A Beautiful Day...

There were so many memorable moments while in Panama, but one of the most special was getting to baptize Becky in the ocean.



She had told our team before our trip that she had never been baptized by immersion and felt that she needed to do that and do that in a large body of water.

It doesn't get much larger than the Pacific Ocean.

Or rougher as it was near high tide and the waves kept coming. Luckily we had David Beltz out there with us to hold off the waves and keep us from being sucked out to sea.

What a blessing it was to be a part of this very beautiful day.

Hello....Again

So I have been safely back in the States for a few days now. As I've been telling people who ask if I'm rested up, I'm feeling mostly normal now. Although I cry alot.

Not a sad sort of a cry but a "God is overwhelming and continues to overwhelm me" sort of a way.

For those of you who aren't tracking with me yet, a few details. I've just got back from a nine day mission trip to Panama.

This is currently my favorite photo from the trip. I believe it captures some of the mystery and beauty of our adventures.



This is my second favorite photo.



It's pretty self-explanatory.

I'll probably be sharing some more stories over the next few days/weeks. But I mostly just wanted to let everyone know that I was still alive...as I haven't posted in (gasp) over a month!

So hello...again. Hope you are still out there.

Singing in the Rain...

We all have a choice everyday in how we will respond to our circumstances.

Today my whole family attending our soon-to-be-cousin-in-law's graduation from MSU.

...and it poured down rain. Like flash flood. Like I'm thinking about building a large boat and putting some animals on it.

And we tried to get all six of us under one umbrella.

And walk four blocks to our van.

Did I mention we TRIED.

And then just when we were almost there (and totally soaked), we had to cross this nearly entirely flooded street. With four small children. Through about four inches of water.

So we got back to the van, wet all over, shoes and socks soaked to the skin.

And you know what my family said?

"That was fun! Thanks for bringing us, Dad!"

My family saw it as an adventure. They just loved being together.



May we learn to stop and just enjoy the wonder of life. God bless.

Flying the Coop...

So our family have some chicks.

You know...cute little baby chickens. It's just another one of those little projects we are working on trying to simplify our lives and move closer to sustainable living and be in community.

So we are sharing some chickens with another family. We are housing them for awhile and then they'll move out to our friend's house.

It's a coop co-op.

And then we'll butcher them and put them in our freezer.

Here's my daughter Hannah's response to this idea...



So it is a fun little project. My kids love it. It is bringing us closer to our food chain and the rhythm of life. And they are awful cute also.

So what fun project is your family working on right now?

Are you Prepared...?

In less than a month, I'm going with these people to Panama.

We are PLANNING to go spend the first week of June in the small village of El Capuri and present a Bible School. (But those of us who have traveled to Panama before know sometimes God changes our plans;)

But this weekend, our team spent 17 hours together planning and preparing.

Here are a few highlights & impressions from our time:

Our team already is working so well together. I saw time after time this weekend our team members caring and helping each other. From sharing money to buy their "supplies" at the Salvation Army Superstore to giving their food away to each other to manhandling me and forcing me to sleep on a cot! The care our team showed each other was incredible.

Our team is already vulnerable with each other. Probably my favorite part of the time was sharing our testimonies with each other Friday night. I was blown away with how open everyone was about their struggles and their hopes. We shared laughter and tears together. We loved each other. It was beautiful to see the younger encourage the...ahem...more mature. And then to watch the elder members so beautifully speak into the youngers' lives. I believe it is so setting the stage for the adventure we will take together in just a few days.

Our team is ready for anything! I purposefully kept the details of the training from the members leading up to this weekend. I also purposefully structured the weekend to take us out of our comfort zone. We had to buy our needed supplies from a thrift store. We stood with cardboard signs in downtown Springfield during ArtWalk. We slept on cots in our makeshift "shelter". And through it all, no one complained. They trusted. They savored. They were joyful and excited. What a testimony to their desire to follow and obey God.

So many times God is calling us to do something. To go somewhere. To leave other things behind. And we are reluctant. Closed. Too busy. It was so refreshing to see this team already moving towards that trusting obedience and the expectation that God is wanting to move in the unknown and unexpected.

Probably the most unexpectedly wonderful thing that happened in our training time was Saturday morning. A little before 6AM, I awoke to hearing someone walking around in the church. After listening for a few moments, I began to realize it wasn't one of our team members. As I pondered what to do, I was suddenly surprised to hear singing.

As I listened, I realized I recognized the tune but couldn't quite make out the words. And then I realized why...because it wasn't in English! See the church (South Fremont FreeWill Baptist Church) that so graciously allowed us to hold our training at their facilities also shares space with a Korean Church.

I kind of knew that, but didn't realize that they held services at 6AM on Saturdays!!

So our team was awakened to the sound of "Lily of the Valley" being sang in Korean. And we all held in wonder the sounds of this beautiful service. You can't plan cultural training like that.

We are excited about what God has in store for us this summer. We ask you to join us in praying for the details of the trip and the lives that God wants to change.

God bless.

We Will Not Be Silent...

Last weekend I saw a rare sight.

I saw a group of approximately 60 young people lay down their cell phones

their schedules

their food

and their selves

to seek God and look towards what He wants us to do with our lives.

All these things happened as a part of our annual 30 Hour Famine - an event where we fast for 30 hours in order to seek God and learn about the needs of others all over the world.

I continue to be amazed that this event is one of our most well attended during the year. Why would such a large group of teenagers make such sacrifice? I mean don't you have to have pizza and laser lights and a guy juggling chainsaws to attract kids these days?

But I grow more and more everyday to believe that young people attach to events like the 30 Hour Famine because they are looking for more.

They are looking for significance and meaning and purpose. They are looking for the things that fulfill.

And that is only found in Loving God and Loving your neighbor. Jesus knew this when He answered the religious leader in Matthew 22:

Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

I find that young people today, as much as any generation, are trying to pursue those commandments. They want their generation to be one that turns some of the negative tide found in our society. They want to see God restore them and those around them that are hurting.



So join will you join me in nurturing and mentoring and challenging this generation to never be silent...

Living in a Dandelion Forest...

Nothing signals the true end of winter and beginning of new life than the appearance of the dandelion forest.

And it comes seemingly from nowhere. You can cut your grass, put the mower away and when you walk back to the front yard...there it is!

And then you have a choice to make:

Get angry. Grab the mower or the weed eater or a pair of scissors or a sharp rock or whatever element of destruction nearest by and attack this forest with a vengeance.

Or you can embrace the wonder of it all.






What did you choose today?