July-August 2008: Love Story - Will the Day Ever Come?
Jambo! Is our Swahili greeting-of-the-month - it's from East Africa.
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1. Matters that Matter - Love Story: Will the Day Ever Come?
2. Profound & Pithy - Wisdom Down the Ages
3. A Very Full Potpourri from the eTouch Boutique
4. Donna's Corner - Being Like Christ
5. Renewal Gatherings - 'Israel 2009' & More
1. Love Story: Will the Day Ever Come?
Laurie's Song
Will the day ever come
When I find someone
Who will love me for who I am?
Is my time for love gone?
I have waited so long
Still I'm trusting You know
What's best for me
© JoEllyn Wright 2006
I suppose that in many cultures the oldest daughter should marry first and then on down the line to the youngest. In cultures where marriages are arranged by the parents, this might be simple and straightforward. But that's not how it happened in our family; amazingly, each life partner for each girl was hand-picked by God. The youngest was first and the oldest waited; and waited; and waited.
Donna and I - and our daughters - seemed to have learned during our time in missions that lifetime decisions like the marriage of our kids were best left up to God. It wasn't that we were more spiritual, it was simply that trusting God in all areas of our life had become the norm. This didn't eliminate all worries and anxieties about our kids because we knew that not every woman - or man - needs to be married; the apostle Paul was quite clear on that (1 Cor 7).
But I'm fairly sure that our girls went through times of wondering 'who' and 'when' and 'if' as they grew up in an environment where sadly, the marriage deck seemed to be stacked against girls; should they stay in missions when they well knew that generally, two out of three missionaries are women (do the math); this is more a commentary upon the missing men than it is on the high proportion of women serving God in missions; where are those men? [I learned a hard lesson a few years ago; I wrote a satirical article asking, "Where are the men?" And then proceeded to offer a solution - remember this was satire - and my solution was that every missionary family might take a single woman into their household, thus evening things up. Though most people 'got it,' some were highly offended by the implications. I thereupon retired from the use of satire as a literary tool.]
As recounted in earlier editions of eTouch, Michelle and Julie were married just five months apart, one to an Australian, the other to a Samoan. Donna and I were blessed with two wonderful sons-in-law, followed by eight grandchildren who love Jesus. Two daughters down and one to go - we knew that we didn't need to be thinking about another wedding any time soon. We were right; the wait proved to be 16 years.
And the next one didn't come easy, as Laurie the oldest was still having constant pain from chronic medical infirmities. Donna and I by then, were established in Vancouver with this ministry of encouragement to former YWAM missionaries. Laurie served faithfully with us, though there were frequent interruptions for hospital stays, doctor's visits and many days when she was confined to bed. This went on for many years and I confess I lost much hope of Laurie living any kind of a normal life, let alone ever getting married.
Mark 5:26 came to me frequently; "She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse."
Finally, in crisis, she had a major operation to remove all but 2 inches of her permanently-paralyzed large intestine. Together with some personal life counseling, this brought a growing improvement in Laurie's overall wellness. Approaching 45, vitally effective in ministry and much loved as auntie to eight nephews and nieces, marriage for Laurie did not seem to be in the offing - if ever. She had become a key and integral part of the ministry, and frankly I didn't know what we'd do without her.
But the ways of God are sometimes beyond our understanding. Early each year, Donna and I would make the long trek Down Under to direct Camps for the alumni of YWAM. These trips were a double blessing, for not only did we get to see parts of New Zealand and Australia and meet many of our alumni, but we also were able to spend time with our 'baby' daughter Michelle and her growing family.
When she was 43, Laurie accompanied us to help serve in the Australian Camp. Pete Worrall, a single man of 44, who had attended the Camps for several years, was there as usual and Donna (in her own and inimitable way) asked, "Why are you still single, Pete?" with the suggestion that he might consider striking up a friendship with Laurie. This he did via a few emails over the next year.
Eventually Laurie asked him if he had ever asked the Lord about joining YWAM Associates in Canada. He went to the Lord and felt him say "Yes," and that he would be in Canada with us sometime the following year (2006). But due to underwhelming encouragement and a lack of support from his employer, friends and family, he backed off. The following year Laurie came with us to Australia again and this time she and Pete actually had a couple of conversations.
Early during the week of Camp, Pete had gone to the House of Prayer to seriously ask God if he had missed it and should he indeed be moving to Canada. He sensed a release from the Lord to do that and told Donna and me that the Lord had spoken.
Our speaker that week had been David Demian, Director of Watchmen for the Nations in Canada. Following our Lovefeast on the final evening, David came over to Laurie and somewhat cryptically said, "The Lord says to keep the door open."
Was David referring to Pete's joining us on staff, or was there a hidden meaning? On the final morning of Camp, Laurie and Pete finally sat down over coffee, and the first words out of his mouth were, "God has re-opened the door for me to come to Canada." Laurie perked up her ears when for the second time in 12 hours she heard about the ‘door being open.' Camp ended, Laurie came home and almost immediately a series of emails and MSN chats started flying between Canada & Australia. Pete booked his ticket for the end of April.
So, YWAM Associates staff was going to grow by 25%. But little did we know what else the package contained. (For the rest of the story, tune in next month.)
Be blessed,
Peter
2. Profound & Pithy - Wisdom Down the Ages
God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way.
Max Lucado
Adversity doesn't build character; it reveals it. Anonymous
Showing mercy to the wolf is showing cruelty to the sheep. Puritan
Christ always identified Himself with the least, the last, and the lost. Unknown
The greatest need we have is not to do things, but to believe things.
Oswald Chambers
Growth is not more knowledge or increase of years; it is simply more of Him and less of me. He increases as I decrease. This is what it means to be a disciple.
Chip Brogden
Worldliness is what any particular culture does to make sin look normal and righteousness look strange. David Wells
Our Faith must be tested. God builds no ships but what He sends to sea. D.L. Moody
It doesn't take an extraordinary person - just devotion to our extraordinary God - to live an extraordinary life. Unknown
3. A Very Full Potpourri from the eTouch Boutique
Cryptic & Coded letter from a radical in Myanmar (Burma) . . .
i have been here for 2 weeks (feels like 2 months) and so much has happened already. i have been able to supply aid to over 300 orphans, food, shelter, gospel given to those forgotten by aid workers and own people. many will turn; in process of rescuing more than 30-50 c's (children?), taken to safety and learning of the great deliverer. having strategic meetings with divine appointments . . . awesome how papa leads me, so hard here for the burmese people, dead bodies still in the delta, rains everyday and hot beyond belief, definite monsoon weather. met with 19 orphans living in broken down chrh an hour north; wading thru water and mud and leeches, ETC, but got there and want so much to help more; so frustrating, told them that papa had not forgotten them, gave funds for rice/curry for next month plus other help. much love in our big bro, CB [CB came THIS close to being kicked out of her DTS. I know; I almost did the kicking. Ed]
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Our oldest daughter did her DTS in Australia and we are encouraging each of our other two to go as well which says a lot about how we feel about our YWAM experience! A DTS is such a great centre-piece to launching one's direction in life and also giving a fabulous foundation for our Christian walk. I still talk of my amazing YWAM experience over 20 yrs later! Lori Girard (nee Navey)
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Thank you for this last eTouch. It was a real blessing. I can really relate to you - I am very independent and fear vulnerability more than anything. CJ, USA
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Thank you so much for your inspiring words in eTouch! I especially appreciated the Myanmar story and how we can have that same attitude (of independence) if we don't allow the Holy Spirit to work in us. I love hearing from you all. Yours is a very needed ministry and I know you are touching many people through this. I think my YWAM experiences were 90% positive. Some leave YWAM with a moving-on attitude. YWAM changed my worldview for life. I will never be content to just "settle" into the American lifestyle again. Makes for a challenging ride sometimes!
Debbie Cline & family, USA
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I especially enjoyed Donna's Corner last month. I am still seeking that love of the
brethren. It feels like no one believes in it any more. When Keith Green died, the whole Jesus movement died with him. We loved one another once, for about fifteen years, 67-82. Now it seems as if we follow tradition so fiercely, we've forgotten what following Jesus means. The upper room discourse in John 13-17, is just words now,
but it was the last thing Jesus said to the Apostles. Love, Rick Wallenda, USA [Ed's note: Rick went back to the high wire July 4, with a record-breaking walk of 2,000 feet with no safety net. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynDzxd_vv18]
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I continually find nuggets in eTouch, and use it as a resource to touch the world around me. If asked to name a current example of excellence in contemporary Christian work, then eTouch will be one of those names on my lips. eTouch is indeed a great tool, useful on many fronts, and something that all missionaries can learn to emulate in terms of running a newsletter. Steven Loh, Singapore (blush, blush)
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The need for us to be able to receive help really spoke to me. I often quote, "It is more blessed to give than to receive," then I add, "and it's also easier." Back in the 70's in Kona, Paul & Peggy Hawkins had a lovely Danish candelabra hanging in their meagerly furnished apartment. In one of those 'giving times' when we asked the Lord what we could give to one another, Paul and Peggy came to me saying they felt they were to give me the candelabra. I was humbled, I was overwhelmed and I was very conscious of what they were doing. I would soon be returning to my well-furnished home on the mainland and I didn't really have a need for a decorative item like that. The fact that they were giving me a major portion of what they had, spoke to me that my need was not of the item, but of learning to receive. What a humbling and love-inspiring experience! The Hawkins let the Lord use them to speak to me about receiving; it was a heart-bonding time. The candelabra still hangs in my home, and I have often told the story of how I got it. I don't know if Paul and Peggy ever knew how God used them in this way, but it made a strong impression on me.
Phyllis Griswold, USA
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Ever wanted to help the poor help themselves? Microfinance is a powerful way to alleviate poverty and engage the lost in large numbers http://www.MercyWorks.org
4. Donna's Corner - Christ-likeness
The last couple of weeks I've been thinking and pondering that perhaps the greatest form that evangelism takes is Christ-likeness.
Can you imagine what could happen in this world if everyone who claims to be a born again Christian, lived like Jesus did? If each believer's goal in life was to be like Him, in all areas of society in which we live and work. I believe that if this was the case, we as a church, could reach and disciple the nations for His glory. We are told in the Bible to be like Jesus (Phil 2:1-8; Mt.11:29; 1Jn 2:6; 1Pet 2:21); we will certainly be like him when we see Him face to face (1Cor 15:49; 1Jn 3:2-3; Rom 8:29).
Out of 'being' like Jesus we will 'do' like Jesus.
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2Cor 3:17-18)
When you walk and talk with Jesus, you become more like Him and you see things from His perspective. Jesus was a pastor (shepherd) and He said to Peter, if you love Me, feed my lambs, take care of My sheep. He was a prophet, a teacher, an evangelist, an encourager; He healed the sick, did miracles, showed mercy, delivered people from demons, raised the dead and much more. He only did what He saw his Father do, and he only spoke what he heard His Father say; and Jesus said, "Greater things you will do than I did." (John 14:12-14)
I am seeing a 'hunger' in people like I've never seen before; a hunger for truth, a thirst for His presence and for the power of the Holy Spirit.
I am not a 'pastor' but I feed lambs and care for sheep out of my love for Jesus.
I am not a 'prophetess' but I prophesy, simply because I listen to the Holy Spirit living within me and then speak his words of life and encouragement.
I am not a 'teacher' but I teach out of my lifestyle and the stories of God's faithfulness.
I am not an 'apostle' but I am a disciple and a follower of Jesus.
I'm not an 'evangelist' but I share the gospel with those who don't know Jesus. I pray for the sick and the hurting.
You too can reflect Him in every area. It's a process, a journey, and we take one day at a time living FOR Him and WITH him each day, until we see Him face to face.
I want to publicly thank and affirm a small group of believers who worship at Bethel Chapel near Montreal, Quebec. These precious friends have prayed for us, given to us and believed in us for 32 years, ever since God called us into missions. They have even helped support those of our children who went into missions. These friends have truly been 'family' to us and we are so grateful. Peter and I expect to have fellowship with them for a Sunday morning this August.
Love & Blessings,
Donna
5. Renewal Gatherings - Pray now about Israel 2009
EXTRA! EXTRA! Still space available in Swiss Camp!
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Aug 24-30, Chatel, Switzerland; speakers Gary & Bev Killingsworth YWAM Scotland. Topic: "The Nature & Character of God."
For full details: Roy Jones via the contact page at www.intouchcamps.com
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Sep 26-28, Franklin, NC right by the Smoky Mountains; speakers Bob & Kelly Parr Contact Dave McPherson: ywamassociatesus@aol.com
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2009
Jan 11-17, near Sydney, Australia with Jeff & Diane Littleton, "Father Heart of God"
Contact Peter West: westfolk@ozemail.com.au
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Mar 8-14, Israel; with David Demian of Watchmen for the Nations, Canada; and with Peter & Donna Jordan
Info: e-mail Roy Jones for details via the Contact Page at www.intouchcamps.com
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Want a taste of a Renewal Gathering? Copy and paste this link into your web browser Now on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfRKhZDRGh8&feature=PlayList&p=1604CACE77905ADC&index=2
A parting thought . . . insight from Africa
Every morning that a gazelle wakes up in Africa, he knows he has to run faster than the fastest lion or he will be eaten.
Every morning that a lion wakes up, he knows he must run faster than the slowest gazelle or he will starve.
It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle, when the sun comes up you better start running.
Many Blessings,
Peter
Feel free to use anything from 'eTouch,' in whole or in part, in any way that will glorify God and advance His Kingdom.
