eternal perspective

Our latest Voice of the Martyrs newsletter/magazine came a couple days ago. If you're not getting this, you really should. It's free. What's to lose?

One of the first articles was about a man they met who had recently been beaten and imprisoned for sharing the gospel. I think he was in south-east-ish Russia, but I'm not sure and it doesn't really matter. He'd been released and instructed not to preach or distribute Christian literature on pain of death.

When he received a written reminder of the conditions of his release, he wrote back to the national authorities and told them, "You can kills us, but you can't really do us much harm."

That's staggering to me.

one million witnesses

This is rad.

My new friend Jason (because digital networking devices have taught me that I can make a friend of anyone I want - even if I don't know him) has launched a website called One Million Witnesses.

It's a pretty slick site and the home page is a "wall" made up of 100,000 "blocks." The idea is you buy a block for $10 and post your testimony. (Your $10 also gets you a Witness bumper sticker with your unique block number on it.) The first $1 million/100,000 blocks will help Living Water provide clean drinking water for over 100,000 people in Liberia.

There's also a blog on the site that promises to provide updates on the projects as they're being completed.

The site was just recently launched. Currently it looks like only about 25 blocks are taken. I'm so getting in on this.

from India

I got another email from Ruth this morning:

HI dearhow are u, timothy and pst.Tim and all the team members of the Chruch in the Word. We all are fine by the grace of the lord all mighty and by all your prayers.I received e-mail from Titus saying that all are fine.

I'm very happy 2 receive email from u and i request u 2 continue 2 be in contact i will be praying for all u people and iwant 2 say u something that i m filled and anionted by the Holyspirit and i m speaking in Tongues and god is working very powerfully continue 2 pray 4 us

I m sorry, i couldnt reply u as i received ur mail, i had sme problem with my system, so plzz infrom all the teammates that i will replying them later

then dr in christ bye take care say hi to tim and marrrine and to dave, justine, sarah, colline, jonthan, nike, nate, candies,christine and all the others okkkk

then bye take care

yours in christ
ruth

Ruth is one of the amazing Godly women we get to work with in India. She is passionate and she is bold like no one else I know. She was introduced as one of the translators, but it doesn't take long to realize that these "translators" are prophets and worshippers and evangelists.

My favorite Ruth moment from 2007 was when we were standing in a woman's home listening to her insist she is a Christian and only a Christian. Ruth's eyes fell on a charm hanging from a peg in the wall near her (because Ruth is always watching) that she recognized as an Islamic icon. She snatched it off the wall and dangled it at the end of the woman's nose as she began to interrogate, "What's this, then?" (Except ... you know ... in Telugu.)

This is some of our girls in India. Ruth is in the center. I know you can't see her very well but this is the best I can do right now:

PS - I got up at 5:30 this morning. Read about it here.

revolution

We're getting ready to start a series on Friday nights called Revolution. You've probably already figured out what it's about. We shoot to kill around here; no messing around.

So I've been thinking about it a lot. From an administrative point of view and a prayerful point of view, and realizing how revolutionary Jesus really is and how revolutionary I really am not.

'Cause when you read Revolutionary, what do you see?

I see American minutemen camped out in the forests of New England waiting for red coats; men who left their comfortable homes not because they had to, but because they believed in freedom so much that they were willing to die for it. I see people who are nameless and untrained, but passionate and determined; who don't fight according to the enemy's rules because truth is more important than politics; who live the battle because it's happening all around them and they know they can either fight or fall victim to it.

Then I see John the Baptist in the wilderness, yelling at Pharisees, eating bugs, and preaching an unrelenting message that Messiah is coming and you're not ready. And Jesus, doing everything "wrong," yet claiming to be God in the flesh. And Paul being beaten and threatened with death at every turn, but continuing to run the race.

Then I see the Indian woman I met this summer whose husband would beat her every Sunday for going to church, so she started walking hours to go to church in the next town where no one would recognize her. And the Indian men I read about yesterday who were drug out of their church and beaten for hours until the police showed up, and then beaten some more by the police, but who would not deny Christ. And the college students in Gaza who were beaten and are now facing trial on false charges because they were caught handing out literature about Jesus.

Then I see me. I see the desire in my own heart and the words on my lips, but secretly wonder if I wasn't more passionate when my cause was death. I see me and I wonder if I'm qualified to preach this gospel.

whitaker point

Another action-packed day in Arkansas. We drove to the Ozark wilderness this afternoon and hiked about three miles round-trip to see Whitaker Point. Pretty cool.

Along the way.

The point

Us on the point (a nice Indian man we met ... in the forest. yes, I realize that sounds strange)

The drive

ibid

day 2

We drove to Eureka Springs to visit Thorncrown Chapel. The architects I work with dig this place. It was cool.



Eureka Springs is a lot like the Wisconsin Dells. It's a tourist trap. We paid a dollar each to climb up a 100-foot observation tower. My thighs were a little sore and it was really cold at the top, but we got a view.



And the benches at the bottom have something like two decades of love notes on them, so ...


There is one TCBY left in the world, and it's in Harrison, Arkansas.


A Catholic church we drove by along the way reminds you that you're alive.

driving through Thanksgiving

Happy Turkey Day, everyone. So far I've eaten a breakfast croissant from Burger King, and a really nasty salad and a flurry from McDonalds. Currently, Pizza Hut is sitting at the end of the hotel bed waiting for Timothy to come back from the gas station.

That's right. We decided to skip Thanksgiving this year and spend our four days off in the Ozarks. I'll still be here, though. Some pics so far:

We borrowed a GPS. I wish I could say it was useful.

The gateway to the west ...

Scenery from the road.

And if you haven't heard, Michelle DeLaughter had her baby Sunday morning at 12:49 AM. Seven pounds, nine ounces. Daniel, they think. Cute:

prayer tips

So yesterday I drew your attention - in passing - to a book you can download for free. An IHOP book. About prayer. I can't imagine a situation that could require less nudging, but I will hereby proceed to nudge anyway.

It's here.

It's a lot longer than I thought it would be for a free book: 207 pages. Don't tune me out yet.

The first thing I have to say about it - and I don't think this has anything to do with my particular passions - is that it's not written well. The language is not especially inspiring, and some of the dialogue is downright cheesy.

It has also been sending up some theological red flags. I realize that the angels are the big supporting actors in the story, but I got to the point where one of the main (human) characters asks for the gift of tongues, and gets it, and Holy Spirit never makes and appearance. Maybe I'm biased/defensive because I consider Holy Spirit one of my very best friends, but ...

That said: it's good. The point of the book is to explain the spiritual realm and the power of prayer, and the author evidently decided it would be most effectively done in the form of a story. She's absolutely right. I've read a few books on prayer, and heard many a good sermon on the topic, but in two days (and I'm not even technically finished with it yet) it has reopened my eyes to the spiritual activity all around me and completely changed my prayer life. Really.

And while it's not artistically written and I sometimes cringe at/skim over the dialogue (because it's really drawn out because it's trying to teach the reader), the story is good and when I had to leave it halfway through on Monday I was torn as to how Sarah would withstand the attacks coming against her and if Paul would ever lay down his pride.

Half of the story is about a woman named Sarah who meets the Lord at age 70. Her life's call is to be an intercessor, and as she pushes through trial and learns to do that I've learned some fun things/tips about prayer. For example:

_ She prays for everyone. The girl she sees on a magazine cover at the grocery store. The laborer she thinks of when she reads the "Made in India" tag on her blouse. Her neighbors. The people who throw bricks through her window.

_ She covers her fridge in prayer requests from neighbors and outreach organizations like Voice of the Martyrs. She calls it her "Devotional Fridge."

_ She determines to pray in the Spirit whenever she is not talking or eating, and picks a landmark to help remind her. When she discovers that prayer opens doors for the Lord to work, she uses doorways. Whenever she walks through a doorway she asks herself if she's praying.

_ She decides, since praying in the Spirit takes no effort other than moving her lips, she can pray in the Spirit and pray with her understanding silently at the same time. Whenever she prays, she prays twice as much in the same amount of time.

There's probably more, but that's what I remember off the top of my head. You can download the book here.

new from Barna

The Barna Group released the results of a new study called Christian Parents Are Not Comfortable with Media but Buy Them for Their Kids Anyway. Probably not the best title, but ...

This is really weird. Parents generally don't like the conent of DVDs, CDs, etc, but will buy them as Christmas gifts anyway.

DVDs: About 78% of Christian parents will purchase DVDs for their teenagers, and 87% for their pre-teens. At the same time 26% are not comfortable with their purchases.

CDs: About 60% will of Christian parents will buy CDs for their kids, but 33% are concerned about the content.

Video Games: Just over half of all Christian parents in the U.S. have bought video games for their kids in the past year, and between 40 and 46% of those parents are worried about the content of said games.

Does this make sense to anyone?

The report goes on to talk about how fathers and Hispanics are the least likely to buy media products for their kids that they disagree with (which raises the question about wives/mothers rebelling against their husbands' better judgement and buying the stuff anyway?), and how parents who consume a form of media have fewer objections to making it available for their kids.

George commented, "Many Christian parents are striving to serve two conflicting masters: society and God. They refuse to believe that they cannot satisfy both."

And while I don't actually view the entire world through the lense of youth ministry, this one has obvious implications. The ultimate burden of responsibility falls on the parents, of course, but this is also telling me that teenagers who are growing up in "born again" Christian homes are asking for, if not insisting on, this stuff. Parents and youth ministries need to make sure we're teaching our (pre-) teenagers about the spiritual influences they're allowing in their lives.

It's also pointing out the growing conflict between society and the Church. Every day is a tick on the end times alarm clock, and the closer we get the harder it may be to present "relevant" youth ministry. There's a day soon coming when we'll have to ditch Relevant for Revolutionary and just be honest and unashamed about the fact that the Christian life has very little in common with secular society.

monday mornings should be illegal

Ugh.

But the weekend was good. Updates:

Friday night we learned that we're going to have to do some teaching before we try to pull off another worship night. Praise God.

Saturday, Timothy and Connor tried to get up and go to the men's breakfast (Connor's third bed is our couch - no, we have not officially adopted him), but couldn't ... because there was no men's breakfast. We went to the original Reese's in Algonquin and got free food because the Lord knows that the way to Timothy's heart is through his stomach and He's playing that card lately.

Note: The Original Reese's makes the best (home-made) gravy outside of Kirksville, MO but they only serve biscuits and gravy on Fridays (unless you're with Timothy) so get over there on a Friday.

Then Timothy and I found a house we like. We're sure it's the one because it's the only house we've been able to agree on, and because the metal frame on the front screen door has a "W" on it. Of course it's on about an acre and a half with a really crummy-looking apartment building and the owner wants an obscene amount of money for it. We plan to take a walk through, offer him less than half of his asking price (although honestly what the building is worth), and wait for the fear of the Lord to fall on him in his sleep.

We took the cute Krauss family to the airport and decided to hang out with each other (two weekends in a row!) for the remainder of the evening. We wandered around Woodfield mall, which is sinister fun this time of year - meandering through crowds of stressed-out, in-a-hurry people, and left with a deal of a winter coat for me, a deal of a thermal for Timothy, a cute lamp for the office, and inspiration for art projects.

Then we drove across the street and had more sinister-meandering-fun at IKEA while daydreaming about kitchens in some home we will somehow own some day.

Back home, we moved our no-Thanksgiving vacation from New York to the Ozarks in Arkansas (pronounced: ar-KANSAS). You just can't beat the Super 8 for really cheap hotel rooms. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to getting out of town.

Sunday was a really nice manager at Chipotle (visit the new location on 31 across from Springhill Mall!) who contributed to the Lord's Free-Food-for-Timothy campaign, a really good brainstorming session with our youth leaders (although I suspect and hope that even more brainstorming is going on now because of the meeting), the visit to NIMC to meet the newest DeLaughter (I have pictures, of course, but not with me), and a malfunctioning sewing machine that even my mother couldn't diagnose.

And now it's Monday morning. Allow me to reiterate: Ugh. The past four hours have been redeemed, however, by the discovery of a free IHOP book called Angels of Humility by Jackie Macgirvin. Mike Bickle seems to think, "If you're an intercessor or have a desire to be one, this book is for you." I say just about any book (of appropriate content) that I can download for free is for me.

contest

I found a contest I'm going to take a stab at. The challenge is to answer the question, "What makes a Christian different from anyone else?" Completely cheesy, I know - imagine the pain I went through drying to draft a not completely cheesy answer in under 1000 words.

I'm not going to post the whole thing 'cause I think if I have any readers left after the last one I'll lose them too. The last three paragraphs are below. The running theme was to start each paragraph with a simple statement - one that usually contradicted the previous statement. I did "...is dead," "... is alive," "... is a slave," "... is royalty," and "... knows Love." Anyway, here's the end - let me know what you think:

A Christian is a revolutionary, a soldier of the resistance whose weapons are Prayer and Purity. A Christian is one who recognizes the spirit of the age, who knows the truth about the prince that has invaded her lands, and whose hope believes in the return of her King. A Christian is one who refuses to bow to idols of Greed, Corruption, Lust, and Selfishness. She is one determined to stand against the raging current of Bondage in the name of Liberties, Unbelief in the name of Harmony, and Death in the name of Life because she knows that if enough will stand a dam will form and all the gates of hell shall not prevail against them!

A Christian prays because he knows that prayer moves the heart of God and strikes fear into the darkest depth of hell. A Christian worships her Lord without fear or shame because Love has overcome those things within her. A Christian gives of his time and resources because he understands he is only a steward of what God has given him in this life. A Christian studies God’s Word because it is her sword in battle, a lamp to her feet, and sweeter than honey on her lips.

A Christian is altogether not of this world. He is light in a dark place, joy in sadness, and hope in despair. He holds the truth in a world of lies, and comfort in a world of pain. He is free from the mistakes of his past, and sure of a glorious future.

free rice

Yesterday was long. Sorry. I know the blogger handbook prohibits that kind of behavior, but I just had to.

I got an email from my friend Amie yesterday. I don't know if she read the blog or not, and really can't be inclined to assume one way or another. She sent me a link to FreeRice. Remember when I said it was easy (maybe not, if you didn't read the long post)? Well it's easy.

need

Sometimes I am absolutely overwhelmed by the breadth of human need in the world. Just yesterday I learned that ...

... there are 143 million orphans in the world - 15 million in Africa alone.

... every 14, seconds, according to the United Nations, AIDS leaves another child orphaned.

... 800,000 children pass through the American foster system every year.

... seven more (high-profile) Christians were taken into custody in North Korea. The government is calling their portrait studio business "espionage."

... malaria - a treatable and preventable disease - kills six children every day, but you can provide a chemically treated mosquito net bed for only $10.

... 50 million children will go through training this year as part of the People's Liberation Army in China. I sent VOM $25 this morning to put together a Christmas Care Package for a poverty-stricken family in China that will include a copy of the gospel.

And the thing that really weighs on my heart about it all is that its so easy to help. We raised money to smuggle Bibles to secret believers in the middle east last Sunday evening - $4 for a Bible for a person who is living every day as his last in devotion to the Word he can't even get his hands on. How many people in this country really couldn't part with $10 to save a child's life? (I realize there are some, and if you're one of them I'm certainly not trying to condemn you.) Who among us couldn't put together $25 to care for our brothers and sisters in China? Or provide everything a child needs - from food and medicine to a Christian education - for $32 a month?

It's so easy to help, but there's just so much of it.

A teenager can so easily set up a bucket in her school to help support Loose Change to Loosen Chains, and free slaves all over the world. For the cost of a piece of paper and a stamp anyone can write a letter to an imprisoned Christian - encouraging those in bonds and pressuring governments for their release.

We can pray, but how often do we really consider people half-way across the world in our prayers? When I do try, the need is still so overwhelming that it's hard to know where to start.

Even within our borders its staggering. The kingdom of media is turning America into a pornographic nation, and 4000 babies die every day in this country - mostly (98%) because their mothers think they are inconvenient.

Where is one to start? Do you pick a cause that's closest to your heart, pour yourself into that, and pray God moves the hearts of others for the needs you can't meet? Do you spread out your time and resources to help in every way you can? Does it even matter?

I feel sometimes like I can see the whole world. I feel very big because I'm American and I have so many resources and freedoms at my disposal, but at the same time I feel very small because I don't have nearly enough resources at my disposal. I feel like we should just get a townhouse big enough for us (and eventually a couple kids) and content ourselves to stay there while we give everything else we have. How can I spend money on a house bigger than we need while my family dies all around me? I'll have to answer for this someday - soon ...

"For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more" (Luke 12:48).

Jesus can be goofy

After an excellent two hours of prayer last night for the persecuted church (we raised enough money to smuggle 11 Bibles into the middle east!), Timothy and I pulled up to Wendy's to redeem a couple 16-oz frosty coupons. Because the only thing better than a good prayer session is a good prayer session followed by free frosties.

As we walked in, Timothy was hypnotized by the big sign on the wall that shouted at us of the new sandwich we probably need to try in order to live fulfilled lives. "I want that," he said as if reading his lines.

"I have $2.51. You're limited to two items from the dollar menu to compliment your free frosty."

Inside, the companion sign revealed the dark side of the jalapeno cheddar: $4.69. The sandwich on the sign might have been well worth $4.69, but my momma didn't raise no fool. I know perfectly well that no Wendy's in America is selling the sandwich pictured on the sign.

We specified one chocolate and one vanilla, Timothy chose two winners from the 99-cent menu and we passed the next 2.5 minutes with light conversation about how the interior smelled like a bathroom. When the nice Hispanic (?) woman came back to bag a Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger and a small set of fries she pointed at a second sandwich sitting in the outbox and seemed to ask what it was for.

Conversation ensued in various languages and it no one had any idea why the sandwich was there. The woman turned back to us as though to take care of the customers before solving the puzzle and Timothy pointed suggestively at the mystery meal. The cashier shrugged and asked the employees again if anyone knew what it was for, or if anyone wanted it, or if she was allowed to give it up. A moment later she shrugged again, placed it in our bag and pointed at the sign behind us.

"It's that one." Timothy and I looked at each other, trying not to laugh. "Tonight's your lucky night," she suggested. We thanked her and laughed all the way home.

would I lie to you?

Okay. *chuckles* I don't mean to get YouTube-happy here, but this is phenominal. It's opening at the Landmark Theater in Chicago November 30. November 30 is a Friday, so I'll be at Switch but December 1st - seriously - who is coming with me?

The official website is here. It's the same people that brought you Supersize Me, but that probably comes as no surprise. Oh man ...

IDK

(I tried with the pictures yesterday, but Blogger wasn't having it. It's not my fault. I tried two different web browsers and it just wouldn't work. Forget I said anything about pictures.)

my spaghetti-os are too hot

Sorry I missed you yesterday. I thought I was going to be in a wireless zone last night so I was waiting (because I have pictures I want to show you), but I never got there. Today's not the day either. Check back tomorrow. Tomorrow's looking good for photo uploads.

Because last night Timothy and I cancelled some plans, pushed off some to-dos, and got ditched by an old friend to go out together. I felt so ... dangerous: driving all the way to Crystal Lake to EAT OUT. It's true. We're crazy.

Because we battened down the hatches a couple months ago to start aggressively paying off some debt (nothing huge - we only have two car payments and my college loans to go). It's meant spending next to zero of our "disposable" income, and getting stressed out when we did. It's good to be on a budget, but too much budget is bad for a relationship. We got soup and sandwiches with a side of nostalgia at Around the Clock, and talked about Switch.

Because every one of my spare brain cells for the past week or two has dedicated itself to the youth ministry. They're not even asking my permission, they're just following each other in that direction. Lemming brain cells. The Lord has, I think/hope, been encouraging said lemming brain cells, and I took two pages of notes yesterday. Inspiration is coming out of thin air. I've got ideas. I'm excited. I need to get some meetings scheduled soon. I'm afraid if I don't start getting approval stamps and delegating vision we'll come to the cliff's edge too soon.

Okay. My spaghetti-o's are becoming cool enough to eat without peeling skin from the roof of my mouth, so I'll leave you with that. Happy day.

another duh

Ready for another one of those things-that-everyone-knows-but-that-the-Lord-is-really-moving-on-my-spirit-and-I-probably-won't-be-able-to-explain-the-depth-of-it-in-words-so-you'll-just-think-"Well duh" posts? (TTEKBTTLRMOMSAIPWBATEDOIIWSYJTWD Posts, for short.)

So simple it's profound thought: Stuff will not make you happy.

I know, I know - I'm having my business cards reprinted to read "Confucius."

Everybody, especially Spirit-filled Christians, knows this. There have even been studies done that prove it. I just read another one a couple weeks ago that this cute young lady I know in Wisconsin blogged about. 10% of our happiness, according to this one, comes from our life circumstances or situations. A large part of which is the stuff we surround ourselves with.

So I know that, but I (and I think a lot of us) still try filling my life with stuff. I didn't even realize what I was doing because it's not as though I'd have a bad day and think to myself, "I need a new sweater. If I just had a new sweater, everything would be fine." At the same time, however, if I happened to be at Target because I needed toothpaste and glass cleaner and I happened to walk by a really cute sweater that happened to be on mega-sale and I happened to grab it ... it did make a gloomy day seem a little brighter.

For a few hours.

And I know that, but Holy Spirit is moving it into that place in my heart where it becomes real and I can live by it. He's constantly reminding me, "Renting a movie is not really what you want to do tonight ... That jacket is only going to make you happy for a day - then what?" I know it's the Lord because I don't feel condemned for renting a movie with my husband or spending $1 on a silly jacket at a resale store; He's just gently reminding me, confident that I'll get it eventually.

I think I'm starting to.

going all the way

My copy of Craig Groeschel's latest book arrived in our mailbox yesterday. Subtitle: "Preparing for a marriage that goes the distance." Audience: People years from marriage, thinking about marriage, engaged, or married and unhappy about it. I'm none of those things, but I know a lot of teenagers so I thought it might be a good resource to have up my sleeve.

I read the first 70 pages last night in one sitting. It's gripping.

Okay, gripping is a bad word, but it's really good. The advice is good and peppered with hysterical tales of Craig's Jr. High dating experiences. Of course all Jr. High dating experiences are pretty ridiculous, but Craig narrates his well.

What I dig so far:

Good, realistic advice. He recommends not even kissing until marriage, but allows that a lot of readers probably just won't stick to that. He stays out of the debate about whether or not Christians should date, and just offers some solid, practical advice for relationship that the reader can use while dating or courting or whatever. He's encouraging and graceful.

Transparency. He writes candidly about his relationship with his wife from its beginning. He encourages couples to wait until marriage to kiss, but admits that he and his wife didn't hit that mark (he also shares how that affected their relationship for the worse).

Language. Craig is not shy about talking about sex. Early into chapter one he recalls, "For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of having a great marriage. What could be better than sharing each day with your best friend, then at night getting naked together?" Caught you off-guard too, huh?

Humor. I laughed out loud at least a half-dozen times last night reading about his terrible dating experiences and awful pick-up lines. This material has little to do with my life, but the anticipation of another off-the-wall story kept me turning pages.

Jesus. Its Biblical. Chapter one is all about finding "the one." He writes about how everyone is on that search, but really, the "one" who needs to be found is Jesus. If there were only one other person in your life, it would have to be Jesus. He talks about putting relationships in order and for the duration of the book refers to the elusive future spouse as "the Two" instead of "the One."

I like it. I'll keep you posted.