2 Hours of Silence, 22 Days Until We Leave Uganda

This past weekend I went with the ladies from my Bible study on a weekend getaway! We went to a beautiful island in the middle of Lake Victoria. After an hour and 15 minute boat ride on the choppy waves, we finally reached the gorgeous island (completely drenched and happy to be on dry land again!). What a fantastic view.

We had a great weekend talking, laughing, eating way too much (the food was AMAZING!), playing games, swimming, and taking walks. It was so much fun!

On Sunday morning we all went our separate ways to spend about two hours alone in silence and solitude. This was the hardest part of the weekend for me. For those of you who know what’s going on in our lives right now you know we are so busy! We are preparing to leave Uganda in only 22 days and there are LOTS of things to be done. We also have many uncertainties in our lives right now. We haven’t even purchased our on hold plane tickets to come home yet because we are still waiting on Eloise’s visa (although we have been assured we will get it soon…let’s hope!). We are moving to Boston in the fall but still have not found a place to live and Drew still doesn’t have a job. We are stepping out on faith. We trust in the Lord’s faithfulness, but oh how hard situations like these are on the heart and mind!

During my 2 hours of solitude on the island, I was supposed to spend about 30 minutes doing and thinking NOTHING…just letting God speak to and move me. I tried my hardest but it was nearly impossible to do! I kept thinking of every thing I have to do. Buy plane tickets. Pack. Post list of for sale items. Pack. Write Suzy’s letter of recommendation. Pack. Prepare for the ARA sale. Pack. Respond to 50 e-mails. Pack. Buy gifts to bring back. Pack. The list goes on and on…

As hard as it was to do, being still and silent was a good exercise for me in this busy time of life. As I sat and tried my best to slow my mind down, the Lord reminded me of this: “Even when I stop, God does NOT stop. He can accomplish His will even without my help!” The whole world did not self destruct just because I took a few hours to not think about or do what I need to do. Whoda thunk it?!?

Our solitude study guide had this quote from Dallas Willard in it: “And ‘doing nothing’ has many other advantages… possibly the gentle Father in the heavens would draw nigh if we would just be quiet and rest a bit. Generally speaking, He will not compete for our attention, and as long as we are ‘in charge’ he is liable to keep a certain distance.”

My prayer that day was (and still is) that God would slow down my mind so that I can accomplish HIS will through me today and every day to come!

Where Are The Wilberforces of Today?

Recently during our morning office devotions, one of my colleagues encouraged us with the life of William Wilberforce and shared about this remarkable individual. Wilberforce, as you may know, was one of the central figures during eighteenth century Europe who helped pioneer the end of the horrid injustice of the African slave trade. Although he did not become a believer until later in life, he eventually became a Christian at which point his conviction to fight for the abolishment of the slave trade became his calling.

This post is not about Wilberforce himself as much as it about a wake up call for the Christian Church and about taking action in our faith, as well as my work at IJM.

 

Wilberforce's faith should excite and ignite us. It's a story of undying perseverance. I love seeing someone who goes against all odds, embracing a large challenge, all out of a conviction for what they believe is right. This was Wilberforce, but the most awesome thing is that in large part what he did was out of conviction for Christ.

Where are the Wilberforces of today? That is to say, where is the conviction to have action-oriented faith within the Christian church today? Where are those men and women who are willing to examine their hearts and then examine the culture in which they live, then take a stand for the narrow way?

Since living here in Uganda and working for IJM, I've come to view the story of Wilberforce quite differently, and with much more respect. We mainly focus on the end of Wilberforce's story, how eventually a bill in parliament was passed to begin the end of the slave trade. What we often overlook is the fact it took Wilberforce and others over twenty years of tireless, often times discouraging and always painstaking work before they received the progress needed to end the slave trade. That, my friend, is what's called staying faithful to the call. That is perseverance at its core.

Right now at IJM in Uganda, we have undergone a multi-year area wide project called Project Empannyi. This project involves the coordination of judges, magistrates, lawyers, the local police department, pastors, churches, the general public, and radio and television ad campaigns all in an attempt to end an injustice that plagues the area we work in. The hard work demanded by this project never stops and often times it can seem as though the breakthrough we need is all but a dream.

 

Nevertheless, if there's anything Wilberforce teaches us, it's that persevering through a call does not mean fretting over the challenges, but focusing on striving for the victory to be had. The work we do at IJM has taught me that in every country and culture there are horrid injustices that exist. But that, as Christians, we can make a difference if we allow our faith in Christ to make us take action. As a result of this, I find at the office everyday, my colleagues, who live and breathe to fight injustice and corruption for the sake of others - it never gets old! And despite the odds against our work, we see God show up in miraculously breathtaking ways and alter the lives of the victims we serve.

On a smaller, more individual scale, I think this practically looks like examining our sphere of influence and our sphere of existence. Then, within them, seizing opportune ways to do something which in large part, we can attribute to our faith. And this is what it's all about, all that justice and the gospel is about - making much of the Savior. Whether directly or indirectly, this is what Wilberforce ultimately did, all out of the faith he had in the same God we place our faith in.

Where are the Wilberforces of today?

Don't Miss the Miracle of THIS Moment

It’s time for letting go
All of our if only’s
‘Cause we don’t have a time machine
And even if we did
Would we really want to use it?
Would we really want to go change everything?
‘Cause we are who and where
And what we are for now
And this is the only moment
We can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
I don’t want you to miss the miracle of the moment

There’s only one who knows
What’s really out there waiting
In all the moments yet to be
And all we need to know
Is He’s out there waiting
To Him the future’s history
And He has given us
A treasure called right now
And this is the only moment
We can do anything about

So breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
I don’t want you to miss the miracle of the moment

And if it brings you tears
Then taste them as they fall
And let them soften your heart
And if it brings you laughter
Then throw your head back
And let it go, let it go, yeah
You gotta let it go
And listen to your heartbeat, yeah

Breathe it in and breathe it out
And listen to your heartbeat
There’s a wonder in the here and now
It’s right there in front of you
I don’t want you to miss the miracle of the moment

Steven Curtis Chapman- Miracle of the Moment


No matter what you are going through, don't let it cloud your view so much that you miss the miracle of what God is doing in your life in this very moment. You may wish you could go back in time and change what has happened so you could have a different outcome. You may be hoping and praying that these days, weeks, months, and years go by quickly so that you will finally be in a "better" place. You may feel like the place you are in right now is the deepest, darkest, most awful place you have ever been in in your entire life and you are begging God is bring you out of it quickly, to change the situation, to alleviate your pain.

But God isn't in the business of making our lives trouble free. He never said the Christian life would be void of heartache and pain. Yet He is making a beautiful masterpiece out of your life and He promises to NEVER leave you nor forsake you. What's happened in the past is exactly that....it's in the past. There is nothing you can do about it now. Stop re-playing the past in your mind and rehearsing the "what if's". In the same way, what may happen in the future is just a huge list of uncertainties so stop worrying about what may happen and live in the right now, fully experiencing what IS happening. .

Don't miss the miraculous things God wants to show you in THIS VERY DAY!!!!!

"God

does not promise

to lead us in paths of

prosperity or popularity,

paths of

comfort or temporary happiness.

He promises to lead us in

paths of righteousness,

which means

God will sometimes lead us into

pain

and

discomfort

for our holiness.

And this is good for us.

It is good because

in those moments

we hold tightly to Him

and in those moments

we are conformed more

to the image of His Son.

This results in our joy."

-- Eric Geiger

Peace

When many things seem to be going wrong, TRUST ME.

When your life feels increasingly out of control, THANK ME.

 

These are supernatural responses, and they can lift you above your circumstances.

If you do what comes naturally in the face of difficulties, you may fall prey to negativism. Even a few complaints can set you on a path that is a downward spiral, by darkening your perspective and mind-set. With this attitude controlling you, complaints flow more and more readily from your mouth, each one moves you steadily down the slippery spiral.

The lower you go, the faster you slide;

                     but it is still

                                             possible to apply brakes.

 

Cry out to Me in My Name!

Affirm your trust in Me, regardless of how you feel.

Thank Me for everything, though this seems unnatural- even irrational.

ground.
lost
your
recovering
ascend,
to
begin
will
you
Gradually

When you are back on ground level, you can face your circumstances from a humble perspective.

 

If you choose supernatural responses this time- trusting and thanking Me- you will experience

My Unfathomable Peace.

 

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

Care Packages

We've had some people ask us about sending care packages so we thought we'd write a blog post to give anyone interested instructions on how to send us packages and also ideas of what to include inside. Although we are quite content with what we can get here in Uganda there is something about receiving a package from home that makes us feel loved and thought about!

Our Mailing Address is:

International Justice Mission
Attn: Drew Hutcheson
P.O. Box 70445
Kampala, Uganda
East Africa

Please when filling out the customs form do not put the retail value of the items in the package. This will cause us to be charged a large amount at the Kampala Post Office. Please list the price as what you would pay for it at a yard sale.

Also, packages take about one month to arrive (sometimes longer) so please do not include things that can melt (chocolate,etc) or things that expire (baked goods, etc).

Items we miss:

- Notes and pictures from YOU!

- Sugarfree Gum: Brand "Wrigley's FIVE" in "RAIN" flavor is our favorite.

- Fels Naptha bar soap (I use it for making my own laundry detergent). Usually found in the laundry aisle.

- Seasonal candy (candy canes, etc.)

- DECAF black tea (we can get regular here)

- Educational DVD's for Isaiah (something that teaches numbers, colors, ABC's, etc.)

- Starbucks VIA

- Blue Diamond Almonds "Wasabi and Soy Sauce" flavor

- Taco seasoning (mild)

- Carnation Malted Milk mix- chocolate


Also, check out this website for more tips and tricks when sending packages to missionaries: Care Packages

We are SO GRATEFUL for your desire to send us a little taste of home. We are blessed beyond measure by YOU- our wonderful friends and family. THANK YOU!

Three Years as Mrs. Hutcheson

Today is a very special day...our anniversary! Three years ago today I married one of my very best friends and we started our adventurous life together.

In our three years together we've lived in three different houses, had a baby, moved to Africa, and come very close to bringing our adopted baby home. We've been keeping busy!

Today I am celebrating Drew and thanking the Lord that He brought me such an amazing man. God knew exactly what I needed in a husband to compliment my personality and complete me. He gave me the perfect husband for me...and as an added bonus He gave me a smokin' hott one! =)

I often tell Drew that he is the best husband in the world. And while I know that there are many many wonderful husbands (my father and father-in-law are great examples of ones) I do believe that Drew is the best husband in the world for me. I am truly blessed and often wonder why on earth God thought I deserved such a man as him.

To celebrate our third anniversary I made Drew a slide show. We have so many great memories together it was hard to choose just a few pictures!

I love you, Andrew Byron Hutcheson! Thank you for being the godly leader of our home, a patient and sweet husband, and a fun and wise father. I love living life with you and can't wait for the next 3 (and more!) years together. Happy Anniversary!

God is Not an Elephant

It's true...God is not an Elephant. You know why? Because an elephant never forgets....but God FORGETS!!

And you know what? We need to forget also. FORGIVE AND FORGET.

Easier said than done right? Trust us, we know. Sometimes people hurt us deeper than we ever thought imaginable. We can't help replaying the hurtful actions and words in our heads over and over again. We think we've been treated unfairly so it's ok for us to hold a bitter grudge. But that's not right...it's not what God calls us to do.

Look at what the Lord has done for us:

Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases...

Psalm 103:2,3

He forgives ALL our sins!

Let's follow in the Lord's footsteps. Stop holding on to anger. Stop replaying the hurtful scene in your head. Stop holding on to bitterness. FORGIVE. LOVE. FORGET. BE LIKE JESUS.

He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;  
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

Psalm 103:9,10

Forgiving and forgetting doesn't always mean the relationship will be restored. Some relationships can not and should not be restored to the way they once were. Sometimes all we can do is forgive with no strings attached. Make sure your attitude towards that person/people is right in your own heart, pray for the one who has hurt you, and ALWAYS be ready to offer verbal forgiveness if they come to you with an apology.

We love this new song "LOSING" by Tenth Avenue North. Take a few minutes to listen to it. It will rock your socks off!

"We think pain is owed apologies and then it'll stop
But truth be told it doesn't matter if they're sorry or not
Freedom comes when we surrender to the sound
Of Mercy and Your Grace"

Contentment

Hebrews 13:5

Be content with what you have. Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you."

Lately God has been teaching me a lot about contentment.

The dictionary defines content as: satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

I wish I could be more content.

We have had a wonderful time in Uganda but since we have been here we have had some things happen that could cause us to feel discontent. We've lost two houses we wanted to rent, Drew has a 2 1/2 hour drive to work each day and back (which doesn't allow me and Isaiah to see him much), we are still living out of suitcases (which gets old after more than 2 months), we have yet to find a house and start feeling settled, and in light of moving overseas, money has been tight in some areas of our budget.

Luke 12:15

Then he said, “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.”

Proverbs 14:30

A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body;
jealousy is like cancer in the bones.

I want so many things...

I want to be settled.
I want to move into our new place and begin figuring out what our "normal" is going to look like here.
I want to unpack all of our boxes that have been packed up for more than 2 months now.
I want to have our new baby in our arms.
I want to see Drew more often.
I want...
I want...
I want...

I wish God would drill into me the secret of being content no matter what my circumstances. I try to focus on the all the things I do have. I have a wonderful marriage, an amazing son, a free place to stay while we look for a house, the ability to rent a house, some exciting leads on our adoption, and a healthy family. I am blessed!!!

Being content means fully trusting Christ with whatever he desires to give or not to give me. As I grow closer to Christ I am slowly learning to trust more and more in HIS sovereignty and submit to HIS will and plan for my life. I'm seeing progress but, I think I'll always be learning this better!

God, you are good and you do all things well. I trust in you!

1 Timothy 6:6-7

But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.

An Encouraging Song

We have often found certain songs which really speak to us and keep our attitudes and motivations as an act of worhsip. One of our favorite songs which has undoubtedly helped us in this area is Sara Groves' "When The Saints." If you've never heard this song before, we hope you may take a moment a listen to it or read part of the lyrics below.

"I see the long quiet walk along the Underground Railroad
I see the slave awaken to the value of her soul


I see the young missionary and the angry spear
I see his family returning with no trace of fear


I see the long hard shadows of Calcutta nights
I see the sister standing by the dying man's side


I see the young girl huddled on the brothel floor
I see the man with a passion come and kicking down that door


I see the man of sorrow and his long troubled road
I see the world on his shoulders and my easy load


And when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
and when the Saints go marching in
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them
I want to be one of them."

With less than 2 weeks left before we make the biggest move of our lifetime over to Uganda, we found this song all the more fitting in light of what God has called us to. We hope you find the lyrics to this song as ecnouraging as we have.

A Prayer: Be Our Primary Disease

Be our primary disease,

and infect us with your justice;

Be our night visitor,

and haunt us with your peace;

Be our moth that consumes,

and eat away at our unfreedom.

Be our primary disease,

our night visitor,

our moth

infect, haunt, eat away...

Until we are toward you and with you and for you,

away from our injustice,

our anti-peace

our unfreedom.

More like you and less like your resistance.

In the name of the one most like you,

most with you,

most for you ... even Jesus.

Amen.

This prayer is by Profesor, theologian, and pastor, Walter Brueggemann.

It was prayed in one of his courses, January 20, 1998 at Columbia Theological Seminary.

Hey Dads: A Man of Sayings for the Man of Sorrows

Below is my collection thus far of some quotes, one-liners, and their explanation (if need be) I have collected from others over the years and or have created from something I've learned. I want to instill these into my children.

"Envy is the seed of discontentment; it gives birth to chaos!" - From James 3:16

"Teach-ability is the posture of humility."

"You can have the best jam in town, but if you spread it on too thin, the toast is no good." - Stewart Hamrick, on spreading yourself too thin in life.

"God will not protect you from anything he will perfect you through." - Bill Muntz on losing his toddler son to a drowning accident.

"Per-se-vere is a three syllable word. Just as 'life'." Referring to life being birth, living, and dying and that trials will come. But we're to persevere well through all 3 eras.

"Unresolved anger is like bad coffee." Referring to unresolved anger or bitterness being like coffee on the burner for too long. If you drink pop over coffee, then it's like pop that's gone flat.

"Discipline is doing what needs to be done, how it needs to be done, when it needs to be done, regardless of how you feel." - Ron Sauer, Greek Prof at Moody Bible Institute

"Cheer for the team, even in defeat." - On loyalty

"Do > Say." - On James 1, being a person of action makes for more influence than merely a person of words.

"Be offensive towards defensiveness." - Referring to being a person who takes ownership of mistakes.

"Who cares if God doesn't?" - On learning in life what matters to the Lord.

Leaving a legacy our children will be proud to carry on is a more difficult feat to conquer than ever. Amidst so many distractions our world promotes today, it is more of a sheer fight to focus on what really matters most.

You can easily look at one's Twitter or Facebook page and easily see where their priorities are. No, I'm not trying to play the role of judge nor cirtic. I just often find many disclosing things virally which are a tad weightless and vain. Do you agree? (And I myself have been victim of this.)



Having said this, one thing I have come to want to be known for by Isaiah and future children, as well as friends and family, is to be a man of sayings for the Man of sorrows. Simply meaning, I want to have several expressions, phrases, figure of speech which I collect or create which teach a life-lesson, a principal, or a token of character. They don't have to be from the Bible or even from a Christian. But, I would love for the greater portion of them to help me and those who hear me say them live life well, and in turn, reflect the work God has done in me through his cultivating grace.

Trying to conquer fixing the sink together.

As I am a young father, I write this post with other young dads, older dads, and future ones in mind. As we're all terminal, and as life is such a blink, seemingly smoke on a mirror, it will be what we did and were known for which lives on following our passing. What is so awesome is that even our words are seeds which give birth to action in the lives of others. Hence, what we say and how we say it hold great potential in leading others in how they may live. Therefore, I want to be known not merely for the things I do, but for what I say.

If you have any that you could add to the list or you say often, I'd like to know - so please share!

Depraved Indifferance

WOW!!!!! Exactly how we feel as we prepare to adopt our little one(s) from Uganda and serve the people there! Please take a few minutes to watch this clip. It will rock your world (and may bring tears to your eyes)!!

A Godly Wife

Over a year and a half ago, in preparation for a devotional I gave at my sister's wedding shower, I did a little research into what it means to be a godly wife. This morning, while I was doing my devotions, I found that piece of paper tucked away in my Bible, covered with notes and references I had written down. As I re-read what I had written I was encouraged all the more to continue striving to be a supportive, respectful, God-fearing wife to my husband! It is a high calling and a rewarding endeavor!

I'd like to share some of my notes with you today. Nothing too deep, just some verses and a little bit of commentary. May it be encouraging to you wives out there as you seek to be the help-mate your husband needs in you!

<3 Wives should clothe themselves with the beauty that comes from within- the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is so precious to God. Women who trust God and accept the authority of their husbands are beautiful. Wives must do what is right without fear of what their husbands may do (1 Peter 3:1-6).

<3 A disgraceful woman is like cancer in her husband's bones (Proverbs 12:4).

• Disgraceful: bringing shame or dishonor, causing a loss of respect , honor or esteem.
• Cancer: a deep and life-threatening problem. Any evil condition or thing that spreads destructively.

<3 A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping (Proverbs 19:13). It is better to live in the corner of an attic than with her (Proverbs 21:9).

• A marriage that looks good on the outside is unrewarding if it is filled with quarrels.
• Quarrelsome: argumentative, contentious, causing a temporary or permanent break in friendly relations. Making complaints and finding faults.

<3 God hates a broken covenant. He hates divorce. The Lord puts a husband and a wife together to produce Godly children. The Lord doesn't accept my worship when I am unfaithful to my husband (Malachi 2:14-16).

<3 A Virtuous and capable wife is more precious than rubies. She greatly enriches her husband life. She brings him good, not harm (Proverbs 31:10-12).

• Virtuous: morally excellent, upright, chaste, pure, conforming to moral and ethical principles.
• Enrich: to supply with abundance of anything desirable. To add greater value or significance to. To make finer in quality. To make richer or fuller.

<3 God made marriage a sacred union and humans do not have the right to break it apart (Matthew 19:6).

<3 A married woman has to think about her earthly responsibilities and how to please her husband (1 Corinthians 7:34).

<3 A wife must submit to her husband as to the Lord. A husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. Wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:23-33)

• Submit: submission is not expressed out of fear or a desire for personal gain but out of reverence for Christ. It is obedience. To give over or yield to the power or authority of another. To allow oneself to be subjected to some kind of treatment or influence. To defer to anothers' judgment, opinions, decisions, etc. To comply, bow, obey, agree, resign, yield.

Where Are The Bonhoeffers of This Generation?

"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."

 

During my final year of high school I came across a book titled Ethics by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. After reading through it, I knew from thereon that Bonhoeffer would be both one of my heroes, as well as keenly instrumental to my growth and understanding of what it means to live out Christ in this world.

106 years ago from this month, Bonhoeffer was born. What emerged from his life is a profound legacy which serves us today as it pertains to understanding how to live out community and Christ in our world.

Recently a dear friend of mine began reading a newly published biography on Bonhoeffer. This friend told me in reading it that he felt like he understood me better as a brother in Christ. Unbeknownst to him, that meant much to me as well as it moved me to dust off my Bonhoeffer books and read through some of the wrinkled and note-laden pages. In doing so, I came across this quote which birthed the writing of this post:

"What could be greater than to live one's life in faith before God? What could be greater than to live one's life to God in hope? Even greater is the love which lives in God. 'Walk before me' (Genesis 17:1). 'Whoever lives in love lives in God' (1 John 4:10). What is greater than the humility of faith which never forgets the infinite distance of the Creator from the creature? What is greater than the confidence of hope which longs for God's coming and longs to see God's reality? Even greater is love, for already here it is certain of God's nearness and presence everywhere. This love clings to God's love and knows that God's love wants nothing but our love. What is greater than faith which hopes for its salvation in Christ and holds fast to Christ and is justified in him? What is greater than hope which hour after hour focuses on a blessed experience of dying and a radiant homecoming? Even greater is the love that senses, the love that forgets everything for the other and even sacrifices one's own salvation to bring it to one's family. For 'whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.' (Matthew 16:25)"

Nearly every line of Bonhoeffer is quotable. And, he wrote on several subjects; from community and confession, to marriage and discipleship. He would have certainly written more, had he not been exceuted.

The West Door at Westminster Abbey: Bonhoeffer is on the far right, being one of these four Christian heroes from the 20th Century.

One of many things which is ever encouraging about Bonhoeffer was his desire to explore the body of Christ in different cultures and contexts and embrace different forms of worship. He believed Christianity to be displayed most grand before the eyes of the world only when Christians are seen as most unified with resolve to stand together in Christ, despite any differences.

Translation: "Our being Christian today will consist of two things: prayer, and righteous action among men."

(I took a year of German while in college; I'm more than a tad rusty  and it took me a half hour to translate this,so please correct me if I botched something here.)

Above all else, his legacy is one of integrity. He lived what he preached, hence the initial quote above. Distraught over his fellow brothers and sisters in Germany during World War II, Bonhoeffer found himself faced with the choice to avoid a highly probable death by concentration camp and live in the US until the war ended or return to Germany. His heart broke for his fellow man and a fear of death was alive in him no more. He returned to Germany regardless of any fatal outcome only to write these words weeks before his passing: When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.

No doubt these words are a call to release ourselves from as much selfishness as possible, but Bonhoeffer takes it to another level, a Christ-like level and lives them out in dying for the Christ who called him. Bonhoeffer was executed after recently preaching a sermon in 1945 in the Flossenbürg concentration camp during what was then Nazi Germany. Leaving this earthly home to arrive Home at only 39 years of age, Bonhoeffer validated his life, being conscious of the times, and living as if his last days could be at hand. And sure enough, they were.

One point of application that I arrive at time and again from Bonhoeffer's life is this: There will be times in our life when we are given the choice to face our fears (implying that we don't have to face them, we can ignore or run from them). In facing them, we realize these fears are bigger than us, yet also that Christ is bigger than our fears. From this, we may still have some degrees of timidty within, but because of Christ, we live as if fear has left us. And it's herein God does in a life the things he did through Bonhoeffer.

Where are the Bonhoeffers of this generation?

Jesus Paid it All

Last Friday, Isaiah pinched his pinkie finger in the bathroom door. It was a quick pinch and didn't do too much damage...But, Isaiah cried. Hard. Of course I went running to him and scooped him up in my arms right away. A mother's heart is ripped out of her chest when her baby is in pain! Thankfully, he quickly calmed down. However, he wouldn't let me set him down. No toy or snack or other enticement was going to get him out of my arms. He wanted his mommy.

I absolutely love holding my baby boy...but on this particular day I was swamped with things to do. I was in the middle of getting ready for the day, baking and cleaning for visitors coming over that night, and cooking for a get together we had the next morning. I quickly went through my to-do list in my mind. Put mascara on while holding a baby. Check. Brush teeth while holding a baby. Check. Pick up the house while holding a baby. Check. Clean the toilet while holding a baby. Umm..... Cut up onions, pull apart two whole chickens, and chop fresh cilantro for white chicken chili while holding a baby. Well.... There are alot of things I can do while holding a baby but, alas, some things can not be done with a 16 month old on your hip and only one free hand.

So, somewhat begrudgingly I headed for the nursery, turned off the lights, and rocked my little snuggler in the rocking chair. Soon, Isaiah wanted me to sing to him. So, I sang. We went through everything from Amazing Grace to Father Abraham. I even resorted to the Barney Song! Yikes! I was getting desperate. Then, out of no where, the Lord spoke to me and brought to my mind one of my favorite songs:

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

And, as I sang it out to no one but an empty nursery and a snugly little boy, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of God's presence and struck with a strong reminder of how "small" my own strength really is. God knew about all the things I needed to get done that day. He knew how tight I was for time. Yet, he reminded this "child of weakness" to take the time to watch, and pray, and find in Jesus my all in all!

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down,
All down at Jesus’ feet.

I can do nothing without Christ and His strength. All my accomplishments, my goals, my winnings, my positions of status or power mean nothing if I am not finding my all in all in Jesus. If I am not waiting for God's direction in what I do, if I am not basking in His presence, if I am not laying everything down at His feet, if I am not giving Him the glory for all I accomplish, then nothing I do truly matters.

What better thing to do on a busy Friday morning than to take the time to hold my precious little boy and fill his little ears with a message of how the Lord paid it all for us, and thus we owe everything to HIM?

Amber

Resting & Reflecting Amidst Advent

Rest & Reflect
I don't know about you, but I'm finding the Christmas season to be one of the more frenetic paced times of the year. Christmas parties, church events, gift buying, snow shovelling (depending on where you live), and much more all seem to make for a jammed-packed December. Please don't let ths sound like a complaint. I enjoy Christmas get-togethers, Christmas music, the snow and gift buying (especially receiving gifts!).

However, during the Advent Season, there's an underlying need within everyone to find the time to properly rest and reflect upon the passing year. For the Christian, there's an even more crucial need to reflect upon the passing year and how you've grown in the Savior. This post - I hope - will simply serve as some food for thought or even as an admonishment to invite you into a state of solitude and silence this Christmas to reflect upon the ultimate Giver and His involvement in your life.

The Question
Our interior posture towards the Lord is in many ways very similar to our physical nature. The less rest and food our body receives, the weaker and more dismal it becomes. One question we must ask ourselves is if we're at the point in our walk with the Lord to even want to nourish our inner-selves, our relationship with Christ. Of course the cookie-cutter Christian answer everyone would give is "Yes!" Probably not to sound un-spiritual or looked down upon by others in the faith. But forget that. This is a test of honesty with ourselves; it's a matter of transparency before God Himself and our lives. Do you truly hunger and thirst for God and His word?

Scenarios of Need
Maybe you're taking on too much in life right now at the expense of those closest to you (wife, children, etc.). Perhaps you're finding your emotions a tad more volatile than usual, feeling inwardly torn in differing directions in life. Or, maybe you are undergoing times of confusion, and God's presence in your life is being drowned out by everything else life is demanding of you right now.

Rest = Revivification
My encouragement to you is to go against the tide this Christmas season and find time (say, 30 minutes a few times a week) to get alone and seek after the Lord in solitude and silence. Whether it's writing in a journal, spending time in prayer, marvelling at a sunrise or sunset, talking to the Lord aloud and alone, or simply meditating on some scripture, make it a priority to sit with the Savior and rest in His presence. It's from this discipline of resting and reflecting before the Lord that our lives of redemption will be regularly revived and in turn, we'll be a people changed from the inside out.

Drew

It's the simple things...

Love Love Love Isaiah's Christmas ornaments this year. I just have to post pictures! =)



Remember these toys? Isaiah doesn't have one (yet!) but I had one growing up. What a cute ornament it makes!



I think this one is so cute too. And they are both made out of wood, which I love!



Keep Your Eyes on the Prize!!

When you see a man walk free,
It makes you dream of Jubilee.

When you see a child walk free,
It makes you dream of Jubilee.

When you see a family free,
It makes you dream of Jubilee.
Keep your eyes on the prize,
Hold on.

Have you ever heard of Sara Groves? If not, you have GOT to check her out! She has an incredible voice, but what's more is she has a sincere, down to earth personality and writes honest lyrics about every day things that you and I struggle with. Drew and I have both seen her live on more than one occasion and she is just as real and honest in person!! She is one of our favorite artists.  

Just recently, Sara wrote a song specifically for International Justice Mission! She is a great supporter and proponent of IJM and we immediately fell in love with the song, "Eyes on the Prize" that she wrote for them. Here is a little snippet of the song:

What an encouraging message! So often we get bogged down with looking at the here and now that we cannot see any hope for the future. Drew and I are struggling with this right now! Sometimes we feel hopeless that we will raise 100% of our support in time to get to Uganda by June 1st. We let the unknowns and uncertainties overwhelm us... Will we raise all our money? Where will live when we get to Uganda? How will we deal with seeing orphans and victims of violent oppression on a daily basis? Will our adoption go smoothly? Where will we live and what will we do when we come back to the US? Sometimes things seem impossible. BUT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH CHRIST!! Through this song, God reminded us to keep our eyes on the prize! We are not to worry about the potholes and roadblocks on the path. We are going to take one day at at time, keep our eyes on our goal ahead and let the Lord worry about the rest!

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." Matthew 6:33-34

If you would like to listen to the whole song you can do so here (I really encourage you to- it is beautiful!):

By the way, on a side note, my incredibly sweet, romantic, and thoughtful husband e-mailed Sara to see if she would call me on my birthday earlier this month. While she didn't get the e-mail in time to call, she did e-mail me for my birthday!!

Amber,

Your sweet husband sent us a note that your birthday was coming up November 5th!  Well, I missed it completely, and I'm sorry, but I thought I would still send a note and word of encouragement to you as you guys take on this big move to Uganda.  I learned about the work of IJM when I was 33 and had two children and a full career - if I had learned about their work when I was in college (not to date myself, but they had not started back then : ) I would definitely be signing up to join this incredible team!  I know no organization is perfect, but the gospel brought in this way, in defense and protection of the most vulnerable, is a beautiful thing.  I hope you had a great birthday and that you are encouraged as you raise funds to take this next step in your life.

Grace and peace in Christ, and Happy Birthday!

Sara Groves

If you are interested in hearing more from Sara I encourage you to check out her songs: Generations, When the Saints, and I Saw what I Saw.

Compassion's Reaction

Jesus allowed his heart to be the handle which the needs of others turned to open the door of healing.

Mark 1:41
καὶ σπλαγχνισθεὶς ἐκτείνας τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ἥψατο καὶ λέγει• θέλω, καθαρίσθητι.
“And being filled with compassion, he (Jesus) wholly extended his arm touching him and said, ‘I am willing – be healed.’”

There is much we can glean from this lone verse. We first realize that Jesus first saw the leper and then was filled with compassion.
σπλαγχνισθεὶς (“being filled with compassion”) is in what is called the passive voice. This simply means that it was the physical state of the leper which filled Christ’ heart with compassion.

APPLICATION
1 – If we have our eyes upon others and their needs, we will become burdened for them.
2 – Jesus opened his heart to the world allowing the needs of others to evoke him to take action and do something for them.
3 – Jesus moved toward this leper. The world promotes people coming to you, to serve you. Christ modeled going to others, to serve them.

Next, Jesus wholly extended (ἐκτείνας) his arm out to apply his healing touch to the leper. This word ἐκτείνας can literally mean to extend to full length. This says much of how we are to reach out to those around us. Jesus went against the norm in reaching out to someone who otherwise was overlooked and forgotten by society. Furthermore, he reached out all the way to this person!

APPLICATION
4 – Hold nothing back when it comes to serving others and may we not be afraid to go the extra step and do what we can, whether little or much for others, despite how we look in the eyes of modern culture.
Finally, through Jesus’ touch, this man is healed. Today, we live as God’s healing hand in the world, with him touching lives through us.

For Jesus, helping someone could mean, as it does here, healing them from their disease. God could still do this through someone today, but for the most part, helping others could be anything between faithfully praying for someone or going to help orphans in Africa. The needs of those around us are great and many. However, like Jesus, we must allow those needs to fill us with compassion which in turn, will lead us to do something.
Who is the friend you know who just found out they have cancer? Who do you know who just lost their job or is still looking for one? Who is the young person who is struggling in a home recently ransacked by divorce? A little encouragement, a meal offered, a listening ear, or even something as simple as faithfully praying for them may just be the healing touch of Jesus in their life.