Lord, Make Me Beautiful, A Missionary's Prayer

Lord, give me blisters on my feet from walking with people.
Give me calluses on my fingers because I've cared.
Make my voice horse from singing Your Name.
Let my wallet be empty because I've shared.
Give me wrinkles on my face from all the laughter.
And puffy eyes from the tears I've shed.
May my back hurt because I was unselfish.
May my knees be sore from my prayers.
Break my heart when Yours is sad.
And when I stop to rest, Lord, let me be aware
Of only what YOU are doing.

Italy in Everything

I don't know when it happened. It might have been the first time we found out about the opportunity to go to Italy. It might have been after we talked to Team Expansion or Matt and realized that going to Verona was a real possibility for us. I can't put my finger on it but at some point I began to see Italy in everything around me.

At first it started as shows on the travel channel about Venice, Milan, Florence and even Verona itself. Italian cooking shows on the food network, any news that had anything to do with the country and people who've visited there telling me all about their trips. I notice when things are made in Italy in stores or when people have Italian names. The other night I saw Matthew Fox from Lost on a talk show and found out his wife is Italian. How interesting. Then, there's the soccer...don't even get me started on the soccer. We love Soccer and can't wait to live in a country where it's so popular. Everywhere I look, everywhere I go...I notice anything that has to do with Italy.

I've been thinking today how important it is for me to be like that in my walk with God...to see Him in everything around me. Things happen in life that we don't always understand. We hurt, we get angry, we lose, we get dissapointed and end up confused. Yet, if we keep our eyes open and our heads up we can see God in all those situations. We can see how He worked in and through us to strengthen our faith. I also think about the times of love, rejoicing, happiness and peace. I see God working in little areas of my life to bring me laughter when I need it, joy when I choose it instead of a bad attitude and peace even when I don't understand it. I am thankful to have a God that works even in the smallest ways to show He's there and He loves us, that He can take any situation and work it out to make us better. I can't help but to think how in Italy we are all going to have good days and bad days...but in all those days, God will be working to make us stronger and equip us to do the task He's given us.

-Savannah Eaton

Pierre

I just got through reading a wonderful little book by Maurice Sendak entitled, Pierre, a Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue. In it, our title character would say nothing but, "I don't care!" No matter what his mother or father did or said, he would still reply with, "I don't care!"

One night, a hungry and extremely polite lion came to Pierre's home and expressed his desire to eat him. The apathetic boy replied as usual. Several times the lion strove to make sure that Pierre really meant it when he said, "I don't care!" After repeating himself no less than seven times, Pierre was eaten by the lion.

There's more to the story, but you'll have to read it on your own to find out what happens. However, I can tell you the moral of the story: CARE!

Sometimes, in various stages of our lives, we see the apathy in the attitudes of the people around us. Sometimes, we see it in ourselves. Resist! Don't give in! In this world, the lost need us to care. They need us to go. They need us to do whatever we need to do in order to share with them the good news of Jesus! Continue to fight the good fight. Care.

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

As the Wheel Turns

So, as we are in the states, one of the objectives was to recruit the team, which really means trusting in God to form the team and listening to the Spirit as we follow Him. We hope to have recruitment finished within the next month. Then we can shift as a team towards "long-distance-bonding". So far, Angie and I are the only ones who have met or spent time with each of our team members in person! I know it has got to be strange for our team, who is just getting to know who they are going to be ministering with!

Our time for being in the states has been extended from the end of June to the end of September. Having that extra time is important for our team to get more of a base in their financial support, as well as giving us a chance to do more VBS programs and camps.

Everything we do in the states impacts our future work in Verona. It is the foundation for what we will build on as a team once we arrive in Verona. May God's will be ours.

Such Amazing Love

I have long been fascinated at the ways that God has placed himself and his message of redemption and reconciliation in the cultures of the world. In China we were often fascinated to learn of stories or traditions that gave an opening for us to share. Even within the Jewish culture, where they had so much from him, he left them messages. Things that say, "Look! Jesus is the Messiah! It could only be him!"

For several years now we as a family have been learning about some of the Jewish holidays. We are slow and bumbling as we celebrate these things, but they have such wonderful pictures and lessons in them. We have been celebrating Passover. Though officially Passover isn't for a bit yet this year, we try to celebrate it in connection with Easter- since that is the way it was for Jesus. This year we "cheated" and participated in a seder presented by Jews for Jesus.

There are so many wonderful, beautiful parts. Bryan loves the search for the affikomen. This is a broken piece of matzah that was taken from the middle of three sections of a special cloth. It is wrapped in linen and hidden away for a time during the meal. Then the children seek it out and are paid a ransom for it. Many Jews aren't even sure why the cloth has three sections....can you see the picture there?

This is the piece of matzah- an unleavened bread made so that it is pierced, has stripes and bruises, and is broken- that Jesus took and gave to his disciples when he set up the Lord's supper.

Out of the four cups of wine that are taken during the meal, it is the cup of redemption that Jesus used for the time we remember as the Lord's supper. The cup of redemption- no coincidence there!

How perfectly wonderful that in a feast celebrated for more than a thousand years before Jesus came there are these messages. I have only shared a couple with you. There are more! What love to take the time to carefully place these clues and reminders everywhere! How carefully planned! How much love and care is that! To set these things up when he set the world in motion!

What has he placed in Italy? What things in their culture will we find that are shouting about him to the dear people he loves there? I can't wait to find out!

The Spirit and the Mind

In Creole, the language spoken in Haiti, your intelligence and and "spirit" are all rolled into one concept. They are the same thing. As a child is gaining a conscience of where things go, how to put things together, the routine of things... as Americans we say, "Oh! She's getting so smart!" Haitians however say, "Oh! She begins to have a spirit!"

Maybe we as Americans need to start thinking more with our spirit and the Spirit within us along with our smarts.

Welcome Brandon and Savannah

As you know we have been recruiting for the Verona team while we are in the states. In fact, it is us along with many of you praying that God forms the team He wants in Verona. About a week ago, we welcomed aboard the latest team members, Brandon and Savannah Eaton. Brandon and Savannah will be leading in the areas of youth and children, which includes outreach, disicipleship ministry, etc... I look forward to sharing more about them as we go along. Praise God for bringing this team together.

The Agon

As you know, this year is an Olympic year. I’m looking forward to watching them on TV because I love the Olympics, but also, because they’re being held in Beijing. I’m anxious to see how China cleans up its capital city for the event.

Recently, I watched a documentary about the early Olympics. The first recorded Olympic race was held in 776 BC and the games continued until AD 394. They were renewed in 1896 and have continued (excepting three years during World Wars I and II) to the present time.

The early games included foot races, jumping, discus throwing, javelin throwing, wrestling, boxing, and chariot races. These contests were called agon in Greek.

This word is also used in the New Testament. Hebrews 12:1 says, “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” The word “race” here is that same word, agon.

Similarly, in I Timothy 6:12, Paul encourages Timothy to “Fight the good fight of the faith” and in II Timothy 4:7 and 8, Paul, in his later years, declares, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” In the phrase, “fight the good fight,” the Greek verb is agonizo and the noun is agon from which we get our English words agonize and agony. Paul states that he has “agonized” and won the “agon.”

Sometimes, I think I can really relate to Paul. Life seems like agony at times. I hate support-raising. It seems like agony to me. But that’s the phase I’m in right now in my life and ministry and that’s what’s needed for us to be able to go and share the good news of God’s grace with the Italian people.

Struggling with sin. Struggling “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). These are all a part of the agon we are called to fight, too.

I’m know that what I’m going through is nothing compared with what Paul went through with his beatings and imprisonments. But, I still find a kindred spirit there.

And, what of Christ? Luke records (in 22:44) his struggle on the Mount of Olives: “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” Anguish here, is – you guessed it – that Greek word agon again. Jesus was in agony, but not just agony, he was in agon. That is, he was in a fight, a struggle, a competition for a prize. And do you know what that prize was? It was us. It was our salvation.

For the Christian, the goal of the agon is always salvation, whether ours or others'. Let us agonize the good agon together, for the salvation of many around the world!

The Upside to Suffering

I have always hated the thought of suffering. The big stuff kind of scares me. You know....someone I love dying, having some terrible disease, or facing major persecution. But I am beginning to see, just the corner mind you, of the good side to suffering. I am contemplating how it brings us closer to God. I wasn't sure it made sense to me till yesterday a couple of things helped to make that clearer.

My kids have been sick. They are big kids these days and having them sick doesn't entail all it has in the past. But my energetic 9 year old boy, Bryan, who is the most likely to forget to kiss Mama goodbye, crashed. He just needed a nap so badly. He wanted to snuggle and have me read him a book. Not that he doesn't like that sort of thing on other occasions, but it's not his first choice for an afternoon activity on an average day.

It reminds me of when Jessica was little. She was my shadow. She was happy as long as she could see me. But when she was sick, she wanted to be held. We read stories and watched movies, over and over, but she wouldn't do that alone. She wanted to be on my lap. Then she was content and it didn't matter how yucky she felt, life was okay and everything was going to be fine.

Being sick and feeling bad pushed my kids to want to spend extra time with me. It reassured them that life was still going along well and comforted them. Wow! That's how I am with God. When things are good I spend some time with him and I think of him from time to time throughout the day. But when things get tough I need him right there. I'm talking to him for long periods and just taking comfort from his promises and his word.

So, I'm finally getting it, to a small degree. Suffering has an upside. It's getting to spend extra time with my heavenly father!

Tit for Tat

I'm trying to imagine how my life in Italy will be different that it is here in Haiti. I most often think about this in the kitchen. Here, I make things in bulk and freeze them in the big deep freezer downstairs. Because we get things shipped in from Sam's Club, when I open a bag of chicken, it's a BAG of chicken. So, I just go ahead and use a lot of it. Then, I have nice little individual servings of lasagna, enchiladas, or whatever. I even make huge batches of bread dough and freeze them in little balls - perfect for individual buns or pizzas.

This morning, as I was putting my frozen breakfast taco in the toaster oven, and thought... oh, I'll really miss being able to freeze so much. With European sized freezers, a month's worth of breakfast tacos will not be an option.

But then I took the salsa out of the fridge and thought, "Oh! But I will get to make my own salsa with fresh peppers and huge tomatoes!"

It seems that for every thing I imagine I'll loose, there will be something else knew to discover.

I think this is how God works. There are always blessings... always surprises... always little prizes waiting for us when we obey Him. For me, I can't wait for those fresh vegetables!

You're invited for dinner. We'll have a salad with artichokes and beautiful bell peppers and the freshest of olives. And soft mozzarella cheese. Don't even get me started talking about the cheese.

Recruiting, Recruiting, Recruiting

We have involved in several facets of the ministry since the first of the year. We have already started visiting churches to talk about our ministry. Last week we started taking a semester long class called "Perspectives". It is really good and you can read more about it on our personal blog (http://www.thecrossers.com/blog/2008/01/perspectives.html). But the aspect of our ministry that is taking the most time right now is recruiting. As you can see on our team's website, we are still recruiting for youth ministry, children's ministry and music outreach/worship ministry. We are spending hours on the phone and writing emails. It is receiving applications and reading them. It is calling references and checking with others who are involved in the decision making process. I love it! I think we are almost at a point of having our initial team formed though and that is a good thing. It allows us to focus on all the other things that need to get done before the initial team is ready to go to the field.

Gifts and Giftings

Here we are entering into a new year. So naturally our thoughts turn to new beginnings, fresh adventures, but most of all...finishing our year end reports. Ugh. As you know, I have been struggling with getting our mission finance records in order since we arrived back in the States. I won't go into the details, but it has been a fiasco. (Is that an Italian word? If it's not, it should be!) Anyway, I finally told Ann I needed her help. As she sat down next to me and started to put the pieces of the jigsaw mess together, she said something to the effect of, "You know, I really like doing work like this." Good Lord! I *hate* doing work like this. Figures, numbers, paperwork. I'd rather slash my wrists! But, God in His infinite foresight -- and mercy -- gave me Ann. To each one, God has given various gifts and talents. Mine is definitely not figures and finance. But, praise God, Ann's is. She definitely compliments me in many ways, and believe me, that's a *big* job! I think we just might be on track by the 15th.