... so that the nation will be blessed

One part of our church service, in Huntsville, each Sunday is corporate prayer. During this time we pray for a particular country, using information found at Operation World as a guide. We pray for specific needs of a particular country, and we specifically pray for the church in that country. We do this believing that God's blessing towards a nation primarily occurs through His church.
One very exciting aspect of our ministry here is that we are a part of strengthening the local church, through the care of its members and through its outreach to the local community.
How cool that we (and by extension you, who have prayed for us and donated monies and goods towards our efforts here) get to be a part of answering our own church's prayer!

Training Hearts

We have had the book, Training Hearts, Teaching Minds for a couple of years, but had yet to use it. We have also attempted daily family devotions (bible reading, worship songs, catechism questions) with intermittent success over the past few years. What better time to start than when on a mission trip! Day 1 was this morning and we went over question 1 from the Westminster Confession of Faith ... What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. We talked about using things for their intended purpose .ie. a toaster for toasting, not playing Wii; toothpaste for cleaning your teeth, not your shoes. And then we talked about silly it was for us not to use our bodies and mind for their intended purpose.

Safe arrival

Fun day yesterday ... up before the birds (4am), boys ran the wrong way on the conveyor belts at DFW (multiple times), had McDonalds for b'fast and lunch, didn't lose a bag, made it through customs with little difficulty and then caught up with local missionaries and town children. 8pm came early last night!
Things are warm, of course. Not so buggy. Great to be back.

Headed Back

It is with much anxiety, hope and excitement that we head back to Belize in three days.
We have spent the last week re-ordering our plane tickets, buying last minute supplies, packing our bags and saying to our friends here in Huntsville "See you in 2 months!". Most of the work is now done. What is left is to wait, and pray, and be patient with one another as these last hours tick away.
We are all excited to visit again with our many friends in Belize.
I am eager to be back in the clinic, hoping to offer medical care to the local community.
Charity has finished purchasing supplies for a VBS we plan to run ... including Jelly Belly Beans in the colors Green, Black, Red, White, and Green!
The boys are excited to see their friends again.
To God be the glory.

The Hole in our Gospel

I loved this book.

It challenged me from beginning to end.

It challenged me to consider what am I going to do with my time and resources and talent in light of God's grace and in light of the overwhelming poverty around the world.

It challenged me to think of what the conservative christian's response should be to this poverty and to acknowledge that only preaching the gospel is inadequate.

I loved this book.

I would recommend it to anyone.

Check back with me in 5 years to see its effects.

Bonhoeffer

This is the second book I have had the pleasure to review for Booksneeze.

Bonhoeffer is a hero of the christian faith. His decision to return to Germany, at the risk of his life, is exemplary. His stand against both Nazi Germany and the "popular" of his time is inspirational. His book "The Cost of Discipleship" is a classic, has had great influence and the church today would be better served to be more familiar with it. A new biography is welcomed.

All that said, I fear Eric Metaxas' work may not be accessible to the majority of the public. The book is an easy read, and gives an in-depth of account of Bonhoeffer's life. However, the hardback is over 500 pages long ... yes, over 500 pages long.

This book may serve the church better as an exhaustive, though not exhausting :), account of this man's life and less as a comfortable sit down read.

Plan B

Buy		Read

John Piper has asked "Do you feel loved God because He makes much of you or because He frees you to enjoy and make much of Him". There are elements of truth to God making much of us so that we feel love but I agree with Piper that it is better to feel loved when you have been freed to enjoy Him and glorify Him.

Pete Wilson, a pastor in Nashville at Cross Point Church, writes an engaging book. The books title is Plan B : What do you do when God doesn't show up the way you thought he would. I do not know if Pastor Wilson would agree with John Piper's statement or if he would rather we feel loved because we are made much of by God. I do know, though, that when I read this book I felt like he wanted me to see that God made much of me and that I was loved despite my circumstances ... but nothing more.

Pastor Wilson writes about many people whom he has ministered to who have struggled amidst their circumstances. He has tried to show them (and by writing this book, us) that God loves them and has what is best for them despite their apparent hopes and dreams being dashed.

Pastor Wilson gives numerous biblical examples of men and women who had their own adversaries and he writes how God still means these circumstances for their good.

However, this book, though helpful in many spots, left me wanting. I want to know there is an end my circumstances beyond my own feelings of love from God. I want to be about enjoying God and glorifying Him, and not left still looking inwards. I do not know if Pastor Wilson would say his book is for this reason only - so that I would know I am loved by God, or if he would agree with Pastor Piper. I only know that this book leaves me wanting more.