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. 

Faith Raising

Brandon and I have been at this Support Raising thing for about 4 months now. I can't believe it has been that long. When I look back to April when we started I would have thought by August we would have alot more money coming in and be a whole lot closer to our goal. I could easily get discouraged and think that God's not going to hear our prayers and provide for our need but I know we're going to get there. It seems everytime I get stressed or worried about it I am reminded of what powerful and loving God we serve.

We were driving home from Indianapolis the other night and as we drove by a church the message on their sign stood out to me. It said "Where God guides, He provides." That little statement really rang true for me. I think back to last summer when Brandon and I were searching for where God wanted us to go and what capacity He wanted us to serve. As we stayed on that path constantly seeking God's direction and guidance we found the opportunity on the Verona team and before we knew it, God had put us where we belong. I know every appointment with a church missions board, every connection we establish, every email we send, and every dollar that comes in is a step towards our goal. All of these things are blessings and gifts from God. I try to not take any of them for granted but it's so easy to forget that we're not the ones controling who gives us money and who meets with us...it's our mighty God.

I just pray that as each person on our team strives to get to Verona that we all remember throughout every step that even though there is alot to accomplish, God will meet us half way. He'll be there to guide us and He will be there to give us all we need to complete the work He has called us to do.

Morning Devotions

This morning I was reading an exerpt from Blaise Pascal. He was talking about the amazing contradictions that we are as humans. There isn't another creature on the planet with the same kind of duality that we have. On the one hand we, who were created in God's image longing for a restored relationship with Him (even when we don't know that we long for it). We are capable of great love, service, and devotions through God. Yet on the other hand we have our fallen nature. We do the wrong thing more than we do what we know to be right. We seek out all sorts of carnal desires and pleasures and we lie, steal, and hate without thinking twice. No other species in the world could produce an Adolf Hitler and a Mother Theresa in the same gene pool.

Pascal went on to say that for him, no other religion gives a satisfactory explanation for this dual nature that we all have inside us besides the Gospel of Jesus. Even the shadow side of our hearts scream out and testify to the name of Jesus Christ!

I was thinking about this in my own life. I know that I have a long way to go before that final nail gets driven into my flesh and he stays down for the count. I daily have to pin him to the ground and tune out his protests. But he does not control me anymore. What a blessing to have the strength of Christ in my arms as I wrestle to the ground the old me and remind him that Someone Else is in charge now. What peace and what joy to finally have clarity of thought and a clear vision without all the duality that plagues us all. I am so thankful that I'm on the road to be a singular person, a person that imitates Jesus Christ. When I look back just a couple of years and see the things I've done or the way I've treated some people, I am humbled. I know that I will probably have that same experience a couple years from now when I'm farther on this daily journey with my Lord and Savior. Above all, I'm thankful that if we just open oursleves up (with all our filth and duality) God's Spirit will enter in, and that before long when people look at us they'll see Him instead. That's the ultimate goal.

Thoughts from Above

I will start this blog with some lyrics from a talented group called BarlowGirl:

I waited for You, today

but You didn't show, no 

I needed You, today; so where did You go?

You told me call, said you'd be there

and though I haven't seen You 

are You still there?

I cried out with no reply and 

I can't feel You by my side so

I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here, and I'm never alone 

And though  I can't not see You

And I can't explain why 

Such a deep deep reassurance

You placed in my life

We cannot separate cause You're part of me

and though your invisible I'll trust the unseen

I cried out with no reply and 

I can't feel You by my side so

I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here, and I'm never alone

We cannot separate, You're part of me

Though You're invisible, I'll trust the unseen

I cried out with no reply and 

I can't feel You by my side so

I'll hold tight to what I know

You're here, and I'm never alone 

This song speaks the truth in how some of us feel about the presence of God.  God is not limited to time or space, but we are.  Therefore, we find comfort in physical touch and what we can see to classify certain reality.  Although these things are important, I think that our relationship with God is a challenge against time, space and certain humanly comforts that we have.  We cannot see God, but know He's there.  Though he is physically invisible, He is visible as we apply His teachings to our daily life.  Ultimately, we are never alone.  That is more comforting than any physical touch or gift of sight in this world.  

Signing off,

Brandi Shea Davis

Free Hugs!

The other day I was surfing the web and I came across information about something called the Free Hugs Campaign. It was started by this guy who goes by the name of Juan Mann. How did it all get started? Read what Juan Mann had to say:

"I'd been living in London when my world turned upside down and I'd had to come home. By the time my plane landed back in Sydney, all I had left was a carry on bag full of clothes and a world of troubles. No one to welcome me back, no place to call home. I was a tourist in my hometown.

"Standing there in the arrivals terminal, watching other passengers meeting their waiting friends and family, with open arms and smiling faces, hugging and laughing together, I wanted someone out there to be waiting for me. To be happy to see me. To smile at me. To hug me.

"So I got some cardboard and a marker and made a sign. I found the busiest pedestrian intersection in the city and held that sign aloft, with the words "Free Hugs" on both sides.

"And for 15 minutes, people just stared right through me. The first person who stopped, tapped me on the shoulder and told me how her dog had just died that morning. How that morning had been the one year anniversary of her only daughter dying in a car accident. How what she needed now, when she felt most alone in the world, was a hug. I got down on one knee, we put our arms around each other and when we parted, she was smiling.

"Everyone has problems and for sure mine haven't compared. But to see someone who was once frowning, smile even for a moment, is worth it every time."

Soon, Juan Mann started doing this every week. Not long afterward, someone videotaped what was happening and posted it on YouTube. (Check it out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4). After that, people with Free Hugs signs started cropping up all over the world. While you are on YouTube, check out the other related links, too.

People are so hungry for love. We have love. God's perfect love. What a perfect arrangement! Let's share it!

Nothing Lasts Forever

The recurring theme in my life lately seems to be a reminder that nothing lasts forever. This is a good thing sometimes and sometimes it feels very sad. But either way it is something to help as we go along.

I remember when my kids were all little and John's mom lived with us. We had several years when we wondered if we were ever going to be able to sleep through the whole night again. Teething, chicken pox, kids with colds, endless laundry (ok, so that hasn't slowed down all that much...we just don't do diapers any more!) But here we are- John's mom is in heaven and our babies have grown. In fact, now I'm wishing we had more time. Jess and Luke are just a couple of years out from heading off to college. The trips they've taken lately have meant a much different atmosphere around our house. We miss them. I think of all the things I had intended to teach them. Time seems really short.

So when I think of having our departure delayed yet again, I remind myself that this transition won't last forever. We'll be in Verona soon. I can be patient with this for a while longer. When I think of the kids heading out, I hope this reminder will motivate me to prioritize well and teach them what I can while I can. I hope it reminds me that the people around me won't always be able to make a choice for salvation.

Oh, and the statement isn't exactlytrue. One of these days Jesus is coming back and we're heading home, where we get to be with him FOREVER. I'm glad that's what will last.

Church Camp!!

A couple of weeks Brandon and I worked at a week of 5th and 6th grade church camp. We were the "camp missionaries" for the week. We got to share with the kids about Italy and what we'll be doing in Verona. We also got a chance to make some good connections and gained a few prayer partners in the process.

We had lots of fun with our presentations. We tried to make it as interesting and fun as possible. Our favorite thing we did was game we like to call "Spaghetti Face". We dyed spaghetti about 5 different colors and let the kids through it at two of the counselors faces. They loved it! It made a giant mess though and the kids kept stealing it off the stage to keep it. One of the children's ministers there said that on Sunday after camp a mother of one of the campers came up to her and told her he son came home with a really stinky suitcase. When she started going through it she find a giant wad of colored spaghetti! Our game was a hit, so much so the kids wanted souvenirs!

The best thing about the week to me is getting to know the kids and just be around them. I love it...which is good since I am filling the role of children's minister on the Verona team. I can't wait to get to know the children of Verona and see how God uses me to reach them. I'm sure it will be frustrating at times and wonderful at other times but one things for sure, with kids it is always going to be interesting!

-Savannah

Hocus Pocus

When Ann and I were in Louisville for Launch not too long ago, we had the pleasure of attending Shivcly CC. The gentleman who was doing the communion meditation shared with us the origins of the phrase hocus pocus. Now, any true Harry Potter fan (and you know who you are) surely knows the current meaning of hocus pocus. It is, today, simply a meaningless phrase used by a magician to confuse or distract his audience so that they do not see what is really happening. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain, Dorothy ... (That was for you, Brandi!)

But the probable origin of this phrase is what is most interesting. Most likely it comes from Roman Catholic masses during the time of communion when the priest would quote in Latin the words of Christ, "This is (my) body...," "hoc est (enim) corpus (meum)." Of course, most of us are familiar with the Catholic teaching of transubstantiation, whereby the wafer of bread, upon the utterance of these words, is believed to become the actually body of Jesus. It is likewise taught in Catholicism that the wine becomes the actual blood of Jesus. To the layperson of years gone by, it may have seemed that the words spoken by the priest were magic and in themselves had the power to conjure up God himself! Of course, perhaps it was quite the opposite. Perhaps, seeing no real change to the wafer and wine, they felt the priest's usage of "hoc est corpus" was merely to confuse or distract them so that they wouldn't realize that no change actually took place. This phrase was later corrupted into "hocus pocus."

As you may have noticed, I really get into word origins. Did you know that "hokey pokey," "hanky panky," and "hoax," all are of the same derivation? I think that's cool.

But, what's the point? (Ok, I'm pulling a Brandon...what is the point? Oh, here, I've got one!) There is no magic in communion. No magic in the crucifixion. Or is there? How about the magic of unconditional love. The magic of grace. The magic of God dying for me? Ok, maybe magic isn't the right word, but it is definitely supernatural. It's definitely a miracle beyond comprehension, explanation, and understanding.

That's what we have to share with the people of Italy, from whence came this hocus pocus. We have the truth. The reality. We have the genuine Christ, and him crucified, to share with the Italian people. I can't wait to get there to fulfill the calling God has for me.

Cars...

I am currently having car trouble. I have been having car trouble since August of last year. It is the same problem, and I have taken it in to get fixed five times now. Everytime I take it in I am so excited to get it back and not have to worry about it anymore, and then alas the problem comes back. What is this probem you may ask? Well, once the care goes over 60 mph (which means this probloem happens exclusively on busy interstates) something happens that makes the car completely stall out once it goes back down below 20 mph. This means that everytime we get off of an exit, I have to pop the car into neutral and coast it onto the shoulder where we sit for 5-10 minutes.

After that the car starts like it has no problem and then we repeat the same thing. It gets really interesting if we are on a toll road or if we get into stop and go traffic on the highway. When we go on road trips I am a nervous mess the whole time (like the 22 hour roundtrip we just took to go to a week of church camp). So after hudreds of dollars this problem is still going on. I just got it "fixed" the most recent before we left for our most recent adventure, and yet somehow I was still coasting off exits with a car that was turned off.

Partially, I just wanted to rant about how annoying this is and send it out into cyberspace for some mental catharsis. In fact, when I started typing this, my only plan was to vent and I had no real plans to connect this story as an illustration for the Christian life. However, as i was e-complaining I was thinking about this, and my car kind of reminds me of the lost, the people that we will try to reach in Italy. When you don't have God you know something is wrong with you, you know something is missing. You can try to diagnose this problem a million different ways. Maybe you would feel better if you finally found that special someone, or if you had a better job, if you settled down and had some kids. Some people try to solve their problem with dangerous things like illicit drug use, casual sex, unhealthy addictions of all shapes and sizes. All of these things will always have the same result. You will think you are fixed, and that everything is finally going to go well, but it won't, and you will be coasting onto the shoulder of the next exit. God is the only fix. He is the only one who can restore our fallen lives and our broken bodies. I'm beginning to think he is the only hope for my car as well.

-Brandon

Reply from Dorthy!

When I went to California for an internship I was teased at least once a week by one of the kids in the youth group about Dorthy, the Wizard of Oz or some comment of how boring Kansas is.  So, I felt it appropriate to title my blog post "Reply from Dorthy!" to let everyone who reads this post know that I am from the middle of the United States, Kansas.  I love it and it's home.  

You know at the beginning of the movie when Dorthy's house gets picked up into a tornado, which eventually led her to the land of Oz?  Well, right now, my life is a whirling tornado.  Even though I feel this certain way; it will lead me to the Land of Oz eventually.  Life is not easy, it can feel like a tornado or it might be as joyful as the sounds of singing munchkins from munchkin land.  All in all, the Lord is the same and never changes!  That's encouraging to me. 

For now, I will leave you with a scripture that pops into my mind when I don't have control and feel like a tornado is making my life one big pile of debris. 

Habakkuk 3:17-19 

Though the fig tree does not bud 

       and there are no grapes on the vines, 

       though the olive crop fails 

       and the fields produce no food, 

       though there are no sheep in the pen 

       and no cattle in the stalls,

 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, 

       I will be joyful in God my Savior.

 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; 

       he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, 

       he enables me to go on the heights. 

       For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

Have a great week!

Brandi Shea Davis 

Cravings... Holy and Otherwise

I am craving rain. While half of the country is literally overflowing with it, south Texas hasn't had a drop. And I am desperate for it.

I love water. I love to drink, shower, bathe, swim, dip my toes, run my hands in it. And I love to watch it rain. In the rain I am renewed.

My parents have been gone for a few days. I'm being lazy. I'm waking up later and spending time in front of the T.V. I'm reading an autobiography and taking long baths. But, something has been strange about all of this... feeling little nervous butterflies in my stomach. And I couldn't put my finger on it. Until this morning. Ahh... My quiet time with the Lord has been postponed with all my leisurely activities. I've been doing it late (yesterday not until 2). It's not a sin issue. It's a "what's best"/"First Love" issue. Those butterflies are a craving for the Word. For Prayer.

Hmmmm...

So, please excuse me. I'm going to be alone now... well, almost.

Welcome Brandi Davis

In April of this year we welcomed another team member, Brandi Davis. She is a graduate of Manhatten Christian College and is from Wichita, Kansas. Along with all of our team members, once she gets to the field, she will be spending the first year learning the language and studying culture. After that, she will be leading in the areas of Music Outreach and Worship Development. She is a great addition to a wonderfully God-formed team and comes highly recommended. Yesterday, Angie and I got to see Brandi and meet her family. We were leaving a camp in Horton, Kansas so we drove through Wichita on the way home. Soon, you will be reading her thoughts alongside the rest of our team here, as she navigates this life of being a missionary.

bon apetite

For those of you who don't know yet, I am the pickiest eater in the entire world. When I say picky, I mean it. I like everything plain and I have alot of trouble trying new food or anything that looks different than what I am used too. I've been like this since I was little. At the age of 10, my mom had to pay me 5 bucks to try a cheeseburger. I didn't even try scrambled eggs until I was 20. For Brandon's birthday a couple years ago, I tried chinese food. Don't even get me started on the Ethiopian Restaurant we went to at Launch. That was a hard one for me.

I am making a serious effort get better about trying things. Since we moved to Indiana, I have tried about 4 new things. This is due mostly to my understanding and patient husband and his mother who is the best cook in the world. They never force me or really make me try anything. They just tell me what's in it and let me make up my mind. This approach tends to work the best. Anyways, This is a really big deal for me. Ussually, I will only try about one new thing every two years.

Why the sudden burst of adventurous eating?

If you would have asked me to consider being a missionary 5 years ago, I would have probably said no and my main reason behind that would have been that I am a picky eater. I couldn't handle the thought of new cuisine and new ingredients. One would think this would be a huge concern for me now as we plan and prepare for Italy. It's not though. Knowing this would be a hard thing for me, I began praying about it as soon as I knew we might go to Italy. I can already see God working in this area of my life. The four new foods I have tried should attest to that. I just know I can't let the fact that it's hard for me to try new food to jeopardize the call God's put on my life.

It may not be eating new food, but we all have something to overcome in order to accomplish the tasks God has set out for us. For missionaries it might be learning the language, adjusting to being away from home or differences in culture. It could also be getting over our pride and asking for God to help us no matter how trivial our issues might seem. Whatever it is we have to overcome, God can help us if we just ask him.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood!

The summer theme for the youth group at the church we are attending right now is "Old School". The Youth Minister is taking Bible stories that a lot of the kids have heard when they were younger in sunday school, and using them in a new way to speak to where the kids are now in this current stage of life. It' a really fun concept, and the gigantic flanal boards that are used to recreate the story as it is being told is awesome!! Because this is a throw back to younger years, another thing we do is have the actual text of the Bible in each sotry read by Mr. Rogers, who makes his signautre singing entrance each evening that we have youth group. Guess who got drafted to be Mr. Rogers? That's right, me. It's pretty funny I think. I messed up the song the second time because the zipper of my cardigan got caught on my tie as I was singing and changing into my "leisure wear". So I get flustered with my zipper and start singing again a line to late, and I'm a stanza behind for the rest of the song until the music abruptly shuts off while iI'm still asking the audience if they would be my neighbor.

Well, I was talking to someone about Mr. Rogers and he was a really amazing guy. He used the medium of television to reach millions of children, and he did this because he knew that for some kids he would be the only one in their life that could treat them lovingly and be a positive influence. Fred Rogers was a shining light for a lot of lonely kids. If that's not missions I don't know what is. Did you know that the whole time Fred Rogers was getting his TV show off the ground he was enrolled in seminary and studying to be a minister as well? I thought that this was just something goofy to get a laugh out of the kids, but once I learned a little more about Mr. Rogers, I realized what an awesome impact he made in this world. I hope that I can be a shining light to the children and youth in Verona and treat them with the love, care , and respect that Fred Rogers did every weekday afternoon on PBS.

Alright I have to go. It's time to feed the fish...

Brandon

Amen!

[Below is a poem I really like by Adrian Plass. Brandi has already heard me read it when Ann and I gave our "trial" presentation at LAUNCH. It kind of reflects what it feels to me to be a missionary at times. Enjoy. -John]

"When I Became a Christian," by Adrian Plass

When I became a Christian I said, "Lord, now fill me in,
Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin."
He said, "Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
Do you still want to follow me?" I said, "Amen! – I think.
I think Amen, Amen I think, I think I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say my body may be killed and left to rot and stink,
Well, yes, that sounds teriffic, Lord, I say Amen – I think.

"But, Lord, there must be other ways to follow you," I said,
"I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed."
"Well, yes," he said, "you could put up with sneers and scorn and spit,
Do you still want to follow me?" I said, "Amen! – a bit.
A bit Amen, Amen a bit, a bit I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say I could put up with sneers and also scorn and spit,
Well, yes, I’ve made my mind up, and I say Amen! – a bit."

Well, I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy.
"Now, Lord," I said, "the Good Book says that Christians live in joy."
"That’s true," he said, "you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
So do you still want to follow me?" I said, "Amen! – tomorrow.
Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll say it then, that’s when I’ll say Amen,
I need to get it clear, can I just run through that again?
You said I will need the joy, to bear the pain and sorrow,
Well, yes, I think I’ve got it straight, I’ll say, Amen – tomorrow."

He said, "Look, I’m not asking you to spend an hour with me,
A quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
The cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit.
Now tell me, will you follow me?" I said, "Amen! – No! I quit.
I’m very sorry, Lord," I said, "I’d like to follow you,
But I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do."
He said, "Forget religion then, and think about my Son,
And tell me if you’re man enough to do what he has done.

"Are you man enough to see the need, and man enough to go,
Man enough to care for those whom no one wants to know,
Man enough to say the thing that people hate to hear,
To battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear.
And listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
The moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend,
Are you man enough to hold your tongue, and man enough to cry,
When the nails break your body – are you man enough to die?
Man enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
Man enough to love the world and turn it upside down,
Are you man enough to follow me?, I ask you once again."
I said, "Oh Lord, I’m frightened," but I also said, "Amen."
"Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,"
I said, "Oh Lord, I’m so frightened," but I also said, "Amen."

First Transition of Many

We just recently left our prior employment to start raising funds and preparing for Italy full-time. It's been kind of a weird feeling so far. We are living in Wabash, IN with my parents to lower living expenses as we raise funds. They have been wonderful and it's so nice to have that support as we enter in to this new season of our lives. I thought it would be odd to live with my family again and bring a wife along with me to boot. It actually has been pretty smooth and feels fairly organic and normal, which might make me odd rather than the situation. We were able to get a part-time position at the church we are attending while we are here. We get to clean the church during the week. The hours are really flexible and it is a gift from God to have a way to still have some money for bills coming in as we're doing this.

I think the hardest thing to get used to now is how slow things can move sometimes. When you are working a full-time job and trying to get things accomplished for your preparations and fundraising in your spare-time, you stay super-busy and things feel like a whirlwind. When you have a lot of your time to completely devote to this stage, things seem to move slower. At first that seemed a little backwards to me. However, I guess just because I have a lot more time to devote to this, doesn't mean all the churches and people we're talking to do. They are just as busy as ever with all the other things they have going on. Before, if someone wouldn't call me back for a week I hardly noticed, because my week was busy with other things too. Now, it feels a little different. You just can't really make a person fit into your to-do lists. That's OK though. I think we've struggled a little bit at first trying to figure out a schedule, how to best use our time, and just getting use to this new arrangement. Things are starting to move though and we are so happy that God has given us the resources and opportunities to focus on this mission He's given to the Verona team.

-Brandon