Reaching Ireland Update

From our latest newsletter...

"Are You Serious?"

Well, as a matter of fact we are! We're selling our house -- and in the first week on the market we had two showings!

We won't be moving to Ireland next week, but we are taking steps to insure we're ready. As you may know, we also teach music lessons out of our house and to simplify things while the house is on the market (and should we need to move out before our departure) we're going to begin teaching our lessons through the music academy at a church just down the street.

We're pulling up roots and getting ourselves footloose so that there's nothing holding us back from making our move to Ireland. (Yeah- we're just a little excited)
What now?

This is an excellent time for you to hop on board and help us reach Ireland! We only need 48 more people who can partner with us at an average of $75/month. Call us and we'll tell you how you can be a part of seeing this great nation return to it's Christian roots!

You don't even have to send any money right now. If you commit to a monthly amount to begin giving when we leave for Ireland, that counts! We just need to hear from you soon.

However - if you feel that you are to partner with us and can begin now, that money enables us to continue raising more support and also builds our account for all of our relocating costs.

We need to get all our potential Ministry Partners on board right away so that we can go to pre-feild training ASAP. Then, once we get through Molly's wedding in October we can quickly make final preparations and get our feet on the ground in Ireland, doing what we're called to do.

Email us or call us right away and let us know if you're on board!

Have You Seen Our Slide Show?

NO? Why not?

Call or email us and let's get together - in person or on the phone - and we'll show you pictures from Ireland while we tell you about the opportunities and the vision the Lord has given us for this work. No obligation - just watch, listen, ask questions and then pray about how God might use you.

Please Pray!

- For God's vision to come to fruition

- For the sale of our house

- For the Irish people who need Jesus

- For blessings on our Ministry Partners

OUR PROGRESS...
The green guys below represent our current support (the white is what we need). Get your own green guy today!

The Now and the Not Yet - St. Patrick's day musing

Being children of this age and western culture, most of us have difficulty with the concept of waiting. Fast Food is one of the biggest industries in the world. Precooked, prepackaged, "instant" meals are becoming the norm in many households - including pre-made, store-bought sandwiches and precooked bacon! Time and again I see drivers honking at cars that (heaven forbid) slow down in front of them so that they can safely turn into a parking lot or side street.

When it comes to results - whatever they represent - we want them now, with little investment. "Lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks, with no effort and at this low, low cost!"

Unfortunately, this spills over into our spiritual life as well.

When we set out to develop spiritual discipline with the goal of growing in our faith, we tend to think that we should see results quickly. We think that to attain "maturity" the process has finite parameters, and too often believe we have arrived, when in reality we've only just begun. Along with the "having arrived" mentality, we may also gain a sense of entitlement. We expect that whatever goals we have before us will be easily and quickly reached. We believe that, since God has placed within us a passion, gifting or vision, that all we need do is reach out a take hold of it.

I speak from experience here. I am one who can all too easily "grow weary in well-doing".

What helps me in those times is to look to others who have gone before as examples. Moses, for instance, was given a vision to rescue his people out of slavery and take them to a new homeland. When he finally had the guts to fulfill the vision he had to spend the next 40 years wandering the countryside with those he was leading, before they were allowed to settle in the promised land. Then there's Noah who spent the better part of 100 years building a huge boat nowhere near water because God had told him to do so. Shortly after he finished his little backyard project, God flooded the earth.

Finally, I'd like to tell you about Patrick. As a teenager, he was captured from his home in England and sold into slavery in Ireland, where he remained, tending sheep for several years. During that time, he developed a strong deep faith in God. God gave him a vision to escape by walking 200 miles overland to find a particular boat that would take him away from his captors. Through all that, God placed a love for the people of Ireland deep within Patrick and he found himself with a strong desire to return to the land that was once his prison to share about the freedom found in Jesus Christ. He was granted that opportunity when he was in his mid-40s and began his work, along with many others, to spread the Good News throughout this pagan nation. We don't know how much Patrick was able to enjoy the fruits of his labors, but we do know that within the next couple of generations after Patrick's death, Ireland became known as a Christian nation and remained that way for the next 1400 years or so.

Remember - God's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor are His ways our ways. (see Isaiah 55:6)

Thus, his timing is not always our timing and his goals our goals.

If we have a vision, a passion, a goal that God has given us, we need to believe that it will happen. And if it takes longer than expected, realize that there are reasons - and they are in large part to benefit us in our growth as his children. It's in the journey that God does his best work in us, not in reaching the goal or attaining the prize.

What's in a Name?

I had discovered this years ago and every now and then I return to it. This is a great example of God at work throughout the history of mankind. What you are looking at are the names of the men in direct line from Adam to Noah as given in Genesis 5. In parentheses are the meanings of their names. Those meanings are then put together in following sentences...

Adam
(Man)

Seth
(Appointed)

Enosh
(Moral)

Kenan
(Sorrow)

Mahalalel
(The Blessed God)

Jared
(Shall Come Down)

Enoch
(Teaching)

Methuselah
(His Death Shall Bring)

Lamech
(The Despairing)

Noah
(Rest, Comfort)

“Man appointed moral sorrow. The Blessed God shall come down teaching; His death shall bring the despairing rest (and) comfort.”

Incomplete Disciple

Since I became a follower of Jesus (33 years ago), I have always known that I was imperfect. Yeah, I know. I'm sure you're shocked and disappointed to hear that.

Over the years, my growth as a disciple has ebbed and flowed, waned and waxed. While there has been forward movement, I can't say that I have been completely consistent in my pursuit of the holy life - the one which we are called to live.

And yet, I know that I have grown a tremendous amount since that day I first committed myself to being under Jesus' lordship. Through deep study of and meditation on His Word, and by putting into practice at least a portion of what I've learned, I've become who I am today.

But from time-to-time it becomes glaringly apparent that I am far from complete. "What now?" you ask.

Well, I'm considering a few things that I have had the tendency to ignore previously.

Here's one...

"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead." (Phil 3:10a NLT) I'm okay with that. I'm excited by that. I really do want that.

But it's the next sentence that gets my goat: "I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death..." Am I okay with that? Does that excite me? Do I really want that? I'm not so sure.

And what about when Paul says, "...and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Tim 3:12) Have I really experienced that? I mean REALLY? Truth be told, any "persecution" that I may have suffered for being a follower of Jesus amounts to nothing. Only words. Nothing of substance.

Jesus himself tells us, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23 NIV) How prepared am I to deny myself on a daily basis? I'm reticent at best.

So here I am - an incomplete disciple - not having disciplined myself to the fullest extent of Christ's expectations.

Still got a long way to go.

Self examination

Lately our life has been crazy. I usually work 12-15 hours most days and have to force myself to take time off.

Being so focused on my work, it's all too easy to become inward-focused. I've been asking myself, "What am I doing to reach out to those around me with the love of Jesus? What effect am I having on my neighbors, or the baristas at Starbucks, or the clerk at the grocery store?" Okay, I'm nice. I engage them in pleasant conversation. I try to encourage them in their work. That's all good.

But is there more I can be doing? Do they know that they are loved by the Creator of the universe? Do they know that their lives have meaning beyond the menial, daily tasks of making a living?

I was challenged this morning as I read this in Greater Europe Mission's Vision and Mission Blog:

"We must always remember that as Christians, we carry Jesus’ light wherever we go. When we enter the local grocery store, coffee house, or restaurant, we can take Christ into that situation with us. We can choose to use every simple transaction or conversation to bring a touch of Jesus into others’ lives. Will we keep Him under wraps or will we, in faith, reach out and bring the Kingdom into the establishment?"

Shyness is no longer an excuse. Fear is no longer an excuse. Lack of time is no longer an excuse. Pride is no longer an excuse.

All these things... I must leave home without them.

Living in the South

Never really intending for things to end up this way, I have now spent more than half of my existence in The South. My mom grew up in Dallas and we kids always enjoyed making fun of our grandparents' accents. I grew up in Kansas, where there really is no accent, unless you're truly country folk. Then there is this kind of western twang.

Upon landing in Nashville, TN in '82, I was struck by the fact that even news anchors and radio personalities had drawls. I must admit that, despite my best efforts (and prideful denial thereof), I was a snob and thought the local broadcasters sounded unprofessional at best. You see, I had grown up equating a southern drawl with a lack of education or refinement. What I didn't think about then was that a few centuries of refinement had gone into developing the twists and turns of the English language that define a Southern accent.

You may be thinking, "But wait - you live in Florida..." This is true. But what you may not realize is that "The South" extends well into Florida. In fact, Tallahassee has one of the most endearing timbres of all the Southern accents.

Another thing that I've come to learn is that the rest of the English-speaking world is fascinated by a good Southern drawl. This is evidenced by northern tourists who, upon being greeting by their waitress insist she repeat whatever comes out of her mouth.

"She said 'y'all!' Say it again!"

While it is rather obnoxious, they mean no disrespect. Come to think of it, I've actually been on the receiving end of this scenario. While in Cork, Ireland, a few young kids, upon hearing my foreign accent, encircled me demanding, "Say 'Ireland'!" When I did so in my best Cork brogue, there was a unison "Aaah" of disappointment.

There are a couple of Southern colloquialisms that I love. For instance, anywhere else we might say "excuse me?" or "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Where we live, the thing to say is, "Do what, now?"

But I think my favorite is when you have something that isn't working properly, it's "done tore up."

Now, apart from linguistics, there are other oddities you may find only in the South. Here are a few examples of actual business names:

Flags and Afghans Galore

Barstool Variety

Le Salon n' Spa

And my favorite:

St. Nick's Christmas and Knives

The South has such an interesting mix of personalities and cultures that can be at once off-putting and endearing. It's rich in tradition, steeped in history.

You gotta love it.

The Aftermath

I was reliving Sept. 11, 2001 last night, thanks to the help of the History Channel, which was running a real-time account of that morning's events.

THC made it such a human story, utilizing a lot of footage shot at street level that really focused on the people of New York. The thing that struck struck me so strongly was the innocence on the faces of those witnessing events that were beyond their comprehension.

There was no frame of reference. Nothing like this had ever taken place on American soil. With sympathetic reactions to the tragedy unfolding before their eyes, they had no idea what was really happening. Okay, so an airliner flew into the north tower of the World Trade Center. We had seen accidents like this. Rare as it was, it was not unbelievable.

But when the south tower was struck 17 minutes later, whether first-hand or by way of broadcast, every person watching it was snatched out of reality into a surreal landscape that resembled nothing in his or her experience. Suddenly we were in a cinema watching yet another doomsday flick. Right?

But all too soon, we realized that this was reality, strange as it was -- painful as it was A new reality was thrust upon us.

Yet still we had no idea how our world was about to change.

Looking back over the eight years since then -- it really was a different world wasn't it?

That innocence will never be regained.

belief?

I have this scripture on my desk: "For nothing will be impossible with God." (Luke 1:37)

Do I believe it?

"...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17)

I'm not sure the Luke passage - although I've read it, thought about it, contemplated it, examined it - has quite sunk in. If it had, I would be living every moment of every day under the conviction that anything is possible and doing all I could to prove it.

I think I need to begin a study of scripture wherein I REALLY test what's there. What better way to build my faith than to act on what I'm reading in scripture? I think my tendency is to think, "Yeah, that's good stuff," and pray that the Lord would help me live it out. Not that it's a bad thing to do, I just don't think it's always making a immediate, tangible difference in my behavior. If it is, it's slow, minute movement. I'm talking about reading it and immediately putting it into effect.

I think I'll call it my "Believe-What-You-Read-And-Test-It-In-Faith" study.

Anybody want to join me?

(I must clarify here that I'm not meaning to promote any theology that puts "us" in control. God is the author of all things and I strive to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in all things. God is not my co-pilot. No, indeed, He is in the driver's seat - when I let Him - ideally.)

Hi.

Yeah - so I just found out that the last time I blogged was in the ides of March. St. Patrick's Day.

Five-and-a-half months.

Shameful.

Basically I've been sucked into Facebookworld. I'm approaching 1000 friends there and have found it to be a good vehicle for sharing about our work.

Buuut...

I really miss blogging. I feel it's important for me to write on a regular basis. It helps me to work through things that are on my mind and that I think are worth sharing with others. Of course that's what I think. You may have a different opinion.

So I'm setting myself a reminder on my calendar to pop up each week and remind me to blog. I do actually have a lot of ideas of things I'd like to talk about. I just need to develop the discipline to stay with it.

So maybe you'll be hearing from me more often.

To update you on our progress - we are close to 60% in our needed monthly financial support and are hoping that we can finish up our MPD (Ministry Partner Development - a.k.a. fund raising) soon, go to pre-field training and get to Ireland permanently to continue our work full-time.

Keep praying!

The Legacy of Patrick

When I think about St. Patrick, there are a few things that come to mind.

The first is - Patrick started his ministry in Ireland when he was in his 40's. That's where I'm at, and we're starting our ministry there. That encourages me.

Next - Patrick was used in amazing ways by the Lord, yet never took any credit for himself. He always maintained a spirit of humility, couched with the knowledge that "..all things are possible with God...", which I think was key to his ability to win over those he was evangelizing.

He suffered many hardships in his lifetime, but always looked for the good that would come from such suffering.

Finally, his legacy and those of his contemporaries (monks, priest, nuns) was to pass on knowledge of the Scriptures and train Christian workers to reach the world with the Gospel. In fact, the Irish are responsible for not only saving the Scriptures from disappearing from the face of the earth during the dark ages, but re-evangelizing the mainland of Europe as the Renaissance dawned.

If each and every one of us who call ourselves Christian would clothe ourselves with the same ethic that Patrick possessed - it would be a whole new world.

You may want to read Patrick's autobiography, his "Confessio". It's a short read and can be found lots of places, including here: http://www.cin.org/patrick.html

I encourage you on this St. Patrick's Day to pray for Ireland. 99.3% of the people of Ireland have no relationships with Jesus. Also, several years ago Patrick organizers of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin decided that Patrick was too religious of a figure and should no longer be allowed to appear in the day's festivities.

We want to see the "days of Patrick" return with a renewed fervor and watch in awe as revival once again spreads across the Emerald Isle!

Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

The Shifting Tide

You know how you're just trucking along in life -- trying to keep a handle on things, stay apprised of what's happening in the world around you, thinking you have a good broad perspective on things and then out of the blue your hit by something that either takes you by surprise, or shows you that your thinking has been way too shallow?

Well that's happening to me right now. I try to keep myself educated about things that are happening in Christendom here and abroad and how that relates to society as a whole, yadda, yadda, yadda...

In the past 4 hours, I have read two articles, brought to my attention by two individuals, that has me refocusing on my perception of the Western church and it's role in the world today.

Rather than go into a long diatribe about the content of these articles and my reactions to them, I think it would be more beneficial to simply provide you with the links to said articles and let you read them.

But before I do (I know, I just can't help myself) I must at least say that, although they both carry with them a fair amount of what appears on the surface to be "bad news", it gets me excited to think about what this really means for the overall health of the world-wide Body of Christ.

The first article is a straight-up news report based upon statistics.

The second is written from the perspective of a servant of Christ who shares his thoughts about coming changes in the evangelical church, based upon his observations, and then ends by giving us the "good news" of what it all could mean for the life of the church.

Thus said, here you go...

Religious Groups in US Losing Ground

The Coming Evangelical Collapse

The calling of a place

Maybe it's just the fact that we haven't really traveled anywhere within the last year-and-a-half, but I am feeling the urge to be somewhere else. I read a description of a little tavern that's just outside the gate of an historic medieval walled town in Croatia and was immediately enamored. Ready to get on a plane and head there right now. I think Beth nailed it when she said, "You just haven't been anywhere for more than a year. Anyplace would look good to you."

For those of you who like to travel, you understand. It gets in your blood, and after you've been idle in one location for a while it feels like being cooped up in a small cabin all winter - the proverbial "cabin fever".

Well, I've hit that point again. If given the opportunity, I'd be at the airport tonight, or loading up the car for a long road trip. Come on, twist my arm...

Just got a note from a friend who is heading to Ireland in a couple of weeks. Aah!

But aside from discovering new places while traveling (which I love to do), there is something about those places you've been - those that mean something special to you. From time-to-time they will call to you, a veritable siren to your conscience.

There are a few places like that for me, but two in particular that reign.

First there is my home, where I grew up. Kansas. A lot of people have driven through Kansas with the only lasting memory that they couldn't wait for it to end. I can understand that. For hundreds of miles there is nothing but farm crops and ripening prairie grasses.

But for me - I hear music. There is music there that is just waiting to be realized. I have come to know that there is beauty to be found anywhere you are in nature. Sometimes it assaults your senses. Sometimes it chooses to call to you in subtle urgings to look longer, deeper, closer.

Every now and then, my mind will wonder to the Great Plains and get stuck there for a bit.

For those of you who know me, this will come as no surprise, but another place that calls to me in this way is Ireland. Having been there multiple times has enabled us to become familiar with it. That, and the fact that when we are there it seems so much like home, makes it hard to ignore.

In the same way that I feel rooted to the plains, I have a similar connection to the Emerald Isle. But there is something different, as well. My roots in Kansas grew naturally through my years of growing up. They run deep and strong. The roots that have grown for me in Ireland have grown quickly and are still quite shallow, but they're tenacious, nonetheless.

I enjoyed traveling from a young age, but I never had this burning urge to "get outta Dodge" (well, Pratt, actually), as some I have known. No, instead, I simply knew when it was time to go and never regretted the leaving. I look back fondly on my youth, but have no desire to return permanently to that place. Yet it calls still. I hear it call me to never forget, to always remember. It's undemanding, yet persistent.

Ireland, on the other hand, is somewhat more forceful in her approach. Eire (her true name) will often cause me to lose myself in thoughts of being there; driving through the country, exploring ruins, walking down the street, sitting in the park, engaging with people. With Ireland, I get glimpses of what could or will be, not what once was. I think that's why there seems to be more of an urgency when my thoughts are taken there; why it demands more of my mind and heart.

Ireland will be our new home, and has already begun to be so insofar as it has captured my heart. I will always have a divided heart, though. Part will always be in Kansas. A huge, HUGE part will be wherever our daughter Molly is. Part will be where we are.

Regarding Florida -- we have a home here with the people we know and love, and it will be difficult to leave them. But as for the place -- I don't expect it to call to me once we leave. After 20 years I never have felt like a Floridian. I could probably live here the rest of my days and never experience that.

All that to say... "When do we leave?"

Well, I have taken this far beyond what I had planned, and I'm sure you have better things to do, so I believe it's time to close.

Charis and Shalom...

The 3 missing points

So this morning I gave the message at Coast. It was about David and Goliath and facing the giants in our lives.

We usually have an insert in the handout with scriptures and fill-in-the-blank bullet points and the like, where those present can take notes throughout the sermon.

Well, I got off my notes and ended up skipping three important points (although the things were covered otherwise, the three fill-in-the-blank points made them easy to remember).

So, for those who were present and wondering what the three points were, here you go:

Three things that are instrumental in our victory:

1 - God's Word 2 - God's Ability 3 - Our Faith

Thank you for your attention.

Super Bowl

Those of you that know me know that I'm not the world's biggest sports fan.

Growing up I participated in the obligatory little league baseball, Pass Punt & Kick, neighborhood football games, Kick the Can, et al. In Jr. High, I "played" basketball and ran track. By the time I got to High School, I realized that I was not an athlete. I remember vividly the call to my dad from the school the day of basketball tryouts telling him that I didn't want to play. He was disappointed, but gracious.

About the only sport I was any good at was golf. That was only because my family belonged to the Country Club. I even have a trophy. Now it would take too much of my time and money for me to get back into it.

Come to think of it, I was a pretty fair skier, too. We used to go to Colorado every winter until I was 18. I would probably kill myself if I tried it now.

So through High School and College, I tried to act like I was into watching sports on TV, but eventually concluded, "What's the point?"

Okay, I will admit that I do enjoy watching the Olympics and the X-Games. But as far as keeping up with ongoing team sports - not so much.

Now if you're ever hanging around me talking sports and I don't have a lot to contribute to the conversation, you'll understand why.

So this weekend is the Super Bowl. I know that because I happened to be talking on the phone with a friend for the first time in 20 years and he mentioned that he and his wife were hosting a party on Sunday. I should have known it was soon, because I've always known it was just after Kansas Day. I know that because we learned about it in grade school. Some things just stick, you know?

Don't ask me who is playing this weekend. Like I said, I don't follow college basketball. Just kidding. I'm sure come game time, I'll know the teams, as I know guys will be talking about it at church Sunday morning.

Part of me thinks I'm un-American for not taking a greater interest. Part of me thinks, "I'm a guy. I'm supposed to be into watching team sports." Part of me is a little embarrassed about it. But the 99% that is the rest of me thinks, "Eh - who cares?"

I must admit though - I'm a little concerned. If you think Americans are fanatic about their sports and their teams, you haven't been to Ireland. I would classify the Irish as rabid about "sport".

Who knows, maybe I'll get caught up in the fervor when we're living there. We'll just have to wait and see...

The heart of controversy

So regarding this whole uproar about President Obama asking pastor Rick Warren to do the invocation, and his "praying in Jesus' name"...

Here's the way I see it. That there was a controversy doesn't surprise me. It doesn't get me uptight or anything, because basically we know where the world is headed. It will only get worse before it gets better. We can't change that by getting all worked up about how the world perceives Christians. It is what it is.

What was interesting to me was the discussion among the members of the TV and radio press regarding the Bible that was used for the swearing in. There was long discourse about the history of that particular Bible and about the use of the Bible throughout the past two centuries. However, there was no kind of feeling expressed through these discussions regarding the significance of using the Bible at all. No complaints that a "Christian document" was the very thing that nearly every president has sworn upon.

So why the uproar about the prayer and not the Bible?

I can see several possibilities...

Perhaps that the use of the Bible is such a deep tradition it is viewed not as iconic Christiana, but perhaps simply an historic, weighty document that provides a foundation for the ceremony -- a touch point to the founding of our nation. It may be viewed as one of many such documents (including the Koran, Confucius, the Torah and others) that define the human experience as a whole. I don't know. I'm taking a stab in the dark here.

But regarding the uproar over Pastor Rick and praying in Jesus' name, it seems obvious to me that the world's perception of evangelicals is none too favorable. We evangelicals may not be quite lumped in with radical militant religious groups, but in many regards we are in the same general category. Those who are in the "fundamentalist" camp are at once expected to be dogmatic, unloving, intolerant, narrow-minded, exclusive, judgmental... I could go on. Because of such labels, there is a distrust and a perception that we have an agendum when we choose to be faithful to our beliefs.

The long and short of it is that in a pluralistic society, you can't please everybody. There will always be some who feel disenfranchised. Heavens, if you prayed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, there would be a certain contingency of Christians who would object.

Just to stir the waters a little more...

Going back to the swearing in, consider the following statement from Jesus:

"But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.' For whatever is more than these is from the evil one." (Matt. 5:34-37 NKJV)

I'm thinking that this includes the Holy Scriptures. What do you think? Now I'm not a legalist. I'm not going to declare that we have had no legitimate presidents these 220 years, save those who chose not to swear on the Bible. I just find this all very interesting.

Alright, enough rambling. I know, I know - I haven't really made any strong arguments or profound statements in my little diatribe here. Just kind of random thoughts of someone trying to get a handle on how the world works.

I'll close by saying this.

I applaud President Obama for sticking so far to his promise of striving toward a more unified nation -- a more inclusive administration. No, I don't agree with many of his viewpoints and values. But I will be praying that he will turn to the One through whom all things were made for guidance and wisdom as president -- and the hope of eternal life as a fellow human being.

Oh, and one more thing...

No matter how you feel about the man, this is truly a remarkable era for our nation and world. Centuries of struggle, violence, oppression and turmoil have led us to this point and we should be proud that we have finally arrived here.

The weather ain't the reason

Rain. Sleet. Snow. Temperatures hovering around freezing. Winds up to 100 mph. Power outages. Hazardous driving. Stranded motorists. Trees and road signs blown down -- on top of cars. 30 ft. waves in a bay. Flooded roads.

This, my friends is Ireland right now.

My word, they are getting slammed with horrible weather! And the kicker is that it's supposed to continue like this for the next week or so.

Now why is it that we want to move to Ireland? Well, I could have told you from the beginning that it wasn't for the weather. Except maybe when it's 99F with 99% humidity here in Gulf Breeze, while it's in the 70s in Dublin.

This picture is us in Ireland in August...

Okay, this was a little too cool for summer in our minds.

Nonetheless - that's where we want to be. That's where we're supposed to be.

May it be sooner rather than later...

2009

So here we are - starting another year. What will it hold for each of us?

I know that with the economy the way it is at present, many are looking at 2009 with fear and trepidation. We're definitely feeling the crunch ourselves, as music students are having to cut back on lessons, or having to quit altogether. And the little side jobs in carpentry, etc. are all but non-existent.

But we are encouraged.

While certain aspects of our income are suffering, the one thing that is on the increase is the main thing upon which we are focused - our support level for our work in Ireland. I believe we are truly experiencing something miraculous.

God has been teaching us patience and that His timing is perfect. It seems very likely that we will be able to move to Ireland in 2009.

We have a strong support base building, including a number of individuals who have been faithful partners with us for several years. We have seen the fruits of their commitment in the work that we've already been able to accomplish on our short-term trips. At present, their monthly support is enabling us to spend the time needed to raise the remainder that we need so that we can make our permanent move.

We are so excited about continuing our work and fulfilling the vision that God has given us for the church in Ireland.

Here's our vision statement:

To equip and train up worship leaders and musicians in the Irish church to better enable them to move the church forward and reach the Irish people with the Gospel.

Raising up leadership is what it's all about.



Beth and I would love to share with anyone who wants to know more about the work we've been doing, our vision for the work once we are living there and our financial goals for making that happen.

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Here's to 2009!

Profundity

So I've been working my brain over the past few weeks trying to come up with something profound to say about Christmas this year. The lack of a post up until now is indicative of my lack of inspiration. I think I've been a little overwhelmed by the commercialism for some reason -- more so than in the past. It's also been disheartening to here "it's the worst Christmas shopping season on record" over and over in the media.

Then it dawned on me this morning... The profound is to be discovered in simplicity -- looking once again at the root cause of this season we now celebrate. I've known this. I've known it well. But somehow, I still overlook it.

God, in order to reconnect with people, came to earth as a man. Simple.

Jesus, that man, lived among us, teaching us, showing us the heart of God. Simple.

Because He caused such a stir, the rulers of the time decided it would be better to get rid of Him. Simple.

Because He is God, the grave couldn't hold Him. Simple.

The simplicity of the account has been a stumbling point for many over the years. It doesn't jive with the thinking of many who continue to look for the Messiah, one who they think should be a mighty military/governmental figure in the tradition of man.

No, to look at the story of Jesus as the Messiah, one quickly realizes that it's much simpler than we would make it.

The complexity is then found behind the physical evidence. To look at the surface elements, it seems a straightforward plot. But what was His real reason for becoming one of us?

The story stretches back to the creation of man and woman. From the time sin entered the world, there was need of a Saviour. Thousands of years were spent making sacrifices, attempting to wipe away guilt. But that only carried us so far.

The one sacrifice that would suffice was that of God providing Himself as the sacrifice. This one, simple, profound act changed the course of history. Nay, eternity.

May your Christmas be filled with the simple and the profound.

O Come...

You never write, you never call...

To those of you who keep up with us via this blog - my apologies. The past couple of months have been so slam-packed with stuff, that to be quite honest, I didn't even really think about blogging.

A couple of months ago, I (Gary) finally got myself on Facebook. It's a remarkable world. I've connected with people from High School, college and adult life, who I never thought I would find. It's kind of easy to get sucked in to the Facebook vortex, so I have to pace myself and dedicate only small bits of time here and there to perusing, finding old friends and new, and catching up with what's happening in their worlds.

Just to let you know what's been happening lately:

- Our support level is still on the increase

- Our car died, so we had to replace it

- Molly turned 21!

- We made a trip to Columbus, GA to visit one of our supporting churches, Calvary Chapel Columbus. Had a great time visiting with Pastor Mark and his family, leading worship, reconnecting with old friends and gaining some new friends.

We're gearing up for Christmas, planning for Thanksgiving with our family and friends, working on our church's website and raising support.

Keep us in your prayers and let us know how we may be praying for you!

Success in the face of adversity

One of my mantras over the years to encourage people has been, "Don't focus on your circumstances; focus on the Lord." I must admit that it has always been far easier to say than to do. We want to feel in control, don't we?

We have been at this support raising thing for some time now. For those of you just joining us, we have been somewhat in maintenance mode for a couple of years, taking trips to Ireland to get our ministry started.

So right about the time we decide it's time to focus our efforts on raising the remainder of our monthly financial support to enable us to move to Ireland and continue our work full-time, the economy sinks to an all-time low. "Consumer confidence" is suffering, previously elastic products and services (those that are in demand, no matter the price, such as cable TV, etc.) are suddenly being considered luxuries, charitable giving is down by up to 25%. Everyone is holding their breath to see what the results of and reaction to the upcoming election will be.

Here's the kicker. We've seen a greater increase in our support level in the past three months than we have seen since we started the process. This tells us a couple of things...

1 - There are still people who place their confidence in the Lord over confidence in their circumstances.

2 - God must be in it. This must be His timing.

I believe in miracles and I believe we are witnessing one right before our eyes!