The One Who Provides

I attended a women's retreat last weekend. The speaker shared with us many of the Hebrew names of God and their meanings. Most I had heard before, but hadn't thought of lately. She shared how Hagar had given God a name- El Roi, "the God who sees". Many of the ladies shared some very creative names for who God has been at various times in their lives; "my Demerol" (he takes the edge off!), "my pumice stone" (he wants to work off the calluses of my heart), "my super glue" (he holds me together), and "my lead dog" (from a woman who spent time in Alaska and gave us an appreciation for all that the lead dog of a dog team does) are all examples. The leaders wanted us to take the time to figure out who God was for us at this point in our lives.

I realized that now, as in the vast majority of my life, God is to me El Shaddai, "the one who provides". He has provided everything for me since I was conceived- a Christian family, dear friends (in every place I've been), food, shelter, and many things that I've wanted, but not needed. Most of all, he provided his son to be the sacrifice for my sins and offered me forgiveness and eternal life with him! He gives me many chances to keep trying and to share him with my world. I'm not even beginning to really express how he provides the tiny and the huge things in my life.

So, now, as we are in this time of raising funds so that we can go to Verona and as we are living in the USA where prices far exceed those we knew in China I know things will be just fine. El Shaddai will see that we have what we need. He will provide the right partners at the right time. He will work all this out according to his timing and his plan. He will provide the people we need to share him with and to them he will provide us to share. He will work out every detail. He is El Shaddai, "my provider".

Home Assignment Travels - April '08

Angie and I have been travelling for almost three weeks now. We have about a week and a half left. So far we have spent time in North Carolina with team members, Brandon and Savannah Eaton. Then we made our way north through Virginia and West Virginia to Louisville, Kentucky. In Louisville, we have been spending time with Shively Christian Church, the PACE church for the Italy project. We also our visiting the home office of our organization, Team Expansion. We are also communicating with another area church in the hope that they may become a major partner with Shively Christian Church and the Italy work.

Masks

My kids have prom this Saturday night. I think they will have a fun time. Their prom is going to be masquerade style. They will wear the fancy dresses and tuxes, but they will also wear masks. So, Jessica, Luke, and I have been working on making masks for them. They’re turning out pretty good.

Prom. I remember my prom. I wish I didn’t. I cringe when I think about it. Being a somewhat typical teen at the time, I had my share of acne. Not wanting to go to prom like that, I took matters into my own hands…literally. By the time I was done, my blackheads were gone, but my face was all red, swollen, and blotchy. How I wish I had a mask then!

Life is like that sometimes. We are embarrassed or ashamed and we put on a mask. Do people notice? It’s hard to tell, because they wear masks, too. As Christians, we know that we’ve been set free from our shame and from things that we’ve done which would cause us to be embarrassed. So, why do we wear masks? Why do we feel compelled to hide behind this persona of perfection? And why are Christians seemingly the main segment of the population wearing masks?

Yet, in this world where people are crying out to be real and to know others who are real, we aren’t. Do we want to share with people the glorious hope that we have in Christ? We have to take off our masks. Are we ready for that? Are others ready for that? Does it matter?

I’m afraid.

Transition Lists

I love lists. I love introverted self-analysing. Perhaps I even love these things too much. I do think, though, it is important when you are making a transition to do some self evaluating. Here is a list of lists from Gail Blanke that has to do with unfinished business... perfect for when you are finishing a season.

1. Things I want to start but haven't started.
2. Things I want to change but haven't changed.
3. Things I want to stop but haven't stopped.
4. Things I started but haven't finished.
5. Things I want to do but haven't done.
6. Things I want to say but haven't said.
7. Things I want to learn but haven't learned.
8 Feelings I have but haven't expressed.

After you make your lists, evaluate them by asking yourself...
Is it too late to do it now?
How can I implement this in my new season?
Is the Lord holding me back from doing this or am I ignoring the Spirit's prompting?
Is this thing in line with the Lord's will; what is He saying about it?

This might give you a little perspective is where you are... and might help you understand from where the next season is starting. And it might just open some dreams (and even to-do lists) for the next chapter.

Blog By Brandon

Hello!

This is Brandon Eaton. My wife and I are the newbies on Team Verona. I saw Savannah's awesome blog on here and thought I'd better get a move on. I thought first I'd tell you a little bit about my self. I was born on ... OK maybe not that much. I'm a Johnson Bible College Graduate and due to my four years there I not only got a great education but I got a beautiful wife out of the deal. I think that makes the student loans worth it. When Savannah and I left Johnson and plunged into life we weren't exactly sure where we fit or what God had planned for us. We've continuously prayed and sought out His direction. I won't tell you on blog number one every step He took us on to get to where we are now, but lets just say that looking back at our path, He had us walking towards this all along.

I will be working in the area of youth and college age in Verona. I have a passion to work with those age groups specifically and have been in some form or fashion since I left school. Savannah will be working in children's ministry. I know we will work in each other's ministries as well , and I'm pretty sure that's how the whole team is going to function.

We are currently in preparation mode, and have been working towards this goal of getting to Verona. At the end of this month, we will transition out of our current employment and start preparing and fund-raising full-time. We can't wait. My thoughts are consumed with Verona, the Italian people, and everything that God is going to do in this beautiful city. Granted I haven't seen it with my own eyes yet, but I watched a pretty good show about Verona on the Travel Channel! We get to visit next month though, so in blogs to come expect me to be a smidgen more informed.

We are so excited to be a part of the Go Verona family. That family and support just keeps getting bigger when you think about Taking Christ to Italy, Team Expansion, and the hundreds of people that will be supporting us throughout this country. What a privilege to be a part of this.

Savannah Eaton...Reporting For Duty.

Savannah Eaton

For those of you who don't know, I am Savannah Eaton. My husband and I just joined the team recently. We are really excited about it. I'm here to write my first blog. Blog is such a 21st century word. I kept plenty of diaries as a teenager so I should be pretty good at it.

So, this week I've started the initial stages of support raising. I've went through a range of feelings and emotions about the whole thing. What I have felt the most is doubt. I have found myself doubting myself, God's people and even the Almighty himself. During my quiet time, I've been praying and praying for my faith to strengthened and for my doubts to be relinquished.

God provides peace and comfort in the most unexpected ways.

Oddly enough, I've got some amazing encouragement from the book "People Raising" by William P. Dillon. I picked it up thinking it might give me some tips as I am calling people and setting up appointments to meet with missions boards. It gave me alot more than that.

One of the first reasons it gives for why support raising is important is that it stretches your faith. It goes on to give many more reason but this resonated loudly with me. Here I am, already experiencing this...the more I thought about it, I just realized that where my doubts are is the same place where my faith will grow and expand. This process is going to be a challenge, but through it, the doubts I have will turn into a stronger and steadier belief that God will meet my every need.

Through reading the book, I also came to understand that my own negative attitude could be my downfall. I can't look at support raising as this daunting task. I know that I have an amazing opportunity to share with others in the body of Christ this work God has put on our hearts and let them be a part of it. What we're doing is actually pretty exciting.

I can't say I'm feeling absolutley amazing about support raising but I can say I am not dreading it anymore. I'm looking forward to sharing Verona, Italy with everyone and giving others a chance to be a part of it.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well"- Matthew 6:33