A Dear Jon Letter

Jon...
I'm still listening to your sermons' podcasts. In listening to the One Month To Live series, I've really been convicted. My "bucket list" was easy: evangelize in Verona, Italy. It made me self-righteously sad. If this is my only dying wish (well, if I were dying), then why isn't God just having people pour in money for me to go soon?
And I started thinking about it... I'm planning on 10 to 15 years there. Not just one month. What do I spend my time thinking about, praying about, reading about? The culture, the language, the money needed, the housing... nothing bad in itself - just not Jesus Himself. So, I want to guard myself and remember that the point of going to Italy is not Italy - but Jesus! And even if I'm there for a decade or two, I need to be evangelizing like I'm only there for a few days.
Thanks for the reminder.
Blessings...
april

Time Between the Times

In Celtic history there is a concept known as the "Time Between the Times". When the sun is coming up, is it day or night? It's neither, it's dawn. The same is true for when the sun is setting. When you are standing on the shore, with the ocean tide coming back and forth over your feet, are you in the ocean or on the beach? While our team is in the states are we here or there? Neither. We are here waiting for there, which is markedly different than just being here, and definitely different than being just there. We are in the time between the times.

As Christians we experience this as well. We are citizens of heaven, but are stuck here on earth. Stuck with a glorious task of taking the message to those who have no hope. We live here while waiting for there.

So how do we proceed in our time in this transition. Much of it is spent raising awareness and seeking support, that is support in the form of prayer partners, one time financial gift givers and individuals and churches who commit a self determined amount of money to be given monthly to the work. Also, during this time in the states we continue following God in our daily lives. Looking for needs and opportunity around us. In about a week, we will determine if an extension is necessary. Currently, Angie and I are set to return to Italy by the end of the year and the team follows starting the following month. If an extension is necessary, our new return goal would be at the end of March 2009 and the team would begin to follow us in April.

What is the purpose of extension? Our team is working hard to raise awareness and support, sometimes that comes quickly, sometimes it seems slow, but when you are following God it always comes in His timing. Pray for the conviction of individuals/churches to partner with our team in finances and prayer. Pray that this would come quickly, if it is God's will.

If you are interested in getting involved in our team's ministry, follow this link:

http://www.goverona.org/involvement.html

A Song

With a background in opera and classical singing, many churches have asked me to sing while I visit. Usually I decline since I'm a little out of practice. However, I think I'm going to change my tune. I've composed a little number to sing at the end of my presentation. It's almost as good as Puccini and Verdi. Perhaps it will one day be performed in in Verona's ancient arena.

It goes something like this.

Hhh--umm

(to the tune of "Here We Go Around the Mulberry Bush")


This is the way to Italy, pray-pray-pray, give-give-give, this is the way to Italy, let's see wha-ut God can do!

Brandon and Savannah:World Travelers?

Sometimes I think about what we're about to do and I realize it is only because of God's providence and his specific call on our lives. Savannah and I aren't really in the same mold that a lot of missionaries tend to come from. Well, at least the people in college that were on the missions program. We aren't the most well-traveled people in the world you see.

Savannah was born and lived in the same small town in North Carolina her whole life. She had the same classmates in school from kindergarten to her senior year in High School. College was her first real adventure you could say. I moved quite a bit when I was younger, and had my fair share of first days at a new school. But for the most part I was from Florida, I liked Florida and I planned on living in Florida for the rest of my life.

I had a job that required quite a bit of traveling at one time in our marriage. One time I had to spend a week in Philadelphia for a conference and Savannah went with me. We didn't have a lot of Big City experience. I've been to a few, and so had Savannah, but it was still quite an experience. Everyone was in a hurry and if you were at a fast food place and didn't know what you wanted right away, the cashier and the person behind you would yell at you at the same time. If you walked over the vents in the street, you would get a gust of warm air that smelled like cheeseburgers but not in a good way.

One day out of that week I skipped an afternoon session of the conference to do some sight seeing. We underestimated the size of Philadelphia, and by the time we saw the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall and all that, we had walked about 4 miles and we then realized we had to walk four more miles back. It was July and we were really hot and tired by the time we got back. I was pretty much crawling into the hotel, which might speak to my current physical fitness level.

One night while we were there we were watching the news and someone was reporting about a murder that happened that day and the place where it happened was somewhere we walked right by earlier that day. It freaked us out a little bit, and we decided wherever we were planning on going that night suddenly didn't sound as fun as going to the hotel pool.

I guess the point of all this rambling is that we are both silly and ridiculous. We are ill-formed tools to perform the work that God has called us to. We are so thankful that that doesn't matter. We know that He will shape us and help us grow and that all the work that's coming is His work, not our work. All we have to do is let Him do it. We leave for our first trip to Verona in about 9 days. We will be silly and ridiculous there too, and we could not be more excited about it. God has put a fire in our hearts for a place we haven't been to yet. He's put a yearning in our spirits for a people we haven't' met and we wouldn't even be able to talk to yet. He provides the will to do it, the desire to want it, and the strength to accomplish it. The best part is He likes doing all of these things with ridiculous people.

-Brandon and Savannah

Verona Highlight: Castelvecchio

Castelvecchio literally means the old castle. On the westside of downtown Verona, along the Adige river, lies Castelvecchio. On one of our first visits to Verona, Angie and I got to explore the outdoor building, as well as the ancient pedestrian bridge that stretches across the Adige River. There is also a musuem that is housed within its centuries old walls. We'll explore that when we move there. The building is a great example of the Gothic architecture of the age. The castle was once surrounded by water from the Adige, but now is surrounded only by an empty ditch. It is built out of red brick and is composed of seven towers, a highly elevated keep that has four buildings within it. The construction was carried out by one of the Scalgieri family who led Verona for several centuries. The family member who oversaw this period was called Cangrande II. Cangrande literally means "Big Dog". The leaders of that time period took the names of dogs in the Verona area. Not sure why, but there are a couple of theories that I will share with you in a future Verona Highlight.

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia about Castelvecchio:

The castle stands on the probable location of a Roman fortress outside the Roman
city. Lord Cangrande II della Scala had it built along with its bridge across the Adige
River as a deterrent to his powerful neighbors such as Venice, the Gonzaga and the Sforza families. Construction was carried out between 1354 and 1376 (Cangrande died in 1359). The fortified bridge was intended to allow the seigniors to escape safely northwards to the Tyrol in the event of a rebellion or a coup d'état (the Scaligeri were allies of the Holy Roman Empire) and when they eventually lost their hold on Verona, its surviving members left Italy to found a German branch of the family.
Later, during the Venetian domination, slits were added to defend it with cannons. The castle was damaged by French troops during the Napoleonic Wars (1796-7), in retaliation to the Pasque Veronesi, when the local population staged a violent anti-French revolt. Napoleon had chosen to stay in Castelvecchio on his trips to Verona, but his widespread and arbitrary requisitions of citizens' and churches' property,
the massive draft of male workers into the French army prompted the resistance
that eventually drove out the invaders.
Under the Austrians, Castelvecchio was turned into barracks. In 1923 the castle was restored, as well as in 1963-1965. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castelvecchio_(Verona)

Here is a link to the English version webpage from the city of Verona about Castelvecchio:

http://www.comune.verona.it/turismo/Passeggiando/inglese/itineraryA/castelvecchio.htm

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To read about previous highlights, you can just follow this link: http://gonorthnews.blogspot.com/search/label/highlights

God's Omnipresence

A couple of weeks ago I had a great reminder of how thankful I am that our God is not only omniscient (all knowing) and omnipotent (all powerful), but omnipresent (everywhere at once!).

John and the kids were going to scale the heights of Pikes Peak. Because this would be the kids' first attempt at a fourteener (a mountain over 14,000 ft high), John chose to hike the back side of the mountain, which he had heard was shorter and easier. He also decided that I should drive up and pick them up, rather than making them all hike back down as well.

Our car is currently an old 15 passenger van. I hate driving this massive thing and parking it is especially trying for me. (But it has encouraged my prayer life!) If you've ever driven the Pikes Peak highway you'll remember a lovely drive with breathtaking views. You'll probably also remember the tight switchbacks past timberline, oh, and the lack of guardrails. (T-shirts sold at the top proclaim that real men/women don't need guardrails!)

I left my family and said several prayers on their behalf as God and I had a lovely morning together. Then I began my drive up. As I hit that area around timberline and crawled along at 5 mph or so, letting cars pass me every so often, I began to have moments of near terror. Now this was my second drive up, but somehow I had forgotten what this road was like. I would travel up the "hill" to the next curve where, from my vantage point high in my driver's seat, I could see.......sky, not much else. Then the curve and I could breathe only to reach the next one.

I was asking for peace and the Lord's presence. I was asking him to have complete control of the wheel and the van. Extra gravity please, right under me to keep my wheels firmly on the road! (Not that he didn't have control all along.) I was also still asking him to be with my family on the other side of the mountain. NO accidents or injuries, please.

Then it hit me- again. What if God were, well, more like the gods of some folks? What if he could only be with me OR my family? Wow...again! He's not like that though, is he? He could be with us all that whole day. He could be with the rest of my team, my dad who is recovering from surgery, my friends in China, and all the folks we've yet to meet in Verona. At the same time! Isn't that wonderful! And amazing!

I've loved Psalm 139 for a long time. It is one of the things I have tried to help my kids memorize. For those of us who have lived far from our family, friends, and familiar things it is comforting. "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely, the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you." (vs.7-12)

We were all fine that day. God kept me on the road (extra gravity?!)and I reached the top. I had to wait a long time for my hikers. They had a harder trail than they had anticipated. But we all made it. God, our great and mighty God, was with us all.

The Truth Hurts or It Makes You Better

My two friends and I were browsing through cards at a drug store late one night. One showed another one a card and they both started laughing hysterical and saying my name again and again.

Now, three things you need to know about these girls:
1. I love them both very much and they love me.
2. They both are super healthy eaters/exercisers and as thin as my wrist.
3. They had only met each other that night.

This is what the card says:
"We're such good friends that if I suggested a long walk, you'd know I meant sitting with coffee."
...
"Possibly muffins."

Yes, that's me, alright. Perfectly me. I HATE sweating. I hate the outdoors. I hate being in the sun. I hate exercising. I love coffee and muffins.

Ready for the spiritual turn-around...

Scripture says that the gospel is a good fragrance or a bad fragrance, depending on your frame of reference. If you're heading for the light - then great - it's going to uplift and encourage you. If you're heading for death... well, that's what it's going to smell like.

So... you either reject the truth and get offended by it, or accept it, listen to it, and laugh a little.

As for me... I did get a Wii and am walking every morning and am eating lots of veggies... but I'm still up for that coffee and muffins if you're offering them. And everytime I look at that card it makes me think of my two dear friends.

The Great Commandments and the Great Commission

Of late, I have been thinking often of the Great Commandments and the Great Commission. I'm sure you all remember them.

Matthew records Jesus' answer to a question in this way:
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."

Later in that same Gospel, Jesus gives his followers this commission:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

I am really good at the Great Commission. I have been in China for six years doing just that. But, the Great Commandments, that's another story, unfortunately. I mean, I do love the Lord, but do I love him with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind? Let's just say that there is definitely room for improvement. But where I really fail is in the second commandment. "Love your neighbor."

When I was a teenager, I often dreamed about living alone on a deserted island. My opinion was that the Earth was a pretty good place...except for the people. I know myself better now, and I realize that I would be miserable without those extended family members called the human race. I have learned to take them...in small doses. I can even take large doses for a limited period of time.

But, loving them? I want to, Lord. I know I will love them in Paradise! But, what about now? Neither you nor they need me to love them then, Lord. You need me to love them now! That's how they'll know we are Christians -- by our love!

It's an easy trap to fall into. We'll get you all fixed up, then we'll associate with you and even -- perhaps -- love you. That's not what our neighbors (whom we impersonally call "the world") need. Our neighbors need God's love. They need our love.

Lord Jesus, help me to love my neighbors as you do. Help me to show that unconditional love to them. Help me to love them all, from the ones next door, to the ones at the four corners of the Earth. Conform me into your likeness. Amen.

The Cross

Beloved:

For the past couple months and I have been studying the life of Jesus through reading the gospels, reading a biography of Jesus' life by Charles Swindol, and doing a Beth Moore 90 day study about Jesus.  I have also started reading a book call "The Cross" by Martyn Lloyd-Jones.  The first thing I liked about Martyn is that he is British.  So when I read this book, I act like he is reading it in a British accent (I know a little weird, but just go with it).  Unfortunately, he past away in 1981 but he sure left a legacy of literature that evangelicals and use all over the world.  Another thing I like about this book is that His only reference is scripture, nothing else.  He encourages the absolute truth of the scriptures. 

From what I have read, which is only to page 68, I already have a better understanding of the purpose and ultimate foundation of the cross.  The symbol of Jesus' sacrifice through the cross should be the solid foundation of a Christian's life.  Think about it, the only way that we are saved and have the opportunity to spend an eternal life with Jesus is believing that Jesus took our place in dying for our sins.  Through this sacrificial act, he established the forgiveness of sins and made a bridge between the gap of man and God that had been separated since the fall of man.  Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection established order and presented a way of life that none of us could ever imagine.  A life beyond these earthly walls.  

Martyn goes on to accentuate the fact that we should glory in the cross.  Glory means to give high renown or honor, respect resulting in praise, worship and thanksgiving being offered to God.  His theme verse for the book is Galatians 6:14 "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."  This verse, by reading it, is hard to understand, but I'm not finished with the book yet!  So far it has challenged and encouraged my view of the cross.  I am reminded of the intensity and foundational relevance the cross should have in my life.  

I will leave you with a poem by C. Wesley called.....

"The Wondrous Cross"

Give me the faith which can remove

And sink the mountain to a plain;

Give me the childlike, praying love

Which longs to build Thy house again;

Thy love, let it my heart o'er power,

Let it my ransomed soul devour

I would the precious time redeem 

And longer live for this alone--

To spend and to be spent for them

Who have not yet my Savior known;

Fully on these my mission prove,

And only breathe, to breathe Thy love.

My talents, gifts and graces, Lord,

Into Thy blessed hands receive;

And let me live to preach Thy word,

And let me to Thy glory live;

My every sacred moment spend

In publishing the sinners' Friend

Enlarge, inflame and fill my heart

With boundless charity divine;

So shall I all my strength exert,

And love them with a zeal like Thine;

And lead them to Thine open side,

The sheep for whom their shepherd died.