I was pretty sure that the Lord was pulling a cruel joke on me. Two days before I was in Florida enjoying 70 degree weather while golfing and hanging out at the beach. Now on this morning it was 10 degrees with a wind chill below 0 as I was preparing to start my prayer walk time around Sebewaing. The mountain top experience of two weeks of vacation in Florida was over, and it was time to get back into the valley and do some ministry. But why did the valley have to be so cold!
As I walked I began to focus less on the cold and more on another thought. While I was on vacation I read through the book of Leviticus as part of my Life Transformation group. Now in the past when I have read through Leviticus it has almost been like my walk that morning started out, a struggle that I had to get through! But this time Leviticus seemed so different. God was showing me new things in this portion of scripture that were making sense in new ways, and shedding new light on the gospels. It was exciting and all of a sudden my walk became a pleasure.
Working through hard, difficult things seemed to be a theme for the day. Later when I was having a conversation with Rhonda she told me that an older gentleman whom she and John had taken under their wing had passed away while I was gone. This man, Frank, had gone to church with them off and on for the past several years, but never seemed to truly have the peace of the Lord in his life. Rhonda related to me how she had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time with Frank in his last days and to share again the truth of the gospel. She shared with me how maybe for the first time in his life Frank seemed to truly reconcile to Jesus and a peace came over him. Frank's concern seemed to switch from himself and dying, to getting his son to church. I could see the joy in Rhonda as she shared this story, and also I heard from both John and Rhonda how they will continue to reach out to Frank's son. What a great joy to hear and somehow again it seemed not so cold.
The day ended with all 12 members of our group together that night at the Elenbaum's. My wife could not be there but we had Anna there, as we continued our journey through the Live 2:6 materials they had started two weeks ago. I am just so excited about this group and hearing the interactions and the praises as we worked through lesson 2 in our Knowing Him manual.
When the evening ended and I stepped outside, the cold that had greeted me that morning was still there. But somehow it did not seem like agony. There was a heavenly elation in the air! Ministry in the valley has its rewards!
Praises:
Frank's home going with salvation assured!
The great start that our Live 2:6 group is off to
The growing and bonding of our group
Prayer opportunities:
Be in prayer for Jim, Frank's son, for comfort and salvation
Our upcoming Sonlife seminar at Elkton Missionary Church. Praying for a good showing of people. If you would like to attend let me know.
The possibility of starting another group with some younger couple
Your servant in Christ,
Brian
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Good Day
In my 18 years of full-time Christian ministry, there have been days that have not gone well. During those kind of days I have often had the feeling like maybe I should have stayed in the pizza business, where I was for 13 years before I started in ministry. I am convinced that God gives you those kind of days to test you and check your perseverance. Then there are days where the Lord just opens doors, and you feel like this is perfect. Today here in Sebewaing is one of those kinds of days, though it didn't start out that way.
As I was driving up this morning I got pulled over by the police because the officer felt like a turn I made was a dangerous one. He let me off, but I was late for my Life Transformation group and I hate to be late. My group time with Kevin went so well! We attempted to read 30 chapters a week for group. We are starting over in the Bible planning on reading through the Bible, and both of us had actually read more than 30 chapters.I finished Genesis, and Kevin was right behind me. We both commented how we just wanted to keep going. We had a great time talking about the things God was revealing to us in Genesis even though the book is so familiar to both of us. I felt like God had turned my day around!
After that I spent time doing my prayer walk. I needed to make a phone call to the local YFC chapter and I needed a number, so as I passed the village offices I decided to go in and ask for a phone book. Ya, I know it was an old fashion way of doing it. Any way the clerk was glad to help me. It was someone I knew. After that we started a conversation, and she asked me about my ministry. I told her I had been ordained and was working in Sebewaing on a disciple building/church plant. I also told her how that I was working on a Masters in Counseling these day and reaching the end of that. She asked me if I counseled with families and children. I told her that I had some experience in that area, and we ended up setting up a time for me to get together with her daughter and grandson to deal with issues from a divorce. I had an opportunity to pray with her there, and then I was on to my next appointment. I was growing more excited about what God was showing me!
I next met with a former student of mine who had Face booked me asking if we could get together. In our contact time before we met today I asked her if she has been in the Word at all. She confessed that she had not, and I told her I was starting a read through the Bible and invited her to do the same. When we met she had started that process. God blessed our time together, and we are going to set up a time to regularly meet to help her stay on track. Again I felt like, wow God, this is why I love ministry!
All of these encounters before noon! I still have tonight when we are going to kick off our Sonlife Live 2:6 group. The idea behind the 2:6 groups comes from 1 John 2:6 which say "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." The study is designed to take place over a two year time period and to really study Jesus' life. I am excited about this group and study! Thanks for your prayers.
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian
As I was driving up this morning I got pulled over by the police because the officer felt like a turn I made was a dangerous one. He let me off, but I was late for my Life Transformation group and I hate to be late. My group time with Kevin went so well! We attempted to read 30 chapters a week for group. We are starting over in the Bible planning on reading through the Bible, and both of us had actually read more than 30 chapters.I finished Genesis, and Kevin was right behind me. We both commented how we just wanted to keep going. We had a great time talking about the things God was revealing to us in Genesis even though the book is so familiar to both of us. I felt like God had turned my day around!
After that I spent time doing my prayer walk. I needed to make a phone call to the local YFC chapter and I needed a number, so as I passed the village offices I decided to go in and ask for a phone book. Ya, I know it was an old fashion way of doing it. Any way the clerk was glad to help me. It was someone I knew. After that we started a conversation, and she asked me about my ministry. I told her I had been ordained and was working in Sebewaing on a disciple building/church plant. I also told her how that I was working on a Masters in Counseling these day and reaching the end of that. She asked me if I counseled with families and children. I told her that I had some experience in that area, and we ended up setting up a time for me to get together with her daughter and grandson to deal with issues from a divorce. I had an opportunity to pray with her there, and then I was on to my next appointment. I was growing more excited about what God was showing me!
I next met with a former student of mine who had Face booked me asking if we could get together. In our contact time before we met today I asked her if she has been in the Word at all. She confessed that she had not, and I told her I was starting a read through the Bible and invited her to do the same. When we met she had started that process. God blessed our time together, and we are going to set up a time to regularly meet to help her stay on track. Again I felt like, wow God, this is why I love ministry!
All of these encounters before noon! I still have tonight when we are going to kick off our Sonlife Live 2:6 group. The idea behind the 2:6 groups comes from 1 John 2:6 which say "Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." The study is designed to take place over a two year time period and to really study Jesus' life. I am excited about this group and study! Thanks for your prayers.
Your Servant in Christ,
Brian
Monday, January 4, 2010
Looking Forward
Since I have not posted in the last couple of weeks because of the holidays, let me just give two quick encounters that I had during that time during visits to Sebewaing.
The first came the week before Christmas. I went in to visit the Alternative Ed class that I help in each week, and they were having a Christmas party. Students were hauling in all kinds of food, and it really began to look like a church potluck. While they were waiting for the last of the students to arrive, the high school principal came down to talk to the teacher about some things. As they finished up, one of the students declared it was time to eat. The teacher, who had introduced me to the principal as the class pastor, told the students that since this was a Christmas party as long as it was alright with everyone he was going to ask me to pray. So in this public school with an administrator present, I had the privilege to pray for, and with this group of students. Thanks be to God!
The second encounter I want to share happened during my Life Transformation group meeting. One of the guys was talking about 2010 being the year that we will turn fifty. We started to talk about what that meant in the scheme of things. I then had the opportunity to share with him a recent encounter I had with the parents of one of my best friends growing up.
Even though I did not grow up in a Christian home, God gave me the opportunity to know what that should look like through this family. They lived out the scriptures everyday and there was always a faith displayed that at times was hard for me to grasp like when their daughter passed away from cancer. Anyway when I visited them a couple of months ago, he is now 82 and she is 80, I was again amazed at their faith. They talked about having their grandson killed in a car accident earlier this year. Yet in the middle of all they have seen and been through, they talked of the faith of God and always looking to the future with great anticipation about what God would do next.
As I shared these thoughts in my group, each of us began to talk about the faithfulness that we have seen God display in our lives. We also came to the conclusion that no matter how old we are we need to continue to look forward to what God will do and how He will show himself.
Please keep our Live 26 group in prayer. I ordered materials today for 5 couples to begin this Sonlife study through the life of Christ.
Also keep in prayer the Sonlife seminar the Thumb LEAD Team will be conducting with Don Roscoe as facilitator February 26-27.
Brian
The first came the week before Christmas. I went in to visit the Alternative Ed class that I help in each week, and they were having a Christmas party. Students were hauling in all kinds of food, and it really began to look like a church potluck. While they were waiting for the last of the students to arrive, the high school principal came down to talk to the teacher about some things. As they finished up, one of the students declared it was time to eat. The teacher, who had introduced me to the principal as the class pastor, told the students that since this was a Christmas party as long as it was alright with everyone he was going to ask me to pray. So in this public school with an administrator present, I had the privilege to pray for, and with this group of students. Thanks be to God!
The second encounter I want to share happened during my Life Transformation group meeting. One of the guys was talking about 2010 being the year that we will turn fifty. We started to talk about what that meant in the scheme of things. I then had the opportunity to share with him a recent encounter I had with the parents of one of my best friends growing up.
Even though I did not grow up in a Christian home, God gave me the opportunity to know what that should look like through this family. They lived out the scriptures everyday and there was always a faith displayed that at times was hard for me to grasp like when their daughter passed away from cancer. Anyway when I visited them a couple of months ago, he is now 82 and she is 80, I was again amazed at their faith. They talked about having their grandson killed in a car accident earlier this year. Yet in the middle of all they have seen and been through, they talked of the faith of God and always looking to the future with great anticipation about what God would do next.
As I shared these thoughts in my group, each of us began to talk about the faithfulness that we have seen God display in our lives. We also came to the conclusion that no matter how old we are we need to continue to look forward to what God will do and how He will show himself.
Please keep our Live 26 group in prayer. I ordered materials today for 5 couples to begin this Sonlife study through the life of Christ.
Also keep in prayer the Sonlife seminar the Thumb LEAD Team will be conducting with Don Roscoe as facilitator February 26-27.
Brian
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