Be Exalted

Happy New Year 2012!!

When the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, I was with 25,000 people in the Kansas City Convention Center as part of the IHOP OneThing conference. How exhilarating to be among 1,000’s of young adults from all over the world with their hands raised to heaven, expressing their love to God! We sang, shouted, clapped, danced, and rejoiced with all our might in His presence. At one point, the concrete floor of the massive auditorium was bouncing up and down under the weight of the crowd as we jumped for joy. What an amazing way to welcome the New Year! Times Square can't compare.

And Who is it that we worship? It is Jesus, the blessed Messiah. His eyes are like fire, his hair white like wool, His voice like thunder; He is the glorious One. He is the King of Israel who will sit on David’s throne forever. He is the Lord of all who ascended to the highest heavens and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father. He is the magnificent One who is worthy of unending praise.

O God, we praise you that you are raising up worship and prayer throughout the nations in preparation for your Son’s return. Would you please cause worship and prayer to arise in even greater measure in the nation of Poland for the glory of your great name? Would you place a hunger in the hearts of your people to know you more, to praise you more, to seek you more, to love you more? We commit this new year of 2012 to you and to your glory. O Lord, be exalted!

Master Restorer

This past weekend David and I were in Ohio, speaking at churches about the work God is doing in Poland. We stayed overnight with a couple whom we were meeting for the first time. As we began talking, the husband told us that he restores old cars. He then invited us downstairs to the show room where we stood in awe of several beautiful automobiles - a 1974 Mercedes, a 1966 Chrysler 300, a 1988 BMW, a 1934 Plymouth "mafia" car, and many more. He does all the body work, painting, and restoration. He then led us into the shop where a few old cars were waiting to be restored. One car was in such poor condition, covered with rust and falling apart. He told us that one day this car will be one of those beautiful, shiny cars out in the show room. I was amazed! I couldn't imagine that car being anywhere but in a junk pile! I asked him if there is ever a car that is "beyond repair." To my surprise, he smiled and shook his head, "No." He said he has taken cars half-buried in the ground and covered with rust and has completely restored them to their original beauty. Through hours of tedious work and loving care, he basically re-builds the car. I saw the twinkle in his eye and realized that it's his life's passion.

As I stood looking at that old car, my heart was deeply touched by the mercy of God. He is the Master Restorer. He is the One who takes us when we are "beyond hope" and creates in us something beautiful. There is no life that is "beyond repair." With a twinkle in His eye, He heals the deepest wound, softens the hardest heart, cleanses the worst of sinners, and renews us from the inside out. It's His life's passion.

How I thank you, God, for your mercy! Restore our lives and the lives of our friends and family. As we yield ourselves to You, re-create us in Your image and we will give you all the glory!

So Thankful

What a treat to have all our family home for Thanksgiving! With Kezia driving 12 hours from Kansas City, Josiah and Jorjette coming up from Indiana, and Kenan on break from Grand Valley State University, this was one of our first years to stay in Michigan for the holiday. We spent three full days together ... laughing, chillin', playing Wii, tossing a football, watching a private "Nefarious" screening, and simply catching up on each others' lives. On Thanksgiving Day, we savored the turkey and all the trimmings, but the most satisfying part of the meal was the time of "giving thanks." We took turns sharing those things for which we are most thankful and it was good to hear each other's hearts. It isn't often that all six of us can be together, so we cherish these moments. We are so thankful to God for His kindness, faithfulness, and provision to us as a family.

My Favorite Feast

Autumn is my favorite season. I simply love the splashes of yellow and orange against an azure sky. I love picking apples and baking pies and drinking cider. I even enjoy the crisp weather and switching over to cozy sweaters and warm socks. Yet amongst all these delights, what tops the list are the fall holidays of the Lord. There are three: the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). These fall festivals provide a cycle of repentance, re-commitment, and rejoicing that I look forward to every year. This year we celebrated the Feast of Trumpets with our friends in Kansas City – hearing the ram’s horn cry out, “Wake up! Repent! Seek God! Be alert, for the King is coming!” And then 10 days later we celebrated a day of fasting and prayer – sitting on my mom’s deck, thanking God that the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, has made atonement for my sin and I am now welcome to enter the very throne room of God. Our names are written in the Book of Life! Amazing! And now we’re back in Michigan, just in time for my favorite feast – Sukkot. Dave helped me erect our little “tabernacle” on our back patio and for the last few days we have enjoyed sitting under the sukkah and meeting with God. Yes, it’s just PVC pipe with sheets attached for walls and pine branches draped across as a roof – but somehow, as we dedicate this temporary structure to God and ask Him to come, He does. Actually, He’s the one who set the date, so He has been waiting to meet with us. We eat, pray, read, sing, rejoice, gaze on the moon and stars, and contemplate the reality of God’s presence. The Ancient of Days has been faithful to dwell among His people throughout the ages – and now He dwells within us through His Spirit. Jewish people throughout the world are celebrating this festival under their “sukkot;” it’s a time of joy and thanksgiving. Dave and I pray that just as Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, Jesus will reveal Himself to his brothers during this special holiday. We long for the day when both Jew and Gentile will honor Him as the Messiah and all nations will go up to Jerusalem (Zech. 14:16-19) to celebrate my favorite feast.

Midwest Tour

Dave and I just returned from what we fondly call our “Midwest Tour” (Sept. 25 – Oct. 9). After soaking up as much wisdom and advice as possible during our first night at Dave’s parents in Indiana, we made our way to Kansas City to see Kezia. Kezia lives across the street from the International House of Prayer (IHOP) where prayer and worship have continued non-stop (24/7) for more than a decade. It was refreshing to have time to be in the prayer room, joining with 100’s of others in worship and intercession before God. We met for prayer with the staff at Exodus Cry where she works (anti-human trafficking organization), connected with team members who came to Poland this past summer, saw the screening of EC’s documentary “Nefarious,” and experienced significant times of prayer and prophecy.
During the next week we gave updates on our work with Impact Europe to five churches (mission teams) (Mt. Sterling, Taylorville, Bloomington-Normal, Lincoln, and Concord, IL) as well as to several individuals who support us. It was refreshing to be in “farm country,” where hard work, home-cooked food, and hearty hand-shakes are staples of life. On Thursday, we participated in Lincoln Christian University’s internship fair and it’s always encouraging to meet so many inter-cultural majors who are eager to serve overseas. We spent the week at my mom’s in Bloomington and I thought we would have a few days to read, study, write, and prepare for upcoming events – but God arranged meetings daily with people interested in our mission. We believe many important connections were made and we thank God for the spiritual renewal we experienced. For a few pictures w/captions, see: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2387296275475.2128221.1042840549&type=1&l=8d689a1ab7

History Makers

Last week I (Sandy) began reading Norman Davies’ God’s Playground: A History of Poland. The two volumes include 1250 pages of detailed historical narrative. I am just now finishing the first volume, which means my mind is filled with the names, dates, places, and images from the Poland/Lithuanian Republic before 1795. I’m learning so much and am asking God to show me the significance of various events as they relate to Poland today. Obviously, as we study history it helps us understand the current situation, and hopefully we will learn from the past and enter the future with greater wisdom.

I am also reminded that each day we are making history. And what is my attitude about this? Am I content to simply “let it happen” – whatever that may look like … or do I have a calling from God to be a history maker? Has He placed you and me in this world at this particular time for a specific purpose? Are we not called to live in such a way that makes an impact upon our friends, our families, our communities, our very nation? You may wonder how you, a normal person living a quiet life, can affect the history of nations. It all begins with prayer – there is no limit to what God will do in answer to the humble cry of His children on their knees!

One of my favorite verses is found in Acts 13:36 (NIV):
“Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed.”

David was faithful to serve the purpose of God in his own generation. That is my desire! I want to know God’s purpose for this generation and give my life to see it fulfilled! I truly believe that when God’s people in every nation come together to humbly seek His face, He will reveal His heart and His purposes. In answer to our prayers, He will act. And we will stand in grateful amazement as the nations of the earth realize their destinies according to the plan of God.

Time to Pray

As I sit here at our kitchen table in Brighton, Michigan, my mind is full of thoughts and images from our summer in Poland. How to begin to process all that we experienced and all that God revealed? It was a full summer -- undoubtedly one of the best yet. We participated in several camps, interacted with many national leaders, served the poor, hosted teams, and so much more. From the ladies on the streets of Katowice to the orphans on Dave's lap in Ukraine, we saw the hand of God at work in marvelous ways. Our ties to Israel grew deeper still as we served Holocaust survivors and Israeli teens in Ostróda, and as our friend, Asher Intrater, joined us in Poland for the first time. We spent time with worship leaders and offered encouragement for the school of music/worship. And it was so good to spend time with both Kezia and Kenan for a couple weeks of ministry together. Throughout the summer, God broadened our vision and gave us dreams for the future. And now as we catch up on correspondence, assemble reports, touch base with supporters, build teams for 2012, and serve our neighbors in Brighton -- we don't want to go too far forward without first prayerfully processing all that just took place. He has entrusted us with individuals, churches, leaders, government officials, and nations -- so we must be diligent in prayer. We believe God has much to say to us, so it is time to quiet ourselves and listen. Things are happening quickly in our world, and we who know His voice must train ourselves to watch and pray. We thank God for each of you who join us on our knees.