes, we all want a clear sign from God, we want him to write something across the sky, but honestly, he seldom does that, does he?

What I’m trying to say today, agreeing with Devine and Bonhoeffer, is that it is okay if you can't prove God is calling you here or there. After praying about it, and checking your decision against what God has already revealed about himself in the Bible, sometimes we just need to make a decision. This very thing happened in the Bible you know. Exodus 14:15 says, “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on!’” In other words, God basically said, "Stop praying and get going." Maybe that’s what God is saying to me or you today. Maybe God has already told us all we need to know. Maybe it's time to get up off our knees and get moving.

On Moral Choices

C.S. Lewis

My regular readers know I am a huge C.S. Lewis fan. I found an old book by Lewis in the seminary library on Tuesday. It’s fascinating. The book is titled “Christian Behaviour” and was printed in London in December, 1943. There is an inscription in the front of the book obviously written with a fountain pen, where someone wrote their name, C.P. Bonner, and then it says, Delhi, 1 April 45.

As I looked at that my mind wandered; who was this man, most likely a British man and what was he doing in Delhi in 1945? Did he take a steamer to India after picking up a copy of the book at a bookstore in London? I love a good mystery.

But that’s not the topic I want to address in this post. Instead I want to simply quote Lewis from the mysterious man’s book, where Lewis writes, as only he can, about moral choices:

People often think of Christian morality as a kind of bargain in which God says, “If you keep a lot of rules I’ll reward you, and if you don’t I’ll do the other thing.” I don’t think that is the best way of looking at it. I’d much rather say that every time you make a choice you are turning the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different from what it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing either into a heavenly creature or into a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself. To be the one kind of creature is heaven: that is, it is joy and peace and knowledge and power. To be the other means madness, horror, idiocy, rage, impotence, and eternal loneliness. Each of us at each moment is progressing to the one state or the other (pg. 24-25).

Lewis reminds us here that for most of us it’s not the monumental choices that lead us down one path or the other, but the countless little decisions we make each day. His words form a good corrective to the kind of “all or nothing” thinking I know I’m guilty of. Tomorrow let's all remember the cumulative nature of our choices and press on towards becoming “heavenly” creatures instead of “the other.”

African Guitar

Uriah rips a "G" - Awesome!

One of the members of the South Fork team was a singer/guitar player. Once he got over here he felt the Lord leading him to leave his guitar for Seed Ministry to use. Guitars are fairly rare over here so this was not only a great gesture, but it will be a valuable ministry tool as well.

The other day Bob and Bonnie asked me if I would teach some of the Seedling youth to play a few Christmas songs on the guitar as they are going to put on a Christmas play this year. I agreed, and last week we had the first of our guitar lessons. We are meeting three afternoons a week and I’m basically just trying to teach them the five or six chords they will need to know to play Silent Night, Away in a Manger, etc….

It has been fun. For one thing I have enjoyed getting out the guitar to play myself. It’s been a long time for me. But more importantly, it’s been fun to see the guys begin to learn the instrument and to master a few chords. All the guys involved are gifted musically (they are drummers), so they are picking up this new instrument pretty quickly. Of course they don’t have “guitar-picker” calluses yet, so their fingers have been a little sore. But my fingers have been hurting too!

The calluses, or lack thereof, remind me of one of those universal laws of life: “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” This holds true across so many spheres of our lives; our physical fitness, our emotional health, even our spiritual health. It’s so easy to get lazy, or to miss a day or two, which turns into a week or two. You know what I’m talking about don’t you?

Let me challenge you today. What have you neglected lately? Could it be those spiritual muscles? Perhaps your prayer muscles? Or maybe it is your fitness level; fall is a great time to get outside and take a long walk. Or maybe you need to push away from the table a little sooner this week? J Remember, if you don’t use it, you lose it. While you think about it, I’m going to go pick out a song or two on the guitar. Have a great evening!

Sunday Night Recap

Today was a great day. I preached this morning at God’s Wisdom Baptist Church in Sognarigu-Kukuo. Pastor Gabriel and my student James were there. This is harvest season for ground nuts (peanuts) so many were out working in the fields today, but we still had a good crowd with lively singing and dancing, fervent prayer and decent preaching. I decided to drive to the church the way we first went back in July when it was dryer. What I didn’t realize was that the road, which is really just a path, is still underwater in places. It made for an exciting adventure and I was muddy from head to toe and sweating like an animal from having to manhandle my moto by the time I arrived. Lots of fun though; got the old blood pumping, especially in 90 degree heat!

This afternoon I hung out at the guesthouse; I watched two movies with my new friend Don Honeywell from Fayetteville, N.C. Don has an amazing ministry where he goes around the world doing “Face-to-Faith” evangelism training. He arrived here from a country I cannot name because it is closed to the gospel. He’s headed to another country after Ghana which is also fairly closed, so I won’t mention it either. He ends up in the Philippines before arriving back home around Christmas. Suffice it to say Don has been around the world sharing Christ; he’s dedicated to his craft and a true servant of the Lord.

This evening we had a typical Tamale downpour. The rain in Africa is incredible, which I think I’ve mentioned before, but every time it rains I am reminded of just how powerful and fierce nature can be.

This week at school should be a good one; I’m giving an exam in both my classes, one on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. On Friday I begin the last section of teaching I’ll do before returning to the States. It is hard to believe my time is nearing an end over here.   

Student Teachers

I had a really good time in class on Friday. I had prepared a lesson on biblical financial unity, mainly centered on fifteen key thoughts on finances/money/possessions outlined in Scripture. Before class I wrote each of these statements, along with a Scripture reference, on the chalkboard; things like “God owns it all” (Psalm 24:1). After introducing the topic and teaching for about thirty minutes I explained that we were now going to have the students themselves come up to the front of the room one at a time to teach the fifteen concepts to the rest of the class.

It was priceless. They got so into it and so excited! Many of them still struggle with their English, and some of them are a bit shy, but they all did fantastic, especially considering that they had no idea before class they were going to do this, nor did they know which concept they would be teaching until it was time to teach that particular concept. To really get a feel for what it was like you have to understand the seriousness with which West Africans take such opportunities to have an audience. They even used the opportunity to poke a little fun at the “Reverend Doctor,” as they call me. It was great. Not only did they enjoy teaching, they seemed to really respond well to one another’s teaching.

I’ve always heard the best way to learn something is to teach it yourself. That’s definitely been true for me as I’ve busied myself preparing lesson plans so that I would be “thoroughly equipped” (2 Tim. 3:17) to teach. But I also saw this today as the students really wanted to do well as they taught one another, and so they put forth great effort and attention to what they taught, as well as what the others were teaching.  On top of that I got to sit and be fed myself for a change, which I really enjoyed. I’m sure this method is probably something my teacher friends already knew about, but I was thankful for the inspiration to try it today, for I truly do believe it was God’s idea; it worked to well to be one of my ideas. Thanks be to God!