Differences in Meals

I have noticed a few things that are different here about eating meals than in America. Some of them are true of Israeli culture but many of them are true of many cultures because of the diverse cultures represented by the volunteers here.
1. cleaning plates - I have learned to only take what I can eat. I noticed that most of the volunteers eat everything they take. This doesn't seem typical of American culture to me.
2. I am hungry when I get to meals. Truly hungry. This isn't always so in America where I snack a lot and don't work as hard.
3. My diet is a lot more healthy but the great thing is I don't pay more and take more time and money to get the healthy food and to prepare it. It seems like eating healthy in America costs more than eating junk. Even exercise here is free and goes along with everyday life. I don't pay for a gym membership and I don't take extra time to do it. I exercise as I work.
4. We take more time to eat meals here. Sometimes dinner lasts for two hours or more. New people join us and we wait till they are finished. We talk and share. We go back for a cup of coffee or tea and maybe even a second one after that. It is quite nice.
5. The menu - I eat bell peppers for breakfast lunch and dinner. That isn't all I eat but it is only on a rare rushed day that I don't eat them at every meal.

These are just a few differences. I am sure there are more. One obvious one would be the kosher rules :).

My new hobby

One of my favorite profs once told my class that he couldn't believe how foolish the girls were that semester for not taking every opportunity to meet with the older, godly women around them. He gave a tip. He told us to make it easy for older women to spend time with us by offering to help them or inviting them out for a meal. I have taken his advice, probably not as fully as I should or would like. I have started a new hobby of washing dishes. It has been great fun because while I wash their dishes they are usually more than willing to talk to you. I used to be afraid I wouldn't do them incorrectly, because some people are very particular, but now I realize they will correct me if they want. Most people aren't too particular because they are happy they don't have to do them. I enjoy doing dishes, and wives and mothers wash so many so frequently, so it is a nice break for them. This would probably be the same for changing their baby's diapers, but washing dishes is a much nicer hobby. Well, I am off to a professor's house for a birthday dinner. Maybe I'll even get a chance tonight to do the dishes.

What is True Success?

The following notes are from one of JPK’s talks with us during one of our very first RA classes last year. If any current RA’s are reading this or reviewing it—Great! But no matter where we are in life… life is ministry and we are God’s children… so it continues to apply!

What does it mean to be successful?
What does it mean to be what I’m called to be? To be someone that the LORD uses?
Instead of success, think in these five terms:

RIGHTEOUSNESS – being right before God in attitude and action, in principle and practice in order to please God who tests our hearts. (I Cor. 4:1-5; I Thes. 2:3-4) In the end, we are not going to be judged by those who we work with or lead, but rather it will be before the LORD. Ask “Would the LORD have me to do this?” or “How can I do this to please God?”

FAITHFULNESS – Success is not defined by other people (Matt. 25:14-30). Don’t, out of fear of failure, not do anything! Think of success clearly defined as those things you are faithful to do. You can’t meet every single need of those around you… be faithful in the way that God supernaturally sends people across your path.

STRENUOUSNESS – We should think in terms—not of being driven by some external outcome—but rather motivated from an internal strenuous drive… because we are motivated by the Gospel and the desire to see others run hard after Christ (I Thes. 2:9-10). Don’t think of success in terms of things we can see... outward results. Instead, be motivated by the internal drive and effort that is cultivated by Christ. Remember Jeremiah who had nothing to show for his strenuous labor at the end of the day… but he was FAITHFUL.

ATTENTIVENESS – Ministry is done one person at a time… one conversation, one moment. It’s one-on-one with every single individual person… one step at a time of meeting needs. Don’t blow over individuals or their needs because you think you have a greater activity or need to meet. Your ministry should be defined by small, obscure, never-noticed care for individuals… one step at a time. Be attentive to the details. Eph. 4:1, 4:15-16

MEEKNESS – We are called to walk in a meek and humble disposition. Meekness is not a door mat! Even Christ defined Himself as meek, yet He was the greatest, most powerful man who ever lived. What do you have that God has not given you? God desires to see you walking in meekness with a Christ-like attitude. Pridefulness has no place in your ministry! Who are you going to be when other people fail you? Are you going to be gentle and humble in that moment? How will you respond?

Puritain Devotional Thoughts

I thought I would let you know about a great resource. Daily I get Puritan devotional thoughts sent to my email account. They are really good. Lately they have been about God disciplining those He loves. If you would like to subscribe go to http://www.gracegems.org/ and enter your email address. It is that easy.

Do You Smell Tasty?

I have had the privilege of spending the last three months with my missionary parents who have now been serving in Venezuela for thirty years. They have done tribal church planting and Bible translation among the Pume people... if you're further interested, you can check out their web site here.

Anyway, it has been a joy to hear my parents share in various churches, and a lot has stuck with me, but something in particular is the phrase that the Pume people often use when they're talking about being pleasing and glorifying to the Lord. It is literally translated "smelling tasty and good to God." One of the delights that my parents have had in that work is the beautiful aspects of the language. Often when the Pume people have caught on to a new spiritual concept, they explain it with words that give a fresh meaning and new insight. So... a vivid little phrase like "smelling tasty to God" is just one of the many ways that they spit the "spiritual vocabulary" back out.

In keeping with smelling tasty, I got to hear a different missionary speak this summer, and he posed the question "Do you smell like Christ?" This whole "smelling" business may cause some to be a little "squeamish" but the sense of smell is truly a strong sense for most of us. We can determine pretty quickly whether we appreciate a smell or dislike it.

Smelling good and tasty to God casts a vivid picture in our mind. Does he encounter a pleasing smell or an abhorent one? And whether or not we smell like Christ can probably be answered by whether or not we've spent enough time with Him; whether we've been consumed with the work that He's about; and whether we're concerned with the people that He's concerned about. If we spend too long in a barn, someone will probably tell us that we smell like a barn. When my grampa spent too long in his garden, he'd come back to the house smelling like a dill plant. Is it possible that if we spend enough time with Jesus, studying Jesus, and doing Jesus' work that we'll begin to "smell" like Him?

I'll be the first to say that I love good smells. Fresh-baked bread from my Gramma's kitchen was a much appreciated smell this summer. I also love smelling clean laundry, a good bag of coffee beans, smoke from the chimney in winter. I like good smells so much that I even bought some new perfume today. ...But... nothing could possibly be as delightful as to smell the followers of Christ... and to observe that they smelled as their Savior and that they indeed smelled good and tasty to the Father.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
II Corinthians 2:14-15

Odd Humor in Life

I love to laugh. I find really odd things amusing. Today as I walked to church I saw a tree I had trimmed. I laughed to myself as I passed it because it was butchered. It looked horrible. You wouldn't think that trimming a tree would be that difficult. I also laughed today as someone used a trick pen which shocks you as a prank on me. They found the pen hilarious (It was a little boy). What I found hilarious was that I tried it at least four times before saying, "That kind of hurts." I just kept trying to get the pen to work over and over again as someone said to me, "Try to push harder."

Praying In Yeshua's Name

At church today we heard a message on John 16:16-24. I was encouraged by much of it but I was really struck by the last verse so I wanted to share some of what I learned with my friends on this blog.

"Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:24

The chapter before Jesus says something similar as well.

" ... Whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you." John 15:16

What amazing promises and attestations to the power of prayer. Two things were drawn to my attention as the speaker spoke on this.

1. Notice the emphasis on asking in Yeshua's (Hebrew for Jesus) name. Sometimes I forget why I pray in Jesus' name. At times it feels like something we just say to close out a prayer because we were taught that in Sunday School. Those words are important though. They are powerful according to these verses. We pray that way because that is how the Bible teaches us to pray so use those words with meaning don't leave them off and don't just say them like a programmed robot.

2. We see that prayer is powerful in these verses so the speaker challenged us to ask ourselves why we don't pray. He had some of us in the congregation answer this question. Maybe it is because we lack faith that He will answer. Scripture says otherwise. Maybe it is because we are proud and instead of running to Jesus in prayer, we try to find a solution and strength in ourselves. I find myself in that position far too often. It is sinful. Maybe we are hesitant because we don't know how God will answer that prayer and we are hesitant to trust His goodness and sovereignty in the matter. Ask yourself why you don't pray. The speaker then asked us for examples of times where we had seen God answer our prayers powerfully and make our joy full. I will share some of the answered requests shared today in the comment section. I would love to hear how God has answered a prayer for you either today or a past memorable answer to prayer. Please post a comment.

American Girl

Saturday I was called an American girl. It was not said as a complement and it was not said in disdain. It was said in jest. It was said in reference to the fact that I only speak one language. Everyone else at the table, including the children, spoke at least two. One girl, a new friend of mine, spoke at least five. One man turned to me and said, "And how many languages do you speak American girl?" knowing full well what my answer would be, "one." Why do we only learn one language well in America? We study another language in high school but most of us can't speak it at the end of three or four years. I wish we would learn them when we are young as most other countries do. It is much harder as an adult, but it is something I want to work at because language is so important to people. My friend, Sarah, who speaks at least five languages, is from a part of Spain called Catalonia. There they speak Catalan as their main language and not Spanish. She said that if a tourist comes and says "Bon dia" "Good morning" in Catalan they are amazed and grateful for that little effort. Think what ties of friendship or opportunities to share the gospel may be built upon a simple phrase of greeting in ones own tongue.

I'm Here!

I just wanted to let you all know that I made it safely to Israel. I arriveed last night and settled in. Today I started looking over all the files that tell me how to do my job. The task looks daunting. I keep reminding myself of God's faithfulness in the past when He placed me in positions beyond my ability. He is faithful and that is what gets me joyfully through the day.

Spreading out & Coming Together

Wow, Jenn K. is the post Master in my opinion. Sorry that I have been tragically silent. I have spent the last few days and weeks wrapping up my time in Canada as I was up there with my parents visiting relatives--in particularly my dear grandparents.

As I write this, I'm in a Super 8 Motel in Ashland, Oregan... in our 2nd day of travel back down to California. As I write this, Jenn is in the air on her way to Tel Aviv, Israel and ultimately the IBEX campus outside of Jerusalem. Most people would probably think her crazy... except for me... who partly wishes I was flying with her. But for now, I'm on my way back to be closer again to our more silent member of this blog... the "other Jen. =) While I'm sure that this next semester will be a busy one for both of us, I look forward to connecting again with her and the times of fellowship that always are a treasured part of that.

So... not too much news from southern Oregan, but I just wanted to post and say that I am thankful for dear friends who are both close and across the world. I'm also so thankful for family, and I know that being with them has been a wonderful part of the summer for all three of us.

Jenn K... we're praying your flight through, and we can't wait for your first post from Israel. Talk to you all again soon...

Expect Greater Things

During debrief, when I returned to California from Peru, our team was encouraged to not let our excitement for missions and what we saw God do in our time there be a missions-trip high that soon faded. We were reminded that we as believers are missional people and need to stay on mission. Missions is not just a project, it is supposed to be our lifestyle. We are to expect greater things. This is just the beginning. As an example of all of this, the ABWE representative in charge of our debrief showed us two adjoining chapters in John that tell us of Nathaniel and Mary. In John 1 Nathaniel is called to be a disciple. Before he meets Jesus Nathaniel poses the question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" After Jesus speaks to Philip saying, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree" Philip is amazed and proclaims Jesus to be the Messiah. Jesus responds saying in verse 50, "Because I said to you I saw you under the fig tree do you believe? You will see greater things than these."
The same man in charge of our debrief continued on to the next chapter where Jesus performs His first miracle at the Wedding in Cana. When Mary comes to her son with the news that there is no wine Jesus says, "Woman what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come." With such a response one would not expect Mary to respond the way she does. Mary turns to the servants and tells them to do whatever Jesus tells them to do. What would make Mary do this when she had never seen Jesus perform a miracle before and when He had responded to her by asking what she would have him do? She responded that way because she was expecting greater things.
We should live expecting greater things. We should expect them not because we deserve it but because of who God is. That is what God does. We should have a reverent expectation, as Mary did, for the powerful work of God.
I remind myself of this frequently as I fight to trust God. I must fight to trust in spite of seeing Him work time and time again in incredible ways. Oh to be like Mary who in faith expected greater things despite having never seen a miracle.

Trusting God

Many of you know that I often fail to trust God the way I should. Many of you faithful friends have been the ones to point out areas of my life where I fail to trust God and then to lovingly point me back to the trustworthy Savior. Recently I have noticed how I pick and choose what areas I choose to trust God and be at peace in and what areas I want control of and as a result I worry and fret about.
One of the greatest areas I fail to trust God in is my future ministry and work. I have seen Him work in extraordinary ways in the past. In spite of my failures and expectations in the areas He has placed me in the past, He has done great things. I have seen him work exceedingly beyond all that I could ask or imagine, yet I fret that He will not continue to work like this in the future. I hate to move on because I think God can't possibly top what He did in the last place He had me. I know this is wrong thinking.
I keep reminding myself of His work in the past. I also keep telling myself that it is exceedingly sinful not to trust Him with the present or future when I have seen Him work in such amazing ways in the past. I am reminded of this as I read the Exodus account where the Israelites time and time again grumbled after God had provided and remained faithful time and time again. It is exceedingly wicked.
It is also exceedingly wicked for me to not relinquish the trust that is due God because I want control over certain areas of my life. How can you say "Lord, Lord" and trust Him with one part of your life but not all? People fret over my safety this next year. I am not worried about that, yet I am anxious about failing at my job. I don't think God will do great things this next year. I don't trust that He will be faithful to equip me for the job He has called me to as He has in the past. This is exceedingly sinful.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean
not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will
make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5

Prayer

I am currently reading the Puritan Paperback "Prayer" by John Bunyan. As I read it something has struck me that I think I knew but never knew so clearly and never knew how to explain to others. I have often been in discussion with others who have said that they prayed but God did not answer their prayer. When it has been pointed out to them that He promises to give what you pray for according to His name and will they feel like they are being swindled by the fine print on an agreement. That is not the case at all.
God is good and gracious. I often do not know what to pray and sometimes I pray for the wrong thing. I am thankful that many times God has not given me what I asked for.
In speaking on prayer and submitting to the will of God, Bunyan says,

"The people of the Lord in all humility are to lay themselves and their prayers,
and all that they have, at the foot of their God, to be disposed of by Him as He
in His Heavenly wisdom sees best. Yet not doubting but God will answer the
desire of His people that way that shall be most for their advantage and His
glory (pg. 22)."

The Christian prays submitting to whatever God may reply because they fully know and trust that God works all things for their good and His glory. Even if He answers "no" to their request, they rejoice because of this truth.

Psalm 115:3 "Our God is in the Heavens; He does all that He pleases."

We are not God. It is good that we are not sovereign and that He who is good and sovereign hears our prayers and acts accordingly. He does what is good for those of us who are believers and what His will and pleasure is. Those two complement each other.

Learning from my Elders

While sitting on a bench with my grandpa in small town Iowa, on a warm summer day, I took the opportunity to ask him two questions. My questions were, "What do you look back on as one of the most fruitful or blessed times of ministry throughout your many years and many locations?" and "What was the hardest thing about ministry?" I enjoyed his answers so I thought I would share them here.
My grandpa looks back at his first pastorate with great fondness. He doesn't know why God chose to bless him and his ministry there as he did but he praises God for it. He was a pastor in Pennsylvania in a very Catholic area. The church consisted of about 15 people when he came if I remember right. They told him that there was not much hope for an increase because the local residents were staunch Catholics. He looks back on this time with such fondness because of the large number of people that God drew to Himself and saved during those years.
While answering my question, he told me a story of one man who believed in Christ during those years. Lou Sickler did not go to my grandfather's church. In fact, he was so opposed to religion that it was off limits for my grandfather to talk to him about when they were together. My grandfather, however, continued to show him Christ's love in deed. He would give Lou rides to get groceries and help in other ways as well. God, in His loving, gracious, and divine providence changed Lou's heart as only He can. My grandfather became very ill during his time in Pennsylvania. He was in excruciating pain and was bedridden. In the midst of this adversity, Lou came to visit. He came to tell my grandpa that the night before he got down on his knees and he accepted Christ and that he had believed. He also came to tell him that he had prayed for my grandfather and that he trusted that God would heal him. What an awesome God we have. His providence amazes me. He works in situations where we can't, to accomplish His great purpose.
God did heal my grandpa and Lou became a faithful member of the church. My grandpa had this praise to speak of Lou, "In all my years of ministry, Lou was the only one that invited the pastor and his family of seven kids to his house for dinner. He would set up a table in the yard and make spaghetti for all of us." What amazed me even more about his hospitality and love for my family members was that he was a single man and he still was the only one in the congregations my grandpa served in to have the pastor's family over for dinner.
The hardest thing my grandpa ever experienced in ministry was having to tell the retirement home where he last served as chaplain, and where he now lives, that he could not handle all the services any more. I can understand this in part having just completed one thing to move to another but I do get to move to another and after some 60 years of serving our Lord he cannot. Two difficulties of ministry I have been thinking about recently are: trusting God, as I move, to work in awesome ways as He has in the past and being faithful to pour into others lives as I am no longer around the people I used to live with who I grew to love deeply.

My Iowa Birthday Twin

Birthdays differ greatly when you enter adulthood. Life no longer stops to revolve around you and your whims on that day. I have not been too disenchanted with recent birthdays but I have been disappointed, at times, that birthdays are just another day and work goes on as usual. It was a nice treat this year to not only have my birthday off of work but also to spend it with my relatives. They make your birthday as special as it was in childhood.
I have noticed in recent years my disappointment from often not doing what I want on my birthday. This year, I was able to witness in another lady, who shares my birthday, an attitude of happiness at doing what others want on her birthday.
My Iowan birthday twin is Joanne Peeke. She just turned 71. Joanne is a servant of God and of those around her. I met her on her birthday at her car where she and her 80-year-old husband were preparing to drive to her sister's house early in the morning to mow her yard. She then spent her day taking her sister to the doctor, arguing with her sister's doctor to ensure her proper care, and taking her sister to get an MRI. On her way home from the doctor's visits she stopped to pick up a chocolate malt for her and her husband to enjoy. That was all the celebration they had because her sister is very sick and she cancelled any celebration they might have normally had because she did not want to celebrate her birthday with her sister sick. Joanne cares for others more than herself. I saw evidence of this as I visited her later that evening. She had over 100 birthday cards that had been mailed to her this year. She doesn't give up people easily. She keeps in touch with so many people. She cares for them, loves them, and they love her back.
Two people she cares for are my grandparents. She picks up their kids at the airport when they fly into town. She picks up flowers if their kids, who live far away, order them. She and her husband are skilled in the art of seeing how to help people and doing it. One way she helped my grandparents was by staying with them three years ago on my birthday when my mom was admitted to the hospital there in Iowa with vertigo. Little did they or my mom know at the time that it was her birthday that day as she spent hours in the hospital with them. She loved them more than she loved herself.
I hope to be more like Joanne as I grow in Christ. I hope to serve others and love others with such humility and selflessness. As I thought about my wonderful, 72-year-old, birthday twin a verse which speaks of our Savior came to mind.

"Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve,
and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Mt. 20:28

Unsure of the Future

My plans for traveling to Israel are not as certain as they once were. I might be going later than I originally anticipated, due to a change in the program schedule. I'm not sure if I can change my plane ticket or if I even need to. When I booked my ticket in April the travel agent told me there was one date I could not change. It did not seem like a problem then because I thought the dates were set in stone. I had no idea all that would occur in Israel this summer. This has been a reminder that I need to always be thinking, while making my plans, "if God wills." I make plans but it is God who directs my steps. The following quote has reminded me to trust God in a time of uncertainty. I found it on the bottom of an email telling me of changes in scheduling. Since I have benefited by thinking on it I thought I would share it here with you.

"Accept the things that happen to you as good, knowing that nothing happens apart from God."